We care as much about your new ink as you do, and there’s a few things you need to do to keep your tattoo looking sharp… and healthy.

After your tattoo is complete, your artist will place a ‘second skin’ over the work to protect it. This is either a second-skin or plastic wrap – both act as a protective barrier for the first stage of the healing process.

SECOND - SKIN 

Your second-skin lets you get on with life. It’s water resistant, so you can shower with it, but avoid prolonged water exposure. Wear loose clothing too if you can, to avoid abrasion to the area.

While you’re wearing the second-skin, you might notice the surface underneath accumulating slight moisture, which can make the tattoo look blurry. This is plasma building up from your skin and pulling up micro fragments of ink – it’s a completely normal part of the healing process.

Keep the second-skin on for 3-4 days after your appointment. After this, slowly and gently remove it under warm running water, or with a skin-safe body oil. The second-skin is meant to adhere tightly to your skin, so you might need to use some force when removing it. Don’t be alarmed if there are spots of ink on the second-skin – it’s those micro fragments again, and it’s normal. 

If the second-skin causes any discomfort or begins to peel off before three days, remove it (the same way as above) and apply a mild, unscented lotion to the area instead.

Plastic wrap

Remove the plastic wrap when you get home and rinse off the area with lukewarm water and a mild, unscented liquid soap. Your tattoo artist may recommend re-wrapping your new tattoo before going to bed – this is to make sure plasma run-off doesn’t dry out and cause irritation when you move in your sleep. If you do re-wrap your new ink, remove the wrap and rinse the area (as before) the following day, and begin moisturising your new tattoo with a mild, unscented lotion.

Red Hot Tips

For 10-12 days after you remove your second-skin or plastic wrap, we recommend you use a mild, unscented cream on your skin 3-6 times a day, or as needed. Apply a smooth, thin layer, enough to cover your new ink but don’t oversaturate the area, as this can impact healing.

Try and avoid intensive exercise for two weeks. Contact with unsanitary surfaces, abrasive clothing and sweat can cause irritation, additional scarring and even infection.

Avoid submerging your tattoo in water, too, or exposing it to direct sunlight for prolonged periods of time for a full month. Water exposure can cause serious infection, and direct sunlight can overly dry the area while it is healing or cause premature fading.