Aftercare
After your tattoo
Healing is half of the result. There are two methods I use, and neither one is a fallback — they suit different people, different projects and different lives.
Whichever we use, keep it clean, keep your hands off it, no swimming, no baths, no direct sun and no gym until it has settled.
Method A
Second skin
You will leave the studio in a clear adhesive dressing. Leave it in place — it will fill with plasma and ink, and that is exactly what it is supposed to do. It is not infection and it is not a problem.
Keep the dressing on for three to five days. If it leaks at the edges or lifts, remove it, wash the tattoo gently with unscented soap and warm water, pat it dry with clean kitchen roll and apply a fresh piece if you have one.
To take it off, do it in a warm shower and peel it slowly back on itself, along the skin rather than away from it. Wash the tattoo, let it air dry, then use a thin layer of unscented moisturiser twice a day until the flaking has finished.
Method B
Absorbent pads
If the second skin process is not right for you, this is the method I will often use instead.
You will need absorbent pads — Amazon Basics puppy training pads work perfectly — and a roll of micropore tape. Cut a pad to size, place it over the tattoo and tape the edges down.
Change the pad every few hours on the first day, and any time it becomes saturated. Each time, wash the tattoo gently with unscented soap and warm water, pat it dry with clean kitchen roll, then dress it again. Keep this going for the first 24 to 48 hours while the tattoo is leaking, then move to washing twice a day and a thin layer of unscented moisturiser.
Sleep on a pad or an old towel. Colour work leaks, and it stains bedding.
For some people second skin works wonders, while others get a better result with absorbent pads. On large colour sessions (2 to 3 days in a row of colour saturation) some people leak a lot of plasma, which can be problematic. In that case the pads are more appropriate.
Some people need to travel, or get straight back into their regular schedule, and that is where I prefer second skin.
Where possible, the best approach is to let the tattoo leak for 24 to 48 hours first and then apply second skin. I have had a lot of success with a combination of these methods.
In any case, I will advise you on what the best aftercare is for you. During our time together on larger projects I will dial in an aftercare system that is specific to you. A perfect result for you is my top priority and I will not rest until we get there.