A new tattoo is an open wound, the first 2 weeks are crucial, and you must take proper care of it, so: 

• Do not touch the tattoo until you wash your hands. 

• Change your bedding to fresh ones. 

• Limit sports activities for at least 7 days (recommended 2 weeks). 

• Do not shave the tattooed area. 

• Do not exfoliate. 

• Wash in advance some comfortable, loose, and breathable clothing (preferably made of natural materials that won’t rub against the tattooed area). 

• Do not let a pet/child lick, rub, or touch it. 

• Do not soak the tattoo in water (when taking a bath, keep the tattooed area out of the water to prevent it from getting soggy). 

• Do not bathe in bodies of water such as pools, lakes, rivers, sea, etc. 

• If there is a risk of the tattoo getting dirty, e.g., going to the beach, secure it properly—remember that it is an open wound on a large skin surface! 

• Do not scratch. 

• Be careful of mechanical damage. 

• Do not expose it to the sun (cover the tattooed area with clothing). 

• Do not peel off skin or scabs. 

• Avoid drinking alcohol. 

• Do not use cosmetics on the tattoo other than creams intended for tattoo healing. 

The next 2 weeks 

Additionally, throughout the entire tattoo healing process (a total of one month): 

• still do not expose to the sun (cover the tattooed area with clothing) 

• still do not use cosmetics on the tattoo other than creams intended for healing 

• still do not shave/wax the tattooed area 

• do not bathe in bodies of water such as pools, lakes, rivers, sea, etc. 

In 99 cases out of 100, I will apply a second skin (a transparent sticker on your skin :D) 

Keep the film on for about 24 hours. If you want to keep it on for a few hours longer/shorter, that's fine, but don't keep it for several days! 

If, within 24 hours, a large amount of plasma builds up under the film (to the point that the tattoo is floating in it), gently pierce it with a sterile needle, release the plasma, and seal the hole with a plaster. If you don't do this, the film may fall off unexpectedly. 

While wearing the film, do not remove it or apply any cream to the tattoo. 

Sometimes the second skin may fall off earlier by itself—don’t panic :) Even though I usually use the same brand, the batches can be quite uneven, and sometimes the adhesive holds better, sometimes worse. It may also hold worse if the skin is more oily, if you sweat more, or if the tattoo is in a very mobile area. If this happens: 

Remove the second skin 

Wash the tattoo with water and gentle soap 

Gently pat it dry with a disposable towel (do not rub) 

Apply a THIN layer of cream 

Cover with a hygiene pad or breathable film 

NEXT DAYS: 

1-14 days after the tattoo 

EVERY 3-4 hours: 

Wash the tattoo with water and gentle soap, do it thoroughly to remove any leftover cream, skin flakes, plasma, etc. 

Gently pat it dry with a disposable towel (do not rub) 

Apply a THIN layer of tattoo cream 

Unless you plan to go to places where something could dirty the tattoo (e.g., the beach, dust), and nothing is leaking from it, there's no need to cover the tattoo with film or pads. However, it's good to "protect" it with clothing, for example, by wearing long sleeves for a tattoo on your forearm, longer pants, or higher socks for a tattoo on your ankle, to avoid accidentally touching it. Clothes should be loose and not rub. For rib tattoos, it's best to avoid wearing a bra until it heals, or you can wear a sports bra if necessary. For foot tattoos, wear slippers, etc. 

14-30 days after the tattoo 

Twice a day: 

Wash the tattoo with water and gentle soap 

Gently pat it dry 

Apply a THIN layer of tattoo cream 

Additionally, 1-2 times a day, apply tattoo cream to the tattoo 

The first few days are crucial - it's an open wound, so you need to pay extra attention to caring for the tattoo! The skin may be irritated, slightly red, mildly painful, and in the case of larger tattoos, fever may occur. The body treats the tattoo like an inflammation, and the ink like a foreign body, trying to get rid of it :) If anything causes you concern, you can always reach out to me and send a photo! 

You should be worried if the tattoo is inflamed, very painful, shows no signs of healing, has a yellowish coating, or if there are other abnormalities! Sometimes this can indicate an allergy, a bacterial infection (it could just be bad luck and accidentally touching a place on the tattoo), or other complications. In such cases, don’t wait - act quickly! This way, the condition can be treated faster, and your tattoo won't suffer, or at worst, it will only need a small touch-up :) These situations are very rare, but I think it’s important to be aware of them. 

A few days after getting the tattoo, the skin will start to peel off (like after a sunburn, but colored :D). This is completely normal and is part of the tattoo healing process. Do not pull it off or scratch it. Itching during healing is also normal, but you should not scratch the tattoo at that time! 

Most tattoos are already partially healed after about a week, but it can sometimes take up to 2 weeks. It is not fully healed yet! The skin has a slightly different texture, and its deeper layers are still regenerating. You can ease up on the care a bit, but don’t completely forget about it! :) 

After a month from getting the tattoo, it should be fully healed! It would be great if you could send a picture (make sure it's a sharp photo in good lighting - preferably natural light). 

You can treat it like normal skin, using regular moisturizers. The only thing—remember to use creams with SPF 50! Tattoos are usually darker than regular skin, so they absorb more light. UV light also damages the ink over time, making the colors less saturated 

It can happen that during the healing process, the ink doesn’t settle perfectly or the tattoo has slight translucency/gaps (for example because a scab formed). In such a case, you are entitled to a free touch-up, as long as you let me know about it within about a month of getting the tattoo. Generally, I allow around 3 months for touch-ups, but if you need a little more time (e.g., if you're going on vacation), that's not a problem—just let me know in advance so we can arrange it :D Touch-ups are a normal part of the tattooing process. 

Typically, touch-ups take less than 30 minutes for smaller designs and about an hour for larger tattoos, so for logistical reasons, I always schedule them in the morning hours😀 

When I say "imperfect," I don't mean something negative that should cause panic :) It's more about the fact that for some people, the whole process goes smoothly, while for others, more effort is needed to achieve a satisfying final result. This is work on living tissue, every body is different and can react differently! Just like with medication—ibuprofen works better for some, while aspirin works better for others :) 

BLEEDING DURING THE SESSION 

This can be influenced by medications, alcohol consumed the day before, or simply the natural tendency of the person getting tattooed xD. In general, bleeding always occurs during a tattoo, just at varying levels. If there’s more bleeding, it makes my work harder, and I have a tougher time seeing what I’m doing—especially when working with lighter colors. It can also be a stronger defense reaction from the body, trying to flush out the ink. 

LONGER HEALING TIME 

Factors like certain medical conditions (e.g., thyroid disorders, diabetes) can affect healing. The location of the tattoo also plays a role—areas with a lot of movement, like joints or folds, tend to heal more slowly because the skin is constantly in motion. 

PIGMENT DOESN’T SETTLE 

Sometimes this happens during the tattooing process—certain colors just don’t go in as well, and sometimes it becomes apparent during healing. I once had a client whose tattoo healed perfectly except for the navy blue color. In such cases, we do a touch-up after a month, and I can try using a different ink. Another client had trouble with purple—it wouldn’t settle properly, whether she got tattooed by me or other artists, using inks from different brands. In that case, we couldn’t find a solution at the time. It wasn’t that all the purple disappeared, but it looked less "smooth" compared to the other colors :) Some pigments are also generally harder to work into the skin. 

SCABS 

Usually, the healing process happens without scabs, but if they do appear, it's best to apply cream a bit less frequently and let them dry out slightly. There is a higher risk of ink loss during healing, but don’t worry—this can be easily fixed with a touch-up a month after the tattoo has healed! :) 

SENSITIVE AREAS 

In some spots, the skin is thinner, making it easier to "overwork" the tattoo. Since every body is different, tattoo artists work somewhat by feel. The ink can be placed perfectly, but it can also go slightly too deep or too shallow—it’s a matter of millimeters. If the ink is placed too shallow, it may fade during healing. If it’s too deep, the tattoo may heal poorly, develop scabs, or even blur. I aim to tattoo gently because, in this case, any ink loss can simply be touched up a month later!  

HEALED TATTOO SWELLING AND ITCHING AT RANDOM TIMES 

Ink under the skin is a foreign body, so sometimes the immune system reacts unpredictably and decides it wants to get rid of it. If your tattoo suddenly starts itching or swelling, it’s usually due to one of the following reasons: 

• Cross-allergy: The ink itself doesn’t cause a reaction, but combined with another factor, it becomes an issue. Sometimes, this seems completely random—for me, certain tattoos suddenly started swelling. A dermatologist advised me to switch laundry detergents, and most of the swelling stopped. Taking antihistamines for a while can also help. 

• The body decides it doesn’t like the ink anymore: This often resolves on its own after a few days, but antihistamines can help if needed. 

• Reaction to sunlight: Using SPF creams and covering the tattoo should help. Physical sunscreens are better at reflecting UV rays before they reach the skin, while chemical sunscreens don’t leave a white cast. 

Any cream specifically designed for tattoo aftercare (available at tattoo studios or online) or Bepanthen ointment with panthenol (available at pharmacies). 

Bepanthen is cheaper and works great for healing tattoos, but it’s quite greasy and less comfortable to use compared to dedicated tattoo creams. 

Examples of tattoo creams: 

• Skin Project – Not vegan, but worth mentioning because it’s hypoallergenic and fragrance-free. Very lightweight, highly moisturizing, and comes in a spray for easy application. 

• Neba Cream – Has a facial cream-like consistency, moisturizes and nourishes, and is vegan. 

• Tattoo Butter – A butter-like consistency, mainly a mix of oils. Personally, I find it lacks hydration, but that’s a matter of preference 🙂. It’s vegan and comes in three scents.