Tattoo aftercare
Good healing is half the result. Here is exactly what to do before and after your session.
Before your session
Rest and eat
Sleep well the night before and have a proper meal before you come. For full-day sessions, bring water and snacks.
No alcohol
No alcohol or drugs in the 24 hours before your session. Go easy on coffee too.
Prepare your skin
Moisturise the area with a neutral cream the week before. No sunburn, UV or fake tan on the area in the 2 weeks before.
Don’t shave
Don’t shave the area yourself: we do it at the studio without irritating the skin.
Medication or health issue
Blood thinners, skin treatment, illness, pregnancy: talk to your doctor and let us know before the session.
Comfort
Comfortable clothes that give easy access to the area. For long sessions: charger, headphones, and a blanket if you get cold.
Numbing cream: only if we’ve discussed it beforehand. Some creams change the texture of the skin and make the work harder.
After your session
The wrap
Clear adhesive film (“second skin”): keep it on for 3 to 5 days, then peel it off gently under warm water. If it comes loose or a lot of fluid builds up underneath, remove it sooner. Cling film: remove it after 2 to 4 hours.
Washing
2 to 3 times a day, with clean hands, warm water and a mild fragrance-free soap. Don’t rub. Pat dry with clean paper towel, never a cloth towel.
Cream
A thin layer of healing cream, 2 to 3 times a day for about 2 weeks. The skin needs to breathe: no thick layer.
Don’t scratch
Don’t scratch, and don’t pick scabs or peeling skin. Itchy? Tap it gently.
No soaking
For 3 weeks: no bath, pool, sea, sauna or steam room. Yes, even the sea. Short showers are fine.
No sun
No sun exposure for 4 weeks. After that, SPF 50 on the tattoo every time to keep deep blacks and bright colours.
Clothes and gym
Loose, clean clothes and clean sheets. No intense sport or gym for 48 to 72 hours, then no dirty equipment against the tattoo and no forced stretching of the area in the first week.
Healing stages
- Days 1–3
Redness, slight warmth, some ink and plasma seeping. That’s normal.
- Days 4–14
The skin peels and itches. The tattoo looks dull, as if veiled. Also normal.
- Weeks 3–6
The surface has healed and the tattoo gets its contrast back. Deeper skin keeps rebuilding for 2 to 3 months.
- 1 month
Send us a photo of your healed tattoo. We love seeing them.
When to see a doctor
If after 72 hours you notice spreading redness, increasing heat or swelling, pus, fever, red streaks or intense pain, see a doctor and let us know.
About the risks
Like anything that goes through the skin, tattooing carries risks: infection, allergic reaction to inks, abnormal healing. They are greatly reduced by sterile single-use equipment, strict hygiene at the studio and following this guide. Pregnancy, breastfeeding, clotting or healing disorders, skin conditions on the area: talk to your doctor before getting tattooed.
This guide does not replace medical advice.