How to Take Care of Tattoos (New and Old)

Your tattoo is a wound first and art second — at least for the first two weeks. The ink is sitting in your dermis layer beneath millions of tiny punctures that need to heal properly or you'll lose color, gain scarring, and end up with a blurry mess. Aftercare isn't optional; it's the difference between crisp lines at year ten and a faded blob at year three.

For fresh tattoos, follow your artist's specific instructions first. After removing the initial wrap, wash gently with lukewarm water and a fragrance-free soap like Dial Gold or Dr. Bronner's Unscented. Pat dry with a clean paper towel — never a cloth towel, which harbors bacteria — and apply a thin layer of Aquaphor Healing Ointment.

Days three through fourteen, switch from Aquaphor to a fragrance-free moisturizer like Lubriderm Daily Moisture or Hustle Butter Deluxe. Apply three to five times daily to keep the tattoo moisturized during the peeling phase. Do not pick, scratch, or peel flaking skin — let it shed naturally or you'll pull ink out of the dermis.

Avoid direct sun exposure, swimming pools, hot tubs, and baths for a minimum of two weeks. Submerging a healing tattoo introduces bacteria directly into open wounds. Chlorine and saltwater can pull ink during the healing phase. UV radiation damages ink molecules before the protective skin layer has fully reformed.

For existing tattoos, sun protection is the single most important maintenance factor. UV radiation breaks down ink pigments, causing fading and blurriness over time. Apply SPF 30 or higher to all exposed tattoos daily — EltaMD UV Sport SPF 50 is sweat-resistant and designed for active use. More at https://www.eltamd.com.

Moisturize old tattoos daily just like you moisturize your face. Hydrated skin holds ink better than dry, flaky skin, and moisturized tattoos look more vibrant with deeper color saturation. CeraVe Moisturizing Cream works perfectly — the ceramides support the skin barrier that keeps ink pigments locked in your dermis.

Touch-ups are normal maintenance, not failure. Even perfectly healed tattoos can develop spots where ink didn't take fully. Most reputable artists offer free or discounted touch-ups within the first year. After that, schedule a refresh every five to ten years to restore vibrancy. Your tattoo is a long-term investment — maintain it like one.