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ADORNED TATTOO COLLECTIVE
Aftercare
01
FIRST 24 HOURS
First, protect the work. Your fresh tattoo is an open wound, and how you treat it in the first day matters. Leave the bandage on for the amount of time recommended by your artist. Before touching your tattoo, wash your hands. When it’s time to clean it, gently wash the tattoo with mild, fragrance-free soap and lukewarm water. Pat it dry with a clean paper towel — don’t rub. Apply only a very thin layer of the aftercare product recommended by your artist. Do not overdo it. Your tattoo needs to breathe.
02
DAYS 1–14
Next, keep it clean and lightly moisturized. Wash your tattoo 2–3 times daily with clean hands and fragrance-free soap. Apply a thin layer of fragrance-free moisturizer as needed. Wear clean, loose clothing that won’t rub against the tattoo, and use clean towels and bedding during the healing process. Flaking, peeling, itching, and scabbing can happen — let it happen. Do not pick, scratch, or peel. That is how good tattoos get damaged.
03
AVOID DURING HEALING
Then, don’t sabotage the healing. Avoid swimming pools, hot tubs, lakes, rivers, saunas, steam rooms, tanning beds, and excessive sun exposure. Do not soak the tattoo. Avoid tight clothing that causes friction, and stay away from contact sports or activities that could contaminate, irritate, or traumatize the area. Healing is not the time to test your tattoo’s limits. Let it settle.
04
EXPECTED HEALING
Finally, let it heal. Most tattoos heal on the surface within 2–4 weeks, but deeper healing can take longer. Mild redness, tenderness, itching, peeling, flaking, and light scabbing can be normal. Your tattoo may look dull, cloudy, or less sharp during the healing process before it brightens again. Be patient. A tattoo goes through stages before it fully settles into the skin.
05
KNOW WHEN TO GET HELP
Pay attention to your body. If you experience increasing redness, swelling, or pain after the first few days, thick yellow or green drainage, foul odor, fever, chills, flu-like symptoms, red streaking from the tattoo, or signs of an allergic reaction like widespread rash, hives, or difficulty breathing, seek medical attention. When in doubt, don’t guess — get checked.
06
LONG-TERM CARE
Once healed, keep protecting the piece. Moisturize your skin, avoid unnecessary sun damage, and use sunscreen on healed tattoos when exposed. Clean work deserves clean care. The better you treat your tattoo, the better it holds.