After Your Tattoo
Your appointment may be finished, but your tattoo is still healing.
A fresh tattoo is an open wound, and how you care for it over the following weeks can have a big impact on how cleanly it heals and how your fine line work settles into the skin.
Please follow the guidance below carefully, and if once fully healed you feel your tattoo may need a little extra attention, my exisiting clients can request a Complimentary Healing Review at the bottom of this page.
The First 24 Hours
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Before you leave the studio, your tattoo will be protected with a spray-on second skin.
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This forms a lightweight protective barrier over your fresh tattoo and will gradually begin to dissolve naturally, so there is nothing for you to peel or remove.
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For the first 24 hours, keep your tattoo dry, avoid touching the area unnecessarily, wear clean loose clothing where possible, and do not apply creams or moisturisers yet.
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A little redness or tenderness immediately after your appointment is completely normal.
24 Hours Onwards
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Once the first 24 hours have passed, you can begin your normal aftercare routine.
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Gently clean the area when needed and pat it dry rather than rubbing. Apply a small amount of water-based, fragrance-free tattoo aftercare or moisturiser 2–3 times a day, always with clean hands.
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You do not need to smother the tattoo in product. A light layer is enough to keep the skin comfortably moisturised.
The first 6 weeks
Your tattoo still needs time to heal properly even when the surface starts to look healed. During this period, please avoid swimming pools, hot tubs, spas, baths or prolonged soaking, saunas, steam rooms, sunbeds and prolonged direct sun exposure.
If you are going on holiday shortly after your tattoo appointment, please remember that heat, sun and swimming can all interfere with the healing process.
Once your tattoo is completely healed, regular SPF will help protect it from UV exposure and premature fading.
What to expect during healing
Fine line tattoos can look quite different at different stages of healing.
Your tattoo may initially look darker and sharper than the final result.
As the skin heals, you may notice light flaking, dryness, itching, temporary dullness, or areas appearing slightly lighter or uneven.
Please do not pick, scratch or pull at peeling skin. Let the tattoo heal naturally.
The final result can only really be assessed once the skin has fully recovered.
Your aftercare matters...
I put a huge amount of care into creating your tattoo, but I can only control what happens to it while you are in the studio.
Once you leave, healing becomes a partnership between my work and your aftercare.
Poor aftercare, picking, soaking, excessive sun exposure, swimming or allowing the tattoo to become excessively dry can affect the healed result.
Complimentary review appointments are intended for areas that genuinely need assessing after normal healing. They are not designed to correct issues caused by aftercare guidance not being followed.
If you are ever concerned about how your tattoo is healing, please get in touch rather than trying to treat or fix it yourself.
Existing Clients: Healing Review
Most fine line tattoos heal beautifully without needing any further work, so a healing review is not a mandatory part of your tattoo appointment.
Occasionally, once fully healed, a small area may benefit from being reviewed.
You can request a Complimentary Healing Review from 6 - 12 weeks after your original tattoo appointment.
Please allow your tattoo to heal fully before submitting a request, as I cannot accurately assess the final result while the skin is still healing.
A healing review does not automatically mean further tattooing is required. I will first review a clear photograph of the healed tattoo and advise you on the best next step.
Before submitting your request, please make sure your tattoo is fully healed, you have followed the aftercare guidance above, and your photograph is clear, close-up and taken in good natural light without filters or editing.
Please note, this is for clients I have tattooed. This is not for other artists work.
Recommended Aftercare
