Caring for a fresh tattoo: the first 48 hours

The first 48 hours after your appointment are the most important. Your skin is essentially a fresh, open wound — treat it like one and the rest of the healing journey is a breeze.

Leave the wrap on

We'll send you home in either a clear film bandage (Saniderm or Dermalize) or a traditional cling-film wrap. Either way: leave it on for the time we tell you, usually two to four hours. The wrap protects the tattoo from airborne bacteria while it stops weeping plasma.

If we've used a long-wear film bandage, you can leave it on for up to 24 hours. Watch for excessive plasma pooling — if there's a visible bubble of fluid, peel and rewrap.

First wash

When the wrap comes off, wash gently:

1. Rinse with lukewarm water — never hot, never cold.
2. Use a fragrance-free, alcohol-free soap. We sell one in the studio shop if you want to use the same one we do.
3. Lather with your hand, not a cloth. Cloths harbour bacteria and the texture is too rough on healing skin.
4. Pat dry with a clean paper towel. Don't use a fabric towel — they shed fibres and they hold moisture.

Don't soak. Don't scrub. The first wash should take you about 30 seconds.

Moisturise — but not too much

Apply a thin layer of recommended aftercare cream two or three times a day. The most common mistake is over-moisturising — your skin needs air to heal. If your tattoo looks shiny or feels greasy, you've used too much.

The rule of thumb: enough cream that the tattoo looks slightly damp, not wet. If it feels slick to the touch, wipe the excess off with a clean tissue.

What to avoid

For the first two weeks:

• Swimming — pools, sea, baths. Showers are fine.
• Saunas, steam rooms, hot tubs — heat plus moisture is a recipe for ink loss.
• Direct sunlight — UV damages fresh ink faster than you'd think. If you must be outside, cover up. Don't apply sunscreen until the tattoo is fully healed (around four weeks).
• Tight clothing that rubs the area. Loose, breathable, ideally cotton.
• Picking and scratching. Itching is normal as it heals — slap, don't scratch.

When to worry

Some redness, swelling, and warmth in the first 48 hours is normal. Get in touch with us (or a doctor, if it's after-hours) if you see:

• Spreading redness beyond the tattoo line, more than a day after the appointment
• Pus that's yellow or green, or smells
• A fever or feeling unwell

Genuine infections are rare and almost always preventable with good aftercare. We've never had one — let's keep it that way.