Day 1-5

First steps after the procedure is done: 

1.Remove the plastic cover when you get  home and gently wash your tattoo with warm water and fragrance-free soup. Pat your skin dry,

don’t scratch.

  2. Apply a small amount of tattoo healing cream. You can keep the covering off at this point to let your skin breathe.

Don’t keep the second skin more than 24 hours

It’s better to cover your tattoo if you can’t avoid: 

• close contact with animals

• Construction dust

• rubbing against clothes   
  

  You can notice fluid oozing from the tattoo. This is blood, plasma and some extra ink leaking from the tattoo. It’s also normal for your skin to be red and sore.

   3.Repeat steps 1 and 2 up to  3-4 times per day. Your fresh tattoo should stay clean and moisturized 
  

Once you stop noticing any leaking off the tattoo you don’t need to cover it anymore.

What To Avoid

Day 6-14

You will notice some light scabbing over the tattoo. Don’t pick it or try to pull it off. Let it come off naturally.

Otherwise, you could pull out the ink and leave scars.

Your skin may feel very itchy. Don’t rub or scratch it!

Apply moisturizer several times a day to relieve the itching.

• Alcohol or drugs for at least 3 days after.

• Close contact with animals ( they don’t have to rub onto your fresh tattoo) for 7 days

• Gym or any similar activities for 10 days

• Don’t swim anywhere for 14 days (only taking shower is acceptable)

• Don’t Soak. No Sauna, pool or bath;

• Tanning and active sun for 14 days minimum, better for a month

Day 15-30

The tattooed area might still look dry and dull. Keep moisturizing.

2-3 months 

It’s normal for the skin above your new tattoo to look dry for up to 3 months. During that time the lower layers of skin are healing.

Better to keep moisturizing your skin after bathing if you want your tattoo looks more fresh and vivid

It’s normal to notice irritation or swelling after getting inked. But tattoo reactions can go beyond simple irritation. Skin can swell, itch, and ooze with pus.

Most allergic reactions are tied to certain inks. This hypersensitivity often presents as contact dermatitis or photosensitivity.

Allergy symptoms vary by severity. 

Some are simply skin-deep and resolve in a few days.

Mild allergic reactions can cause:

• itching

• rashes or bumps

• redness or irritation

• skin flaking

• swelling or fluid buildup around tattoo ink

• scaly skin around tattoo

• skin tags or nodules

More severe reactions can affect your entire body. 

See a doctor or other healthcare provider if you begin to experience:

• intense itching or burning around the tattoo

• pus or drainage oozing from the tattoo

• hard, bumpy tissue

• chills or hot flashes

• fever

How to identify an allergic reaction

Seek emergency medical help if you develop swelling around your eyes or have difficulty breathing.

What’s the difference between an allergy and an infection?

Allergic reaction

These symptoms only affect the skin near your tattoo.

Localized itching, burning, swelling, and excessive redness- You shouldn’t have any of those symptoms.

If the ink is to blame, your symptoms will only appear around the offending pigment. Red ink is the most common allergen.

Although the symptoms are often similar, there are a few key differences that may help you distinguish between the two.

When to see your tattoo artist or doctor

Notice any abnormal swelling, oozing, or other signs of irritation? Contact  your tattoo artist to let them know what you’re experiencing.

Also ask your artist about the inks they used and the processes they followed to inject the ink. These details will help a doctor or other healthcare professional determine what exactly caused the reaction and how to best treat it.

Once you have this information, see a doctor right away. Let them know that you recently got a tattoo, and tell them about your symptoms. Make sure you relay any information that you got from your tattoo artist too.

Treatment options

If your symptoms are mild, you may be able to use over-the-counter (OTC) medications to find relief.

OTC antihistamines like diphenhydramine (Benadryl) may help reduce overall symptoms. Topical ointments, such as hydrocortisone or Polysporin, may help soothe local inflammation and other irritation.

If OTC methods aren’t working, your healthcare provider may be able to prescribe a stronger antihistamine or other medication to help ease your symptoms.

Infections will likely require taking antibiotics.

Infection

Infection can also cause redness, irritation, and itching, but these symptoms typically extend beyond the tattooed area.

Surface symptoms may be present in addition to those that affect your entire body, such as fever or chills.

Infection symptoms also tend to last much longer — anywhere from a few days to a week or more.