Tattoo Aftercare

1 · Second Skin Method

Keep the bandage on 48–72 hours (up to 5 days if sealed well). A pocket of cloudy fluid will form under it — that's plasma and ink, and it's completely normal. Don't pop it or drain it.

Remove early only if the fluid spreads past the tattoo's edges, the seal breaks, an edge lifts, or you develop a rash under the adhesive.

Removal: always in the shower under warm running water. Let water run over it 1–2 minutes, then peel slowly in the direction of hair growth — pull the bandage back across itself, never straight up, and never dry-peel. Then go straight to the First Wash. No second bandage needed.

2 · Traditional Plastic Wrap

Keep the wrap on 3–5 hours — its only job is keeping bacteria and fabric off on your way home. After 5 hours, remove it and do not re-wrap. Plastic wrap traps moisture and bacteria; sleeping in it is one of the fastest ways to get an infection.

First night: sleep on a clean old sheet or towel you don't mind marking up. The tattoo may weep plasma and a little ink — normal. If it sticks to the sheet, dampen with lukewarm water to release it. Never rip it free.

The First Wash

Wash your hands first. Rinse the tattoo with lukewarm (never hot) water. Use a fragrance-free antibacterial liquid soap and your clean hand only — no washcloths or loofahs. Rinse all soap off, pat dry with a clean paper towel, and let it air-dry 5–10 minutes before applying anything.

Days 1–3 · Ointment

After each wash, apply a very thin layer of Aquaphor, A&D, or a tattoo balm like Hustle Butter or After Inked. Too much suffocates the tattoo. Wash and moisturize 2–3 times a day. Sleep on clean sheets.

Days 4–14 · Lotion

When peeling starts (usually day 3–4), switch to plain fragrance-free lotion — Lubriderm, Cetaphil, or CeraVe — thin layers 2–4 times a day. Expect peeling, flaking, and itching like a sunburn. Do not pick, scratch, or peel scabs — that pulls ink and causes scarring. Slap, don't scratch.

Weeks 2–4 · Settling In

The surface looks healed but deeper layers are still locking in. Keep moisturizing until the skin stops feeling tight. No pools, lakes, hot tubs, or baths for 2–4 weeks — lukewarm showers only. Cover from direct sun; once fully healed, SPF 30+ daily. Full healing takes 4–6 weeks.

Completely Normal

• Fluid pocket under Second Skin (days 1–3)
• Weeping clear-ish fluid after unwrapping
• Mild redness around the tattoo (days 1–3)
• Ink running off in the shower — that's surface ink
• Peeling, flaking, and intense itching (days 4–14)
• Dull, cloudy, milky look while healing (days 7–21)
• Minor scabbing in heavily worked areas

Call the Shop First

• Redness past day 3 that isn't fading
• Unusual warmth after 72 hours
• Healing that looks off and you're unsure
• Rash or itch under Second Skin adhesive
• Thicker scabs than expected
• Any question at all — (701) 831-7231. A quick photo usually settles it.

See a Physician

• Redness spreading outward past the tattoo, in hours
• Red streaks radiating away from the tattoo
• Pain and swelling increasing after 72 hours
• Fever, chills, or feeling genuinely sick
• Yellow or green pus with a foul smell
• Rash or hives spreading beyond the tattoo

Real infections are uncommon with good aftercare — but if you see these signs, don't wait. Urgent care or your doctor.

Wash & Bandage

• Second Skin: Saniderm, Tegaderm, Dermashield
• Soap: H2Ocean Foam, Dial Gold, Dr. Bronner's Unscented — fragrance-free, no exfoliants

Days 1–3

• Ointment: Aquaphor Healing Ointment, A&D — very thin layers, never Neosporin
• Balms: Hustle Butter Deluxe, After Inked, Mad Rabbit

Days 4+ & Long Term

• Lotion: Lubriderm, Cetaphil, or CeraVe fragrance-free
• Sun: SPF 30+ mineral sunscreen daily once healed — sun fades tattoos faster than anything else