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Your new tattoo looks great! Now you have to do the right things to take care of it well, have it heal properly, and keep it looking great! Your artist has done all the right things to prevent infection and keep the area clean up until this point, and now it's up to you to continue proper care. It is very important that you follow our aftercare guidelines and tattoo maintenance procedures. Improper care can result in your beautiful tattoo becoming an inked disaster.



  • LEAVE THE BANDAGE ALONE! - Your artist applied special products and applied an effective bandage to your tattoo to keep bacteria from getting inside. Reality is, a tattoo is an open wound, and bacteria can cause serious infections. Leave the bandage on for at least 2 hours. Often, it is fine to sleep the first night with your bandage on, especially if your appt runs late. We know you want to show it off, but your friends will just have to wait a bit longer to see how cool you really are.


  • KEEP IT CLEAN! - When you first remove your bandage, it's normal for there to be residual ink and even minor bleeding. Use lukewarm water and a gentle soap to wash your tattoo clean of any ointment, blood, plasma or ink. Simply taking a shower and gently applying soap, rubbing the soap in softly, then rinsing away, should do the trick! However, do not use anything abrasive. Your hand is the best tool for the job, at least in this scenario ;-). To dry the tattoo, PAT, do not rub, the area dry with a clean towel. For the first 24 hours, LEAVE THE TATTOO ALONE, meaning do not apply a bandage or any ointments. It's better to let the tattoo breathe at this point. After the first 24 hours, it's important to keep the area moist using a non-scented, gentle moisturizer.


  • HOW TO MOISTURIZE! - Simple products like Unscented, Perfume-Free Euceryn or Lubriderm will work just fine, and we also sell specialty products at the shop. After Inked, is common specialty products for tattoo aftercare. DO NOT OVERDO IT WITH THE LOTIONS! Too much lotion will prevent your tattoo from breathing and healing property. Also, DO NOT USE HEALING CREAMS such as Neosporin or Polysporin. These products may be great for a cut or scrape, but the risk of a skin reaction means that your tattoo may be compromised and end up looking like chicken-scratch, and not the masterpiece our artists have created. Use every product as directed on the packaging, and continue use for 3-5 days. Keep the area moist until completely healed but apply only as needed after the initial healing period.


  • DON'T SOAK! - You CAN and SHOULD shower with a new tattoo, as already mentioned. However, keep the showers short. Whatever you do, DO NOT SOAK


  • YOUR TATTOO! Submerging your tattoo in a bath or hot tub can cause serious damage, so you'll want to avoid these activities for 2-3 weeks. Soaking a tattoo can cause the ink to "bleed" and the beautiful lines your artist created can lose their sharpness and gain borders and runs which are unsightly.


  • SCABBING and PEELING - After a few days, it is normal notice some peeling and minor scabbing. It is best to leave scabs alone, and take extra care not to rip them off to let them come off naturally. Avoid putting lotion on softened scabs. After a shower, wait a bit for your scabs to dry before applying lotion, to prevent the application process from removing scabs prematurely. You will also start to ITCH, there is no way around this. As much as the itching feels like your tattoo is one big mosquito bite, this is completely normal and part of the process. DO NOT SCRATCH your ITCH. If the skin itches, giving it a good


  • SLAP, will often make it feel better and temporarily give you relief. Again, peeling means your tattoo is dry and needs lotion. Scabbing is normal and scabs are best left alone! Itching is best resolved by slapping. You're almost there!


  • SUN EXPOSURE - After your tattoo is healed, you'll want to keep it looking great for as long as possible. UV exposure from the sun can fade and damage a tattoo very quickly, especially when overexposure and burning occur. But, by all means, we all love the sun, and you'll definitely want to show your ink off! Just invest in a quality sunscreen with an SPF value of 30 or greater. Apply every 30 minutes and 30 minutes before sun exposure to your tattoo (although applying to your entire body is probably a good idea too!). This will keep your tattoo vibrant, colors bright, darks dark, and lines sharp, for many years to come.  


  • Please Call us 403-272-9799 or Come in if you have questions or concerns. Do not ask your friend ask your artist. 
  • When you purchase after care through the shop, we know what your using to take care of your tattoo, touch ups will be free. 


  • With the exception Feet and Hand tattoos


  • After Inked is Cruelty free, Vegan, Dermatologist tested, and made with non-com ingredients.

After Care Instructions