At Black Cat Tattoo we will have provided you with either a second skin bandage or a soaker pad bandage. The after care for both is relatively the same, except the time each bandage is supposed to remain on.

Second skin bandage: Please keep it on for roughly 3-4 days. This bandage is shower proof, but this does not mean you can go swimming.

● Before removing the bandage, make sure your hands are clean.

● Once bandage is removed, rise with warm water and non scented soap.

● Once the tattoo is rinsed, pat dry gently with a towel or cloth.

● Leave the tattoo alone for at least another 12-24 hours so it can breathe and scab.

● The day after the bandage is removed is when you can start moisturizing your healing tattoo. We recommend either unscented lotion or coconut oil (do not use coconut oil that you cook with, as the cross contamination can cause an infection). Continue to moisturize your healing tattoo until the scab is gone.

Soaker Pad bandage: Please keep your soaker pad bandage on for 2-4 hours and/or remove a couple hours before you go to bed.

● If you are heading home post tattoo, leave the soaker pad bandage on for 2-3hrs. If there are other things you need to do first, leave the soaker pad on until you get home. Remove the soaker pad at least an hour or two before bedtime. This will give the tattoo time to breathe & dry out a bit so there’s less likelihood of sticking to the bed sheets etc the first night.

● Remove bandage, and with clean hands only (no washcloth etc) run the tattoo under warm water until it no longer feels slimy. This is releasing any excess plasma etc from the area. Pat thoroughly and dry with a paper towel.

Optional: at this point you can apply a thin sheen of Aquaphor ointment, or Bacitracin ointment (Bacitracin contains antibiotics, while Aquaphor does not, so those with sensitive skin may prefer Aquaphor).

● After 4-6 days the tattoo will start to dry & flake (sometimes less if you are very hyper-mobile). Your aftercare from this point forward & for the next weeks while everything heals up is to rinse with unscented soap in the shower as needed, pat dry (clean towel is now ok) and apply a thin amount of unscented moisturizer. You may apply moisturizer 1-3 times more each day as needed.

● Within a three weeks your tattoo will be healed! If you have any questions about your tattoo, please contact your artist at any time, preferably by email. If you notice anything abnormal about the healing of your tattoo please contact your artist immediately, and if necessary they can direct you to the appropriate medical professional.