AFTERCARE...not an after-thought!

Tattoo Aftercare: The Part Nobody Talks About (But EveryBODY Should)

​You survived the needle.
You crushed the pain.

🎨You and your artist have successfully brought your ideas to life, and you walked out of Fallen Heroes Tattoo & Piercing with fresh artwork that’s going to turn heads, start conversations, and maybe make your ex cry a little. 😂

🤩 Now comes the part that’s way less glamorous — but absolutely essential:

⛑️ AFTERCARE!

💂🏻 Think of aftercare as the protective detail assigned to your new tattoo. If the tattoo process is the battle, aftercare is the mission cleanup. Do it right, and your tattoo heals bright, clean, and smooth. Do it wrong, and… well… let’s just not do it wrong.

🚫💩 Below is the simple, no-BS guide our artists swear by.

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1️⃣ Day 1: The Wrap Stage (A.K.A. “Don’t Touch It. Seriously.”)

Your artist will wrap you in a sterile film or a second-skin dressing.
This is your tattoo’s temporary forcefield.

Leave it alone.

🙋🏽‍♀️ "Why wouldn't everyone just get that fancy 'second skin' wrap?"
✅ That's an easy one - If a client has experienced redness, allergic reaction, or 'tiny pimples' when they were provided the second skin, we recommend avoiding it in the future. Some folks just have sensitivities to the second skin adhesives or bandage material.

🩹 If you have second skin:
• Leave it on for 24–72 hours, depending on what your artist tells you.
• Yes, it might fill with plasma.
No, that doesn’t mean it’s possessed.
It’s normal.

❤️‍🩹 If you have a traditional bandage:
• Remove it after a few hours.
• Wash once you get home.

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2️⃣ Day 2–3: The First Wash

🛀 Once the wrap comes off, it’s shower time. (Yes you can shower withthe second skin bandage in place)

How to wash:
• Clean hands first.
• Use lukewarm water.
• Choose a fragrance-free, gentle soap (like Dial Gold, Dr. Bronner’s baby unscented, or any mild antibacterial wash).
• Use your hands only — no washcloths, no loofahs, no scrubby nonsense.

🧻 Pat dry with a clean towel or paper towel.
Do not rub.

🫧 Your tattoo will feel tight, maybe a little sore, and might look shinier than a freshly waxed car. Totally normal.

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3️⃣ The Moisturizing Phase (Days 3–14)

🧴 Here’s where people get confused.
Too much moisture = swampy skin. 🐊
Too little = dry, cracked healing. 🐪

You want a thin, balanced layer. ⚖️

Our top recommendation: 📝

🧴 Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion (Unscented)
✔ Gentle
✔ Fragrance-free
✔ Non-greasy
✔ Skin-friendly for almost everyone

Apply a small amount 2–3 times a day.
Massage it until it disappears — your tattoo should never look slimy or shiny afterward.

Other good options:
• Lubriderm fragrance-free
​• Aquaphor very, very, very (get it? VERY!!!) thin layer for the first 2–3 days only)
• Hustle Butter (for those who prefer tattoo-specific products)

🚫 Avoid:
🚫 • Scented lotions
🚫 • Cheap dollar-store lotions
🚫 • Heavy creams that suffocate the skin

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❄️ The Flake Phase (A.K.A. “Don’t Pick! Don’t Peel!”)

4️⃣ Somewhere between days 4–10 your tattoo will start to:
• Flake
• Peel
• Itch like you rolled in fiberglass

❤️This is good.
❤️This means that the 'magic' or healing is happening.

Rules:
🚫• Do NOT pick at the flakes.
🚫• Do NOT peel anything.
🚫• Do NOT scratch, slap, dig, or attack it in a moment of weakness.

Let the tattoo shed naturally or you risk pulling out pigment.

⏰ Moisturize regularly to help with the itch.

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Weeks 2–4: The “It Looks Weird” Phase

Your tattoo may look a little dull, cloudy, or “frosted” — this is called the skin’s healing layer.

It will clear up.

Continue moisturizing.
Avoid:
💧• Pools 
💧• Hot tubs
💧• Beaches
💧• Saunas
☀️• Tanning beds
☀️• Sunburns of any kind
🦎• Letting your cousin’s pet iguana walk on it (trust us)

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🎉 After 4 Weeks: The Glow-Up

Your tattoo is mostly healed, and you’re allowed back in polite society.

BUT — if you want it to stay crisp and vibrant for years, you must:

🧴Use sunscreen
SPF 50+ on all tattoos, every time you’re in the sun.
Faded tattoos don’t look vintage — they look sad.

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Final Words From our crew:

A perfect tattoo is 50% the artist… and 50% the aftercare.

Do your part, keep it clean, keep it moisturized, and follow the process.
Your tattoo will look amazing not just next week — but next decade.

☎️ If you ever have questions or something looks off, just call us, DM us, or swing by either studio. We’d rather answer a simple question than fix a preventable mistake.

💰Your tattoo is an investment.
😀Treat it like one.

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