TATTOO AFTERCARE
Congratulations on your new tattoo. How you care for it in the next two to three weeks directly affects how it looks for the rest of your life. These instructions reflect exactly what we tell every client who leaves Mister Tattoo. Follow them, and your piece will heal the way it should.
Questions during healing? Call us at (904) 551-6683. We're here seven days a week.
The First 24 Hours — The Bandage
Your artist applied a bandage before you left the shop. Leave it on for 24 hours. Before you remove it, wash your hands thoroughly.
Once the bandage comes off, gently wash the tattoo with warm water and a fragrance-free antibacterial soap — Dial Gold works well. Use your clean fingertips only. Do not use a washcloth, brush, loofah, or anything abrasive on the tattoo at any point during healing. Pat the area dry with a clean towel or paper towel. Do not rub.
After washing, check the surface of the tattoo for plasma weeping — small, glossy or wet-looking spots on the skin. If the tattoo is still weeping plasma, wash it clean and re-wrap it using the Dri-Loc pads and compression tape in your aftercare package. Rewrap for another 24 hours and repeat the washing process. Once the tattoo is no longer weeping, you do not need to rebandage.
Days 2 and 3 — Keep It Clean and Dry
For the first 48 hours after the bandage comes off, treat the tattoo as an open wound. Anything you apply during this window can enter the tattoo and cause complications, allergic reactions, or infection.
During this period: keep the tattoo clean and dry. Wash it once or twice daily using the same method — warm water, antibacterial soap, clean fingertips, pat dry. Do not apply any lotion, ointment, or product of any kind until the surface has closed. A properly healing tattoo will begin to feel tight and dry around day three.
Days 3 Through 14 — Moisturizing and Peeling
By the third day the tattoo will feel dry, tight, and begin to itch. This is a good sign — it means the skin is no longer an open wound and is entering the peeling phase. Begin applying a thin layer of unscented lotion once in the morning. If dryness and itching are significant, a second thin application midday is acceptable. Less is more.
Choosing the right lotion matters. Avoid anything with artificial fragrances, alcohol, or animal byproducts like lanolin. Avoid thick, greasy ointments entirely — Neosporin, A&D, and Aquaphor all fall in this category. Aquaphor in particular contains lanolin, which increases the risk of allergic reactions and infection in healing tattoos. A simple, unscented lotion is the right choice.
The tattoo will peel during this phase, similar to a sunburn. Do not pick, scratch, or peel the skin manually. Pulling peeling skin before it is ready can pull ink with it and affect the final result.
What to Avoid During Healing
The average tattoo takes two to three weeks to close and peel. During this period avoid all of the following:
- Swimming of any kind — pools, the ocean, rivers, and lakes all introduce bacteria to an open wound
- Soaking in baths or hot tubs — brief showers are fine, prolonged soaking is not
- Direct sun exposure on the tattoo — UV light damages healing skin and fades new ink
- Gym equipment and shared surfaces that contact the tattoo
- Tight clothing over the tattoo during healing
Long-Term Care
Once your tattoo has fully healed, sun exposure becomes the primary factor in how well it holds up over time. UV light breaks down tattoo pigment faster than anything else. Apply SPF 30 or higher sunscreen to healed tattoos whenever they'll be exposed. This applies year-round in Florida, where the sun is consistently strong enough to fade ink even on overcast days.
When to Call Us
Most discomfort during the first few days — soreness, tightness, mild warmth, light redness around the edges — is normal. Call us or seek medical attention if you notice: significant swelling that increases after the first 48 hours, spreading redness or red streaking away from the tattoo, fever, yellow or green discharge, or a strong unpleasant odor. These can be signs of infection.
For other questions, see our FAQ page.
