We hand every client a printed aftercare sheet — this is the long version. Follow it for fourteen days and your tattoo will heal bright, smooth, and exactly as drawn.
Days 1–3: Keep It Clean and Covered
Leave the second-skin film on for 24 hours unless we tell you otherwise. When it comes off, wash the tattoo with lukewarm water and fragrance-free soap, using clean hands only — no washcloths, no loofahs. Pat dry with a fresh paper towel, never a bath towel, and apply a rice-grain amount of balm. Thin layers heal; thick layers suffocate.
Days 4–7: The Peel
Flaking and light peeling are normal — your tattoo is shedding like a sunburn. Do not pick, scratch, or peel anything. Wash twice daily, moisturise when the skin feels tight, and sleep in clean sheets. The itch peaks here; patting the area (never scratching) gets you through it.
Days 8–14: Almost There
The surface looks healed, but the deeper skin is still settling. Keep moisturising once or twice a day. You can return to the gym — wipe equipment before and after, and wash the tattoo as soon as you are done. Still no swimming, soaking, saunas, or direct sun.
What to Avoid for the Full Month
Pools, hot tubs, lakes, and long baths for four weeks — soaking softens scabs and pulls ink. Sunblock only after the tattoo is fully healed; until then, cover it with loose clothing. And skip the petroleum jelly entirely: it clogs fresh ink. Our balm exists for exactly this reason.
Get the Aftercare Balm — $24.99
When to Call Us
Some redness and warmth in the first 48 hours is normal. Spreading redness, swelling that grows after day three, pus, or fever are not — contact us immediately, and see a clinician the same day. We would rather hear from you over nothing than have you sit on a worry.
Your Free Check-up
Every Ashgrove tattoo includes a check-up at six weeks and one complimentary touch-up within a year. Book it through the same form you booked the tattoo — it takes two minutes, and it is how we make sure your piece looks right for decades.
