You just got a tattoo. How do you look after it?

Advice on tattoo aftercare is plentiful, and sometimes confusing. Tattoo artists and dermatologists weigh in on what you should do. The new tattoo may be of an unfurling script, a bold geometric sleeve or a funny illustration.

Perhaps it is your first or joins a medley: inked in honour of a person, place or the spirit of self-expression . Getting a tattoo is less fringe than it once was: about 32% of American adults have at least one, according to a 2023 Pew Research Center survey. But while tattoos are more widely accepted, advice on caring for them can be conflicting.



The confusion begins as soon as the artist puts down the machine. Some use a classic plastic wrap as a cover to protect your brand-new ink, while others opt for newer dressings. One recommendation is to wash tattoos immediately after returning home, using an antibacterial soap .

Another is to wait a few days before washing with a milder, fragrance-free soap. Then there are the ointment options: recommendations include options from Vaseline and Aquaphor, natural oils and butters, and diaper rash creams to a market of products geared specifically toward tattoo healing..