What is the best aftercare for your Tattoo?

A new tattoo is a work of art — but also an open wound. Proper aftercare determines how beautifully your tattoo heals and lasts.

The best tattoo aftercare begins with cleansing, followed by protection with cream or film. Once your tattoo is healed, daily care with UV protection is essential.

At TattooMed, we help you step by step: ✨ Cleanse 🩼 Protect ☀️ Care

Your tattoo: a wound that needs care

See your new tattoo as an open wound. Good aftercare is vital, not only to prevent nasty infections but especially to ensure your tattoo heals perfectly and retains its vibrant colors. Without proper care, you risk fading, distortion, or even serious complications. So, let's get started with tattoo aftercare!

Protecting Your Tattoo: Two Effective Ways


From the moment your tattoo is done, rapid protection against dirt and bacteria is essential to accelerate the natural healing process. At TattooMed, we offer you two effective ways to do this:

👉🏼 with a special Tattoo Aftercare Cream 

👉🏼 with self-adhesive Tattoo Film (second skin)

Both options help to close the upper skin layer and reactivate your skin's natural protective mechanism.

How does your tattoo heal? The phases of tattoo healing

Your new tattoo undergoes a fascinating healing process. By understanding what's happening beneath your skin, you can optimally tailor your aftercare and give your tattoo the best possible start.

Phase 1: Wound Healing (Day 1-5)

This is the acute wound healing phase. Your tattoo is still an open wound, and you'll notice blood plasma, ink, and excess fluid being released. (Light) scabbing may also occur. In this crucial phase, your tattoo is extremely vulnerable to bacteria and infections.

👉🏼Your role: Protection is priority!

  • With Tattoo Film: The film creates a protective barrier, greatly reducing issues with blood, fluid, or scabbing. Your tattoo can begin to heal quietly in a sterile environment, without constant exposure to the outside world.

  • Without Tattoo Film (directly with cream): In this phase, extra vigilance is required. Regular and thorough cleaning with our Cleansing Gel and applying After Tattoo cream is essential to prevent infections and keep the skin supple.

Phase 2: Regeneration (Day 5-21)

Now the skin begins intensive recovery. The epidermis renews itself, which can lead to itching and peeling (similar to a sunburn peeling). This is a good sign; your skin is healing!

👉🏼Your role: Hydration and relief.

  • Continue to clean your tattoo regularly with the Cleansing Gel and apply After Tattoo cream. These products help relieve itching, keep the skin hydrated, and promote smooth healing, minimizing the chance of scars. Scratching is out of the question!

Phase 3: Recovery & Protection (Day 21+)

Although the outside of your tattoo looks healed, the skin internally continues to recover and stabilize the ink for months. Your tattoo now primarily needs protection from sunlight to retain its colors. UV radiation is now the biggest threat to your tattoo's colors.

👉🏼 Your role: Protection against fading.

  • Once your tattoo is fully healed, it's time for daily protection. Our Daily Tattoo Care with UV filter is specially developed to protect your tattoo's colors from harmful sun rays, ensuring your artwork stays vibrant for years to come.

✌️ Healing with Film or Cream: what suits you?

After getting your tattoo, you have a choice: do you care for your tattoo directly with our aftercare cream or do you opt for the convenience of tattoo film?

🟦  Healing with Tattoo Film (second skin)



The easiest way to care for your new tattoo is with TattooMed self-adhesive Tattoo Film. You apply the film directly over your cleaned tattoo after it's done and leave it on for 3 to 5 days.

By covering your tattoo with the film, you optimally protect it during the first few days against drying out and harmful bacteria. Your tattoo gets the chance to heal peacefully and can recover well from the inside out.

The longer you leave the film on (up to a maximum of 5 days), the better it is for the healing process.

If you leave the film on long enough, especially 3-5 days, your tattoo will already be well on its way to healing. This helps to prevent thick scabs and ensures that your tattoo will almost immediately start peeling – a sign of healthy healing.

With the film, you won't have the hassle of applying cream and cleaning for the first 3-5 days, and you'll be optimally protected against friction from clothing or bedding. 

This is ideal for a carefree start to the healing process, especially if you have a job where you come into contact with a lot of dirt. Or if you have pets. 

Advantages of Tattoo Film:

  • Optimally protected against dirt and bacteria

  • No hassle with applying cream & cleaning (days 1 -5)

  • Prevents dehydration and thick scabs

  • Protects against friction (clothing/bedding)

  • Reduces risk of infections

Important: Tattoo film is not suitable for people with plaster allergies.

More about Tattoo Film

🟨 Healing with Tattoo Aftercare Cream




Prefer more control and personal care? Then choose to cleanse and moisturize from day 1. If you opt for direct care with a cream, our After Tattoo aftercare cream is your best friend. This specially developed cream spreads easily, absorbs quickly, and prevents sticky stains on your clothing. It helps your tattoo heal quickly and smoothly.

Advantages of After Tattoo Cream:

  • Daily care, right from the start

  • Spreads easily and absorbs quickly

  • Doesn't stick to your clothing

  • You see and feel how your tattoo heals

  • Contains Panthenol and Vitamin E for fast healing and care


❓ Which is Better: Film or Cream? The Choice is Yours!

There's no 'right' or 'wrong' when it comes to tattoo aftercare methods; both our film and the cream routine ensure excellent healing. It purely comes down to your personal preference and lifestyle.

👉🏼 Do you choose ultimate convenience? Then Tattoo Film is the best choice. For the first few days, you won't have to worry about your tattoo, while it heals optimally protected.

👉🏼 Do you prefer to take matters into your own hands and actively care for it immediately? Then go for the cream routine from day one.

Your Immediate Aftercare Routine:

  • For the cream routine from day 1: You start immediately with cleansing (with 🧼 Cleansing Gel) and moisturizing (with 💧 After Tattoo or 🧈 Tattoo Butter).

  • For the film routine: Before applying the film, it's crucial to clean your freshly tattooed skin thoroughly with the 🧼 Cleansing Gel. Then pat dry, and only then apply the film – no need to moisturize now!

  • After removing the film: You care for your tattoo during the remaining healing period with the same combination of 🧼 Cleansing Gel and 💧 After Tattoo (or 🧈 Tattoo Butter), but for a shorter duration.

Whichever method you choose – TattooMed always offers the right products for optimal care of your new artwork. Further down this page, we delve deeper into the complete aftercare routine for each method.


TattooMed Tattoo Aftercare: specially developed for tattoos

TattooMed Vegan tattoo aftercare is carefully formulated for optimal care of your tattoo: from cleaning and protecting to maintaining those beautiful colors.

Cleansing Gel - Tattoo Soap


Cleaning with the Cleansing Gel is the first step in your tattoo care. This tattoo soap not only deeply cleanses but also immediately soothes the tattooed skin. Say goodbye to redness, swelling, and the fear of drying out. Perfect for frequent use, it leaves a protective layer for soft and supple skin.

Advantages of TattooMed Cleansing Gel:

  • Cleanses and cares for the tattooed skin

  • Relieves tattooing pain

  • Reduces itching and burning

  • Does not dry out the skin

  • Antibacterial

 

After Tattoo - Tattoo Aftercare Cream




After cleansing, it's essential to keep your tattoo hydrated. Our After Tattoo cream is specially developed to spread easily on sensitive skin, without leaving greasy stains.

Panthenol soothes itching, while Vitamin E boosts your skin for quick and beautiful healing. And no, a cream does not seal your skin; it allows your tattoo to breathe!

Advantages of TattooMed After Tattoo:

  • Helps with fast healing

  • Calms and soothes the skin (due to Panthenol)

  • Nourishes and cares for the skin (due to Vitamin E)

  • Absorbs quickly, not greasy or sticky

  • Allows the skin to breathe


🧈 Prefer richer care? Choose Tattoo Butter

Some people prefer a slightly richer care. For them, there's our Tattoo Butter – 100% vegan, light in texture yet intensely nourishing. Perfect for larger tattoos or drier skin that needs extra love.

Advantages of Tattoo Butter:

  • Richer than a cream, intensely nourishing
  • Light texture, spreads well
  • Non-occlusive, allows the skin to breathe
  • Suitable for dry skin
  • Very suitable for larger tattoos
  • 100% vegan

👉 View Tattoo Butter

Daily Tattoo Care - Color Retention & UV Protection


Voordelen Daily tattoo care | TattooMed tattoo nazorg

Your tattoo is healed! Now it's important to preserve those intense colors for as long as possible. The ☀️ sun is the biggest culprit for fading. Our Daily Tattoo Care is a day cream with a UV filter that daily protects your healed tattoo from harmful sun rays. This way, your artwork stays vibrant, year after year!

Advantages of TattooMed Daily Tattoo Care:

  • Maintains the clarity and intensity of your tattoo colors

  • Protects against UV radiation (sunburn and fading)

  • Daily hydration and care

  • Keeps the skin supple and hydrated

  • Absorbs quickly - no stickiness

 

Your Aftercare Process with TattooMed: An Overview

Whether you choose film or cream, the aftercare process involves a few important steps. Below is a guide for optimal healing.

 

Step 1: Cleanse with the Cleansing Gel

Always start by thoroughly cleaning your tattoo with the Cleansing Gel. Especially in the first few days, this is crucial to prevent infections and scabbing. The gel immediately soothes your skin and reduces swelling and redness.

TIP: By washing away blood, ink, and petroleum jelly immediately, you prevent unsightly scabbing and inflammation.

Step 2: Protect & Care

After cleaning, it's time for protection and hydration. Here you have a choice:

  • Option A: With Tattoo Film: Apply the film as described on the Tattoo Film page. After removing the film, continue with the Cleansing Gel and After Tattoo.

  • Option B: With After Tattoo Cream: Apply a thin layer of After Tattoo cream to your cleaned tattoo. Do this several times a day, according to the instructions.

Step 3: Color Preservation with Daily Tattoo Care

Once your tattoo is fully healed, switch to Daily Tattoo Care. Use this daily to protect your tattoo from the sun and keep its colors vibrant.

 

 

Why Choose TattooMed?

Good aftercare is essential for maintaining the beauty and health of your tattoo. Whatever your choice – starting with the After Tattoo cream or first the second skin film followed by our classics – the most important thing is to give your tattoo the care it needs. With TattooMed, you have all the tools for optimal tattoo aftercare, exactly as it’s meant to be: enjoying your beautiful artwork for a lifetime.

 

 

Start Perfect Aftercare Today!

Getting a new tattoo soon? Prepare before you go to the tattoo studio! With our convenient value bundles, you’ll be ready to optimally care for your new tattoo right away.

Many of our customers choose the complete TattooMed All-in Bundle. One bundle for cleaning, caring for, and protecting against the sun. This way, you’re fully prepared for your tattoo aftercare in one go!