What Tattoo Artists Actually Want You to Do After Your Session

You spent weeks deciding on a design, found the right artist, sat through the session. Now it's done and how you treat the next two to three weeks determines whether that tattoo heals beautifully or comes back to haunt you.

Tattoo artists see this every day: clients who followed bad advice from the internet, used the wrong products, or simply didn't take aftercare seriously. The result? Faded patches, blown-out lines and a tattoo that never reaches its potential.

Here's what artists on the studio floor actually want you to do.

Follow the aftercare sheet — actually read it

Every reputable studio sends clients home with aftercare instructions. Most people glance at it, shove it in their pocket, and Google something different on the drive home.

That sheet exists for a reason. Your artist knows their style, their ink, and their technique. A heavily shaded blackwork piece heals differently to a delicate fine-line. When your artist gives you instructions specific to your tattoo, follow them. 

Leave the wrap on for as long as you're told

Second skin (breathable film wrap) has changed the healing game. When an artist applies it, they're protecting your fresh tattoo from bacteria, friction, and air exposure during the most vulnerable window.

The number one mistake artists see: clients peel the wrap off early because it looks "gross" with plasma pooling underneath. That's normal. That's healing. Leave it on for the time your artist specified — usually 24hrs 

If your studio still uses cling wrap, they'll usually instruct a shorter window. After the cling wrap comes off, we recommend reaching for a second skin especially within the first 24 hours. 

Use the right product — not whatever's under the sink

This is where a lot of tattoos go sideways. People reach for petroleum jelly, random moisturising creams, or nothing at all, none of which were formulated with tattooed skin in mind.

What you want is something that keeps the skin moisturised without smothering it. A thin layer. The tattoo needs to breathe. If you're serious about your ink, use an aftercare product made specifically for tattoos. The Dr Pickles range is formulated to support healing without the ingredients that cause problems — worth having on hand before you even sit in the chair so you are prepared for the first hours of healing. 

Stop touching it

Artists will tell you: the bacteria on human fingertips are a real problem for new tattoos. Clients can't help themselves — it's itchy, it looks interesting, and the temptation to pick at peeling skin is almost universal.

Don't. When the skin starts peeling and flaking (usually days three to seven), that's the outermost layer of skin shedding. Picking it off early pulls ink with it. Let it come off naturally. If the itch is unbearable, a clean palm-pat is the approved move — not nails, not scratching.

Keep it out of direct sun and water

Two things that damage new tattoos fast: sun exposure and submersion.

UV light breaks down ink, especially in fresh skin that hasn't fully healed. Keep the tattoo covered or shaded for at least the first two weeks. After that, SPF becomes a long-term habit if you want the tattoo to hold its colour and crispness for years.

Water is the other one. Showers are fine — brief, not soaking. Baths, pools, oceans, and hot tubs are not. Submerging a new tattoo introduces bacteria and causes the skin to absorb excess water, which can bloat the area and drag ink. Wait until fully healed — typically two to four weeks depending on size and placement.

Come back if something looks wrong

Artists want to know if something's off. An infection, an allergic reaction, healing that looks unusual — these are all things your artist would rather hear about early than see photos of six weeks later when the damage is done.

Redness that spreads beyond the tattoo, swelling that gets worse after the first day, heat, or discharge are signs to take seriously. Contact your artist or see a doctor. Don't try to treat an infection with more moisturiser.

The short version

Your tattoo is a collaboration. The artist put the work in on their end — now it's your job to finish it.

Follow their instructions. Use the right products. Keep it clean, moisturised, and protected. Don't overthink it, but don't ignore it either.

A healed tattoo that looks exactly as it did fresh off the machine — that's the goal. And it's entirely achievable with two to three weeks of consistent, straightforward aftercare.

Browse the Dr Pickles aftercare range and make sure you've got what you need before your next session.