How to Care for Fresh Tattoo Skin

Keep it clean, moisturized, and protected from sun while it heals over 2-4 weeks.

Treat your fresh tattoo like expensive silk. You wouldn't throw designer fabric in the washing machine on heavy cycle, so don't treat your skin investment carelessly either.

1. Clean gently twice daily. Wash with unscented antibacterial soap using clean hands, never a washcloth. Pat dry with a clean paper towel. Your skin needs to breathe, not be scrubbed raw.
2. Apply thin moisturizer layer. Use fragrance-free, gentle moisturizer or tattoo-specific balm. Think film, not slather. Over-moisturizing creates bacteria breeding grounds.
3. Protect from sun completely. Keep covered or use SPF 30+ once initial healing starts. UV rays will fade your investment faster than anything else you could do wrong.
4. Let it peel naturally. Resist picking at scabs or peeling skin. Your tattoo is rebuilding itself from the inside out. Interrupting this process creates patchy, faded results.