Throughout the Healing Process:

  • Always wash your hands with liquid antibacterial soap before cleaning or touching your tattoo.

  • If possible, use freshly washed bedsheets, clothes, and towel during healing process.  
    Disposable paper towels are great for direct contact with the tattoo when washing or drying.  

Day 1-3:

  • Keep your bandage on for at least 2 hours. It can be left on as long as overnight.

  • When removing your bandage: first wash your hands with antibacterial soap, then rinse tattoo with warm water and pat dry with a clean paper towel. If stuck to sheets or clothing, soak the cloth to remove gently rather than ripping it off.
    It will be oozy with ink and plasma - this is normal!

  • Wash twice a day with warm (not hot) water - no soap on tattoo. (Make sure to wash your hands with antibacterial soap first)
    Use your hand or clean paper towel to remove any plasma that has risen to the surface.

  • Apply a very thin layer of ointment (Aquaphor or ointments made specifically for tattoos).  

  • It will be normal for the tattoo to have redness, soreness, and slight heat for up to one week.
    If pain, redness, or heat increases after one week instead of decreasing, reach out to your tattoo artist with a photo of the tattoo.

Day 4-14:

  • The tattoo will begin to peel and flake, similar to a bad sunburn. This is normal!

  • Continue to wash twice a day with warm (not hot) water - no soap on tattoo - using your hand or clean paper towel to remove any scabs that are flaking off naturally. No need to scrub hard, just gentle wipes.

  • Switch to a mild unscented lotion (Lubriderm) instead of ointment.  All natural?  Try coconut oil.  Avoid lotions with fragrances.

  • Continue this as long as there is any scabbing or peeling - approximately two weeks, maybe longer.

  • IMPORTANT: Do not scratch the scabs

  • IMPORTANT: Avoid direct sun exposure (no sunscreen until the peeling is complete)

  • IMPORTANT: Absolutely no soaking - this means baths, swimming, hot tubs, etc. Showering and washing the tattoo are okay.

  • Working out: Avoid repeated stretching and compressing of the tattoo, which could cause scabs to crack.
    Wash an extra time after sweating.

Day 14-30:

  • For best healing results, continue to avoid soaking - this means baths, swimming, hot tubs, etc.

  • For best healing results, continue to avoid direct sun exposure.

  • You may now apply sunscreen, and it will always be recommended any time you will be out in the sun.

It should be completely healed in one month!  Enjoy your tattoo forever! 
For best results, avoid sun exposure (wear SPF), and keep moisturized.  

Next Steps

If you had a good experience with us, we would appreciate a review on Google! It helps all the artists at Tenderfoot Studio!

If you aren’t happy for any reason at all, or have any questions, please let us know at tenderfootstudio@gmail.com

Artists appreciate healed photos after the month of healing is complete!

HOW  TO  TAKE  A  HEALED  PHOTO

HAVE HELP

  • Selfies of tattoos are very tricky! 

  • Have a friend take the photo of you and avoid the front-facing camera.

LIGHTING

  • No need to use any studio lighting or flash- natural light is best and very easy if you find the right spot! 

  • Tattoos are reflective, so the less direct light you have, the better. 

  • Shoot on a cloudy, overcast day and anywhere will work. 

  • On a brighter day, move fully into the even shadow of a building.  Angle the tattoo towards the light source.

POSITIONING

  • Stand natural and relaxed a few feet in front of a neutral background.

  • If you are using a DLSR, use a shallow depth of field to neutralize any background.

  • A plain wall works great - avoid a wall with stripes, bricks, or grids.

  • Avoid distracting backgrounds such as a full room or a view down the street.

  • If you stand directly in front of the wall, your body will cast a strong shadow. 

  • If you stand too far, you risk adding the distracting elements. 

  • About 3 feet in front is usually the sweet spot.

  • The photographer should be a few feet from you as well Not too close, not too far - at a height parallel to the height of the tattoo.

LIFESTYLE

  • Lifestyle shots are really cool to see too! 

  • Keep the same things in mind - avoid harsh direct sun and overly distracting backgrounds but play with it!