Tattoos by Mariella / Tattoo aftercare

Tattoo aftercare: how to heal a color tattoo

A tattoo is only as good as how it heals. This is a general guide for full-color work like Mariella's. If you've been tattooed by Mariella, always follow the written instructions she sent you home with first; they're specific to your piece and the bandage she used. Questions while you heal? Email her.

The first day

Leave the bandage on for as long as you were told. Clear adhesive film bandages often stay on for several days; standard wraps come off after a few hours. When it comes off, wash your hands, then wash the tattoo gently with lukewarm water and a mild, fragrance-free soap. Pat it dry with a clean paper towel rather than a cloth towel.

Days 2 to 14: keep it clean and lightly moisturized

• Wash gently once or twice a day.
• Apply a thin layer of fragrance-free lotion or the aftercare product you were given. Thin is the key word: the skin needs to breathe.
• Wear loose, clean clothing over it.
• Expect flaking and itching around days 4 to 10. Don't pick, scratch or peel. Let the flakes fall off on their own so color isn't pulled out with them.

What to avoid for at least two weeks

• Soaking. No baths, hot tubs, pools, lakes or the ocean. Short showers are fine.
• Sun. Keep it covered and out of direct sun. Summer days at Norris Lake or out in the Smokies can wait until it's healed.
• Friction and sweat. Tight clothes and heavy workouts that rub the area slow down healing.
• Sunscreen on fresh skin. Cover up instead until the surface has healed.

What normal healing looks like

Surface healing takes about two weeks; the deeper layers of skin take six to eight. Color tattoos often look a little cloudy or milky partway through as the top layer renews. That's normal and clears up as it settles.

When to get help

Some redness and tenderness in the first few days is expected. Spreading redness, heat, swelling that gets worse instead of better, pus, red streaks or a fever are not. Contact a doctor if you notice any of those, and let Mariella know too.

Keeping it bright for years

Once it's fully healed, sunscreen is the single best thing you can do for a color tattoo. UV fades pigment over time, especially on spots like forearms, shoulders and calves that see a lot of sun.