The night of getting inked: Remove any bandage if you have one over your tattoo, and wash the area with warm soapy water (use anti-bacterial soap). There is nothing else to do until morning.

Starting the next morning and for 5 days after, apply a thin coat of ointment (Tattoo Goo, Aquaphor, or A&D) 3 times a day. Never let the tattoo dry out during this period.

At about the 5th/6th day the skin over top of the tattoo will start to peel. At this time stop using the ointment, and switch to applying a good unscented skin (lubriderm) lotion over top of the area for maybe another week or more until the peeling completely stops.

Keep tattoo out of soaking in water (baths or swimming) until fully healed.

Keep the new tattoo out of the sun until it’s fully healed! It is not fully healed until it’s no longer shiny.

Note:

• Never re-bandage the tattoo area after removing the initial bandage. (if you had one in the first place to cover it up to travel home from the studio)