Preparing for and looking
after a new tattoo

You've done your homework and found Ben Boston. You've waited to get your space in his busy diary. Now your time has come! For a few days before attending the studio, it is advisable to rub moisturiser (eg Vaseline Intensive Care), into the skin where you are to have your tattoo.

Please be aware that at the beginning of your appointment we need to prepare the workstation and machines in a manner to guarantee our customer's safety. In addition needle selection for your individual requirements takes place at this time. These unavoidable procedures usually takes around ten minutes.

Once you have had the tattoo created it is of paramount importance that you look after it, not just for the obvious health implications, but also to keep the tattoo looking great for the life of your skin.

Ben will have covered it with a dressing, which must be removed within two hours. Basically as soon as the skin has stopped bleeding, the dressing should be removed.

Ideally wash it with anti-bacterial soap being careful not to disturb the skin. Either air dry the new tattoo or pat it dry with clean dry towel. DO NOT rub it dry. There are a number of creams available that can be applied very gently over the whole tattoo, such as Bepanthen and Sudocrem. Use sparingly.

Using the above method, wash and apply your chosen cream twice a day for at least ten days.

As much as is practical allow the new tattoo to breathe, however if you have to work in a dirty or dusty environment then you will need to cover the tattoo to protect it and avoid infection.

However much it's tempting, DO NOT pick at any scabs and DO NOT scratch it.

Your skin will be extremely vulnerable to the UV (ultra violet) light found in sunlight for the first few weeks and you will burn very easily and ruin the tattoo; and we can't just rub it out and start again! Your skin will be more sensitive to the sun for at least a year and we would advise you to use much higher factor sun protection than you would ordinarily use. To keep your tattoo looking good, it is best to always protect it from the sun as the UV light will degrade the inks over time.

We would recommend regularly moisturising your tattooed skin for at least three months.

Remember the better you look after your tattoo the better it will look for years to come.