Aftercare
Caring for a new tattoo or piercing.
A few simple rules while it heals. If anything worries you, message us on WhatsApp: we are always happy to help.
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Tattoo
A fresh tattoo is an open wound. Keep it clean, protected and moisturised while it heals.
First days
If we used the second skin film (Kosmos The Repairing Film)
Keep the film on
It protects the tattoo. For a small tattoo, take it off the next morning. For anything bigger, we tell you the right moment, because it depends on the tattoo and its details.
Take the film off
Wash the tattoo with neutral soap and water, let it dry, then apply a thin layer of cream.
If we used Derma-X
Leave the gel alone
Derma-X is a gel that dries into a protective film. It stays on for 6–7 days and comes off by itself, a little more with every shower. You don’t need to remove anything.
Shower as usual
The film comes off by itself over the days, and showering helps it go. Once it has, follow the daily care below.
Your schedule
Every day
- Wash
- Wash the tattoo once a day with ordinary neutral soap. If you sweat a lot or your work is physical, wash it more often.
- Moisturise
- Once the tattoo is uncovered, apply cream 2–3 times a day, more if your skin is dry. Use only a thin layer: too much cream can dull the colour of the pigment. We sell ALOE PRO V at the studio. If you prefer to buy elsewhere, Aquaphor from a cosmetics shop works too.
Avoid
- 1 month
- The beach, sunbathing and swimming.
- 1 week at least
- The gym. Sweat makes itching and burning worse.
- Always
- Antiseptic, alcohol or cologne on the tattoo. A fresh tattoo is an open wound: these burn the skin and can lead to infection.
Normal while healing
- Redness and itching
- Peeling, at some stages
- Clear or blood-tinged fluid
- Extra ink coming out
Worried about how it looks? Message us before you try anything yourself, and we will talk it through.
Message us if
- The tattoo heals slowly and still has no firm scab after a long time
- The skin around it feels hot to the touch
- The redness spreads more than 3–4 cm around the tattoo
If you have pus, strong itching or pain, see a doctor.
WhatsApp +34 658 44 23 82
Piercing
Two months is the usual healing time: sooner or later, depending on how you look after it and on your body. Harder places, such as cartilage, lips and nipples, can take up to a year.
Steps
Don’t touch it for 24 hours
Leave the piercing alone for at least a day after it is done.
Clean it
Wash your hands, apply the cleaning solution, and gently clean around the piercing with a cotton bud.
Repeat 2–3 times a day
Always in the morning and in the evening. We recommend Cristalmina or a similar solution. Use it on piercings only, never on a tattoo.
Don’t sleep on it
Sleeping on a piercing can cause irritation, migration or keloids.
Keep your jewellery in
Don’t change it until the piercing has healed, at least 2 months. We recommend titanium, surgical steel or gold, so the jewellery settles in well.
Your schedule
Avoid
- First 2–3 weeks
- The pool and the sea, if you can.
- While it heals
- Wetting the piercing with salt water or chlorine. It can become inflamed.
Worried?
If your piercing looks or feels wrong, message us. If you have pus, strong itching or pain, see a doctor.
WhatsApp +34 658 44 23 82
Updated: 26 September 2026 · inkside.tattoo/aftercare