Aftercare
There are several methods that your tattoo artist might advise depending on the style, placement and how skin has reacted.
The Rewrap or ‘Wet Heal’
Your artist will finish your session by wrapping your new tattoo in cling film.
Leave first wrap on for 3 or 4 hours
Always make sure your hands are clean before touching your tattoo!
Unwrap your tattoo and wash it well with fairly warm water and mild soap (no strong fragrances) it is important to wash any blood plasma/ink etc. off at this point.
Pat dry with clean paper towel and let the tattoo breathe for a minute.
Rewrap with cling film, making sure to use the inside of the wrap against your tattoo. Be very careful not to trap anything under the cling film, such as fluff or pet hair etc.
Repeat these steps just before you go to bed if another 4 hours have passed, so you have a nice fresh wrap for the night.
Day 2 - repeat the cleaning/rewrapping process 3 times in the day (when you get up, in the afternoon & just before bed) and keep it wrapped overnight again.
DO NOT use any cream under the cling film
Day 3 - in the morning unwrap your tattoo, clean it, dry it and then (with a clean finger) apply a small amount of moisturiser (PALMERS COCOA BUTTER, unscented is best)
No more wrapping from this point on.
LESS IS MORE! Just the bare minimum moisturiser to stop the tattoo being really dry.
Repeat this twice a day for the first week, then once or twice for the week after that. Be sure to wash the last layer of cream off before applying the next each time.
The first couple of nights wrapped should help to reduce scabbing, ideally you will just get a light peeling layer and not any thick scabbing.
(if there are scabs, it is not a problem, just be careful not to pick or scratch them as this can cause ink loss)
The initial healing process should be complete within 2 or 3 weeks but can sometimes take longer depending on the placement etc. this is the most crucial time to take care of your tattoo to ensure it heals and settles well in the long run, so be kind to it!
Occasionally we might recommend the use of absorbent pads, especially for larger solidly filled in work. These will be provided by your artist and the process is essentially the same - just swapping the cling film out for rewrapping with pads.
Pay attention to your skin!
if your skin is really unhappy being wrapped up for a long period then stop the rewrapping process and just move on to steps for Day 3
If your tattoo looks or feels too dry, moisturise it. If it's too wet, use less cream and try to air it out.
THINGS TO GET
fresh roll of cling film - have some that's just for your tattoo that isn't out of the kitchen drawer
Paper towels (again, clean fresh roll)
Mild soap
Unscented Palmers cocoa butter - should be available at most big supermarkets or pharmacies.
We should also have a stock of small tins available so you don’t have to buy a whole big bottle (CASH ONLY so bring some coins if you want some)
THINGS TO AVOID
Do not touch your tattoo outside of cleaning it, hands are dirty so always make sure they're clean before doing so
Tight clothing can rub on the tattoo - try to wear something loose that will let the tattoo air out, for the first few days especially
Avoid soaking your tattoo - baths, swimming, saunas, excessive sweat will all make your tattoo too wet. Best to avoid all of these for the whole healing process (up to 1 month)
Avoid Direct sunlight! This is the worst thing for the longevity of your tattoo, keep it out of the sun for the healing process and after a month or so use sun cream if it is likely to be exposed to the sun.
Second Skin
In recent years Second skin has become a popular option for tattoo aftercare. It is easy, low maintenance and can have some great results for healing depending on the type of tattoo. It is an adhesive film layer that sticks over the tattooed area and creates an airtight seal, preventing contamination and scabbing.
There are many different brands, some better than others - if you are considering buying your own we recommend consulting your tattooist.
Our tattoo artists tend to only us second skin in certain situations
it is ideal for :
Small tattoos, linework or other styles with minimal skin trauma, areas that are tricky to wrap with cling film.
It doesn't work as well for :
Saturated solid black tattoos or colour tattoos, large scale work (full sleeve tattoos etc.) and areas like hands, knees or elbows where it doesn't tend to stick well.
We try to avoid using second skin when there is likely to be a lot of ink and blood plasma expelled during healing as this can create a large bubble of trapped liquid under the surface.
Second skin healing process
Your tattoo artist will apply the second skin, ensuring a good seal all the way around and minimal air bubbles.
Leave the second skin on for 4 nights and remove it on the 5th day
You can wash normally during this time
Avoid strenuous exercise so you don't sweat under the film.
There will be some ink and blood plasma under the film, it might look pretty gross but this is normal
When removing the second skin, do so in the shower with the water hitting the area
Peel up a top corner and stretch the film up and away from the tattoo, similar idea to removing stick on picture hangers - the stretching of the film will release the adhesive rather that pulling it off the skin like a plaster.
Once film is removed, wash the area well with a mild antibac soap (no strong fragrances) and be sure to clean of any residual ink/plasma
Pat dry with clean kitchen towel and apply a small amount of moisturiser (unscented Palmer's cocoa butter is good)
Your tattoo should be half healed already at this point but continue to wash, dry and moisturise it once or twice a day for the next week or 2.
IMPORTANT
If the edge lifts and the tattoo or ink bubble becomes exposed to the air and the seal is broken, remove the second skin as described above and continue with the normal healing process, keeping the tattoo cleaned, dried and lightly moisturised.
Dry Heal
This process is often used for heavy blackout and requires careful attention to keeping the tattoo clean as it is exposed in the early stages of healing.
Your artist will wrap your tattoo in cling film initially for you to leave the studio
after 3 or 4 hours, unwrap the tattoo and wash thoroughly with warm water and a mild antibac soap, ensuring your hands are clean first.
pat dry with clean kitchen towel and let the tattoo air out, avoid clothing rubbing on the area so keeping it uncovered or loose clothing is best.
ensure you have clean sheets on your bed but expect them to get some ink/blood on them over night.
wash and dry the tattoo again before bed if another 4 hours have passed
for the next few days, repeat the cleaning and drying process twice a day, being careful to remove any blood/plasma/ink and let the tattoo dry well
during this time avoid exercise or strenuous movement and do not touch the tattoo other than to clean it, your new tattoo is essentially an open wound and everything that contacts it increases the risk of infection. The best thing you can do is leave it alone and allow your body to heal.
once the tattoo has begun to dry out and scab, begin applying a small amount of moisturiser after each cleaning (unscented palmers cocoa butter is good) the bare minimum of cream to just take the edge off the dryness and keep the scabbing a little supple is best. DO NOT DROWN THE TATTOO IN MOISTURISER, LESS IS BEST!
be sure to clean and remove the previous layer of cream before applying the next one
continue this process twice a day for the first week and once a day for the week after.
DO NOT PICK ANY SCABS! this can lead to ink loss. Continue to wear loose clothing over the area to avoid scabs being rubbed off prematurely.
THINGS TO GET
Paper towels (again, clean fresh roll)
Mild soap
Unscented Palmers cocoa butter - should be available at most big supermarkets or pharmacies.
We should also have a stock of small tins available so you don’t have to buy a whole big bottle (CASH ONLY so bring some coins if you want some)
THINGS TO AVOID
Do not touch your tattoo outside of cleaning it, hands are dirty so always make sure they're clean before doing so
Tight clothing can rub on the tattoo - try to wear something loose that will let the tattoo air out, for the first few days especially
Avoid soaking your tattoo - baths, swimming, saunas, excessive sweat will all make your tattoo too wet. Best to avoid all of these for the whole healing process (up to 1 month)
Avoid Direct sunlight! This is the worst thing for the longevity of your tattoo, keep it out of the sun for the healing process and after a month or so use sun cream if it is likely to be exposed to the sun.
These instructions are what we have found to work for most people, however, everyone heals differently and no one knows your body better than you. So always pay attention to your skin and if in doubt keeping it clean and dry is always your best bet
Always follow your tattoo artist’s instructions carefully for the best results.
If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to reach out to your artist directly. We are always happy to help and will do everything we can to make sure your tattoo has the best healing possible
Occasionally tattoos might require a touchup once healed, this can be due to ink loss during healing and may be more likely in certain areas like hands, knees, elbows etc.
At Six Hands Tattoo we offer free touchups for 3 months after healing depending on the nature and cause of the issue. We would always prefer that our clients have a piece they are totally happy with so please don't be afraid to ask about touchups and we will see what we can do.