How to Heal Your New Tattoo – A KVLTIST'S Guide to Aftercare

You've done the hard bit. You sat through the tattoo, made it home, and now you're responsible for keeping the little thing happy while it heals. Well done — maybe by the time YOU have been in my chair I'll have made the "I was brave at the stabby shop" stickers and you'll be sent away with one.

Tattoo aftercare doesn't need to involve twelve different products, an elaborate skincare ritual, or something your pal swears worked perfectly in 2007. Your tattoo mainly needs to be kept clean, protected and left alone. DO NOT LET THE DOG LICK IT – I have heard of this fabled aftercare routine – it does not fucking work… stop it!

I use two different healing methods: adhesive second skin, and traditional healing. Neither is automatically better for everyone. The method I recommend will depend on your skin, the placement, and the tattoo itself. There is a third, but it is a last resort for a very small number of people — more on that below.

Here's everything you need to know. 🖤

🩸 First: a fresh tattoo is an open wound

It may be a very pretty open wound, but it is still broken skin. For the love of the old Gods, don't touch it!

A little redness, warmth, swelling, tenderness and clear or slightly ink-coloured fluid can all be completely normal during the first few days. As it heals, it may also itch, flake, peel and form light scabs. Don't scratch it. You will want to – DON'T.

The goal of aftercare isn't to make absolutely nothing happen. Your body has healing to do. Your job is simply to give it a clean, sensible environment in which to do that.

Before touching your tattoo, wash your hands properly. Every single time. Not a quick rinse under the tap. Antibacterial soap. Actual hand washing, like COVID times – sing the happy birthday song till it's finished.

🩹 Option One: Healing With Second Skin

Second skin is the clear adhesive film I may place over your tattoo before you leave. It acts as a temporary barrier, protecting the fresh tattoo from clothing, dirt and grubby fingers while allowing you to carry on with your life fairly normally.

🫧 The weird ink sack is normal

Your tattoo may release a mixture of plasma, excess ink and a small amount of blood underneath the film. This can form a strange dark liquid pocket that makes your beautiful new tattoo look like it has melted.

It hasn't.

This is normal, particularly with heavily saturated colour or blackwork. Please do not poke it, drain it, or send the tattoo thoughts and prayers. Leave it sealed. Don't drink it either… Yes, someone has done this – I wish I could find the video again, but I can't, so your eyeballs have been spared.

⏳ How long should I leave it on?

Keep the second skin on for the length of time I have told you. Normally I advise you to take it off, in the shower, the night of your tattoo appointment, and then reapply a fresh one. The second application of second skin can be left on for up to four or five days.

Different brands have different instructions, and every tattoo releases a different amount of fluid. Placement, movement, skin type and the size of the tattoo can also affect how well the film stays in place. If you have had a small tattoo it won't need to be changed, whereas a full heavy colour or blackwork sleeve would need to be changed.

Follow the instructions I give you at your appointment rather than whatever somebody on TikTok did with theirs. Your specifics will be discussed at the end of your appointment. But generally speaking – replace the second skin the night of the tattoo with a new one, and leave that second one on for four to five days.

⚠️ Remove it early if

• The film begins leaking.
• Water gets underneath it.
• The seal lifts far enough to expose the tattoo.
• You develop intense burning, unusual pain or a spreading rash.
• Your skin appears to be reacting to the adhesive.

Once the seal has broken, the film is no longer protecting the tattoo properly. Do not patch the hole with Sellotape, plasters, or another random piece of adhesive.

Remove the film and switch to the traditional washing method below.

🧼 How to remove second skin

Do not grab a corner and rip it upwards like a wax strip. Your fresh tattoo will not thank you.

Remove it slowly under warm running water. Keep the film low against your skin and gently stretch or peel it down and away rather than pulling it directly upwards. Holding the surrounding skin steady can make this much easier.

Once it is removed:

1. Wash your hands.
2. Gently wash the tattoo with lukewarm water and a mild, fragrance-free soap.
3. Rinse away any soap or adhesive residue.
4. Pat it dry with clean disposable paper towel, or allow it to air-dry.
5. Once completely dry, apply a very thin layer of suitable aftercare cream if the skin needs it.

This video is a great example of how to take the second skin off, as demonstrated by Tiffany S, an artist in Dublin: watch the removal video

🚨 A word about allergic reactions

Not everyone can get a tattoo healed with second skin bandages. I am one of them, so I know what I'm yapping about here.

You will have had me ask you if you were allergic to plasters, tape, or anything sticky made for the skin. From your reaction and answers to that question, plus the answers on your medical questionnaire, plus how your skin reacted DURING the tattoo, I can ascertain the information needed to offer you second skin. I am NOT a medical professional. Far from it — I spelled "professional" wrong twice writing this sentence and draw on people for a living. I cannot give you medical advice, but I can recall the time I had an allergic reaction to medical adhesive bandages, and do not wish it on anyone.

ANYONE can be allergic to second skin and frankly never know it. So yes, I do offer this out as a healing option. Is it my personal favourite? No. But it may suit you and your lifestyle better if you are not allergic to it.

"But Kayleigh, how do I know if I will be allergic to it?"

Great question, Bob. And honestly, you don't know. Not unless you have had it on your skin before, or something similar like tape or plasters. So what I will sometimes do is heal you the "traditional" way on our first appointment, and give you a small piece of second skin to try on a part of your body away from our new and fresh tattoo, to see if you react to it.

"Kayleigh, what do reactions look like with second skin?"

Another fantastic question, Bob! Reactions to second skin can vary by the person, but generally speaking this is what you need to look out for. If at all you see these things happening, remove the second skin immediately.

• Redness located around the EDGE of the second skin.
• Itching and burning that is more than a "normal" discomfort from your tattoo session.
• Blisters forming anywhere the second skin is touching.
• Peeling skin anywhere the second skin is touching.
• Severe swelling (oedema): significant fluid buildup under the skin, making the tissue feel tight, hard or puffy.
• Oozing and crusting, which can look like clear or slightly yellow fluid leaking from raw skin, which then dries into crusty patches.
• Chemical burns, which cause broken or weeping skin that looks and feels like a heat burn, from the prolonged contact with the adhesive chemicals.
• Hyperpigmentation, which can cause dark brown, red or purple marks left behind after the rash heals, which can take months to fade.

If you see these happening, take the second skin off at once, let me know, and continue your healing with the traditional method up next.

🧴 Option Two: Traditional Healing

Traditional healing simply means caring for the tattoo without leaving an adhesive film over it.

Your tattoo may initially be covered with a temporary dressing for the journey home — some cling film or "saran wrap", and I probably called you a sandwich. Remove this at the time I tell you, then wash the tattoo.

Unless I have specifically instructed otherwise, do not repeatedly wrap it in cling film. Your tattoo does not need to spend the next week marinating in its own sweat. Buuuut I have had to peel my knee off my bedding before, so I always advise that the first night at least (depending on the tattoo) you sleep with it wrapped. Because losing a bit of skin to nylon and polyester fucking sucks. And furthermore, if you work a dirty or sweaty job, or a job in the general public, I may advise you wrap your tattoo while at work, but leave it open to air out in the comfort of your own home.

🚿 Washing your tattoo

Wash it gently around two or three times a day, and any time it has become genuinely dirty.

1. Wash your hands with antibacterial soap and dry with a PAPER TOWEL.
2. Wet the tattoo with lukewarm water.
3. Use your fingertips and a small amount of mild, fragrance-free, antibacterial soap. Carex is a good brand.
4. Gently remove any dried plasma or residue.
5. Rinse it thoroughly.
6. Pat it dry with clean disposable paper towel.

Do not scrub it with a flannel, sponge, exfoliating glove, nail brush, or the same bath towel that has been hanging beside your toilet for three days. Ya nassstttyyyyy.

💧 Moisturising your tattoo

Once the tattoo is clean and completely dry, apply a tiny amount of suitable fragrance-free aftercare cream. I will probably demonstrate how much you need if it's your first tattoo, because girl, people go HAM with the ointment, like they have some lil slug love fetish.

Your tattoo should feel comfortable and lightly moisturised. It should not look wet, greasy, or shiny enough to fry an egg on.

More cream does not mean more healing. Smothering the tattoo can trap moisture, soften scabs and irritate the skin, which can lead to infection.

If you have accidentally applied too much, gently blot away the excess with clean paper towel. Simples!

"But Kayleigh."

"Yes, Bob?"

"Is vaseline okay?"

"FUCK NO BOB! I RAISED YOU BETTER THAN THIS!!!"

Don't be like Bob. Do not use the following on your tattoo. Ever. Unless you like fucked tattoos, I guess…

• SAVLON
• VASELINE
• GERMOLENE
• SUDOCREM
• BEPANTHEN – with a caveat… if you have tolerated this, as it IS an old school healing method, and swear by it, then by all means, I will assess how your tattoos have healed and either give you the go ahead to continue to use it, or gently nudge you to try a new product. They changed their ingredients a few years ago and some people found their tattoos didn't heal well afterwards. They're also not vegan, if that's important to you.
• EMOLLIENT CREAMS – think E45, Doublebase, anything for severe dry skin or eczema. Generally too thick for tattoo healing.
• NO STEROID CREAMS OR HYDROCORTISONE CREAMS.
• OR ANY HIGH STREET REGULAR SCENTED FUN MOISTURISING LOTIONS – the severe fragrance can cause reactions during healing broken skin.

Just keep it lightweight and simple.

I recommend the FRAGRANCE FREE Palmer's Cocoa Butter, or Skin Jungle Tattoo Balms, which may be available to purchase in shop.

⚗️ Option Three: Dry Healing (The Limited-Ointment Method)

The secret third method is dry healing, but it only suits a very very small number of people and only for certain skin types, so I'll tell you if it's the right call for you, based off past heals, your answers to your medical questionnaire, and what I learn from you on the day. Please don't decide to give it a go on your own because it sounds hardcore. It isn't a flex, it's a judgement call, and getting it wrong means scabbing, cracking and patchy ink. Generally, I will be open and honest — it's what I use to heal my own tattoos, because I have connective tissue disorders that affect the healing process of my skin. How I heal is very abnormal. Dry healing is not for the faint of heart, and is a last resort for a very VERY small number of people.

Most people do NOT recommend this form of healing for their clients, and if you google it you will see that it says it is an "outdated" healing practice, and this is true. Because now we are blessed to have hundreds of various types of healing balms suitable for many different skin types. And I'd rather we found one that worked for you.

I will never recommend "TRUE" dry healing, where you just never put any lotion on it at all. But I will — ON RARE OCCASIONS, for the correct skin type — recommend a very limited amount of ointment, and we will discuss this at length. Usually I will ask you to come in during the first week of your heal to see in person how you're getting on.

That Limited-Ointment version is the one I use on myself. Not the never-put-anything-on-it version.

📅 What healing normally looks like

The first few days

Your tattoo may feel tender, warm or slightly swollen. It can look brighter, redder and more dramatic than it will once healed.

There may be a small amount of clear fluid, ink-coloured fluid, or spotting of blood. This should gradually settle rather than becoming more severe.

🐍 The itchy, flaky stage

After a few days, the tattoo may begin to dry, tighten, itch and peel.

It can look dull, crusty, or frankly a bit ugly. This is the glamorous part nobody puts on Instagram. ✨

Small coloured flakes may come away while you wash or moisturise it. That does not automatically mean the tattoo is falling out. Let loose skin come away naturally.

Do not:

• Pick the flakes.
• Pull off hanging skin.
• Scratch it with your nails.
• Shave over it.
• Exfoliate it.
• Attempt to "help" a scab come off.

Picking can reopen the skin, introduce bacteria, and remove pigment before the area beneath it is ready.

If it itches, gently pat around it with clean hands, or apply a tiny amount of your recommended moisturiser. Do not slap it like it owes you something… or took your lil boo thang.

✨ The shiny stage

Who's that Pokémon?!

Once the flakes have gone, the tattoo may look slightly shiny, cloudy, or less vibrant than it did when it was fresh.

This does not mean it has healed badly. New surface skin is still settling over the tattoo. Give it time before inspecting every millimetre for a possible touch-up.

A tattoo can look healed on the surface before the skin has completely settled underneath. Usually the deeper layers of skin can take up to six weeks to fully heal.

🚫 Things to avoid while it heals

🛁 No soaking

Showers are fine. Soaking is not.

Avoid baths, swimming pools, hot tubs, saunas, lakes, rivers and the sea until the tattoo is fully healed. A quick shower and sitting in warm bathwater for an hour are not the same thing. If you work with water, or for some reason really fucking like washing dishes (no shade, no understanding, but no shade, you do you), and have a hand or wrist tattoo, we can discuss how best to protect your tattoo from the water.

☀️ Keep it out of direct sunlight

Do not sunbathe with a healing tattoo, and do not put sunscreen directly onto skin that is still open, peeling or scabbed. Keep it covered with clean, loose clothing instead.

Once fully healed, protect it with a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen of at least SPF 50. UV exposure can fade tattoo pigment over time.

👕 Avoid rubbing and tight clothing

Wear clean, loose clothing wherever possible. Tight waistbands, bra straps, work boots, watch straps and anything else repeatedly rubbing across the tattoo can irritate it.

Also be careful when sleeping. Fresh tattoos can stick to bedding, as I mentioned earlier, so use clean sheets and avoid lying directly on the tattoo where possible, and wrap it for the first night or few, depending on the tattoo. It also protects your sheets from any potential ink transfer.

If it does stick, do not rip the fabric away. Wet the area with lukewarm water until it releases. I ripped it. Don't. For the love of that sweet little lord baby Jesus, don't rip it off. Do as I say, not as I do. For I am the professional…

🐕 Keep pets away from it

I love your dog. I am sure your dog is wonderful. Please tell me all about your dog, I want to see your dog, tell your dog they are amazing, and yes, they do deserve that bit of cheese…

Your dog still cannot lick your fresh tattoo. You are NOT an ice pole.

Keep pets away from the healing area and, ideally, out of your bedding while the tattoo is fresh. The same rule applies to cats, rabbits, and any other furry little creature determined to investigate your new wound. Because they will, because they care about you, and don't understand fashion, branding and aesthetics. Unless you have an Orca or a Chimpanzee — they apparently have fashion… Really, Google it: "Orca Salmon Hat" and "Chimp Grass Butt". I am not lying about this.

🧪 Do not use random products

Avoid:

• Perfumed body lotion.
• Body sprays or perfume.
• Exfoliating acids.
• Retinoids.
• Fake tan.
• Makeup.
• Hair-removal cream.
• Thick layers of petroleum jelly.
• Antiseptic creams, unless a medical professional has told you to use one.

A tattoo does not heal better because you emptied the bathroom cabinet onto it.

🏋️ What about work and the gym?

Consider where the tattoo is and what your day involves.

A desk job is very different from working in a hot kitchen, rolling around on a gym mat, or spending eight hours in dirty work trousers. Sweat, friction and contaminated surfaces can all irritate a fresh tattoo.

Avoid activities that repeatedly rub, stretch or put pressure on the area during the earliest stage of healing. When you return to exercise, wear clean clothing, avoid shared surfaces touching the tattoo, and wash it gently afterwards. As a gym bro, to a gym bro… clean the machines and benches before and after, cos my GAWD are gyms gross. Get your tattoo on a rest day.

For larger tattoos or awkward placements, I may give you more specific advice at your appointment.

🚑 When should you be concerned?

A healing tattoo should generally become less painful, less swollen and less red as time passes.

Speak to me if you are unsure about something. I would always rather look at a photograph and tell you it is normal than have you sit at home worrying, or make it worse with mystery cream, or your anxious little tears falling onto it because someone once said you were too much and worried too much and were too anxious. GIRL, just message me. We are chill like that now, we are besties, you're not a bother, and I love you and love that you're looking after your wellbeing. I'd rather you messaged me.

However, I am not a medical professional, and tattoo artists cannot diagnose or treat infections.

Contact your GP or NHS 111 if you notice:

• Redness that is spreading away from the tattoo.
• Swelling, heat or pain that is getting worse rather than better.
• Thick yellow, green or foul-smelling discharge.
• Red streaks travelling away from the area.
• A fever, chills or flu-like symptoms.
• Feeling generally unwell.
• A severe or rapidly worsening skin reaction.

If the area becomes extremely red or swollen, the pain is severe, symptoms are spreading quickly, or you feel seriously unwell, seek urgent medical help. This includes if you are wearing second skin.

Do not wait for your tattoo artist to reply before seeking medical treatment when you have clear signs of infection.

🖤 A few final reminders

Your tattoo does not need to heal perfectly silently. Redness, tenderness, itching, peeling and a temporary ugly stage can all be part of the process.

Keep it clean. Use clean hands. Apply products sparingly. Do not soak it, scratch it, roast it in the sun, or let somebody's French bulldog lick it.

Most importantly, follow the advice given for your tattoo. Your skin is not your friend's skin, and a tiny wrist tattoo will not behave exactly like a full-colour thigh piece.

Healing is part of the tattoo process. Look after it properly now and you'll give it the best chance of looking good for years to come. ✨