Fresh ink.
New metal.
Heal it right.
Aftercare for tattoos and piercings done at our Rogers Park shop — what to do, what to skip, and what’s normal while you heal.
These are general guidelines, not medical advice. Everyone heals differently. Always follow the specific aftercare instructions your artist or piercer gives you — they come first over anything on this page.
If you think your tattoo or piercing is infected, see a doctor.
Tattoo aftercare
A new tattoo is an open wound for the first couple of weeks. Keep it clean, keep it lightly moisturized, and leave it alone.
How a tattoo heals
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First hours
Leave the wrap on
Keep the bandage on for as long as your artist told you. Clear second-skin bandages can usually stay on for a day up to several days if they're comfortable and not leaking. If fluid leaks out, take it off.
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Days 1–3
Wash gently, pat dry
Wash your hands first. Rinse with lukewarm water and a small amount of mild, fragrance-free soap, then pat dry with a clean paper towel or let it air dry. Don't rub. Some clear or pink fluid with a little ink is normal early on.
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Days 3–14
Moisturize lightly, hands off
Apply a thin layer of fragrance-free moisturizer, or whatever your artist recommends, a couple of times a day. It will flake, peel and itch. Let it come off on its own.
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Weeks 2–4
The surface settles
The top layer usually heals in a few weeks. It can look cloudy or dull while new skin forms; that clears up. Keep moisturizing until the flaking is done.
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Months 1–3+
Protect it long term
The skin underneath keeps healing for months. Keep it covered and out of direct sun for the first several months, then use a high-SPF sunscreen to keep lines sharp and color bright.
The short list
Do
- Wash your hands before touching it
- Keep it clean with mild, fragrance-free soap
- Use a thin layer of moisturizer — less is more
- Wear loose, clean clothing over it
- Shower normally, keep it short and not too hot
- Tell your artist if anything seems off
Don’t
- Soak it — no baths, pools, hot tubs, lakes or saunas until it's fully healed
- Pick, peel or scratch flakes and scabs
- Expose it to direct sun or tanning beds
- Pile on thick layers of ointment
- Use alcohol, peroxide or antibiotic cream unless a doctor tells you to
- Re-wrap it in plastic unless your artist says to
What to watch for
Normal while healing
- Redness and mild swelling for the first few days
- Warmth and tenderness
- Clear or pink fluid with a little ink in the first few days
- Itching, flaking and peeling
- A cloudy, milky look while it heals
See a doctor if you notice
- Redness that spreads or gets more painful after the first few days
- Swelling, throbbing or burning that gets worse instead of better
- Thick yellow or green discharge, or a bad smell
- A rash, small blisters or itchy bumps — stop using aftercare products
- Red streaks spreading from the tattoo, or fever and chills — get medical care right away
Let your artist know too — they can tell your doctor which inks and products were used.
Tattoo aftercare questions
When can I swim with a new tattoo?
Not until it's completely healed — no scabs, peeling or shiny patches. For most people that's at least 2 to 4 weeks, but go by how your skin looks and what your artist tells you. Showers are fine.
When can I go in the sun?
Keep a new tattoo covered and out of direct sun while it heals, ideally for the first several months. Once it's fully healed, use a high-SPF sunscreen to keep it from fading.
Can I work out after getting tattooed?
Give it a day or two, and avoid anything that rubs, stretches or soaks the area in sweat. Wash it gently afterward. Ask your artist what makes sense for your placement.
Is it normal for my tattoo to peel?
Yes. Flaking and peeling usually start within the first week or so. Don't pick at it — pulling flakes off early can pull ink with them.
Piercing aftercare
Clean it gently, don’t touch it, and give it the full healing time — even after it stops feeling sore.
How a piercing heals
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Day 1
Leave it alone
Some swelling, tenderness and a little bleeding are normal at first. Don't touch, twist or turn the jewelry. Movement irritates a fresh piercing and slows healing.
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Every day
Clean with sterile saline
Once or twice a day, spray or soak with sterile saline wound wash, or whatever your piercer recommends, then gently pat dry with a clean paper towel. Rinse off soap and hair products in the shower. Over-cleaning irritates it too.
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Weeks 1–6
Come back to downsize
Many piercings start with longer jewelry to leave room for swelling. Once the swelling goes down, your piercer may swap in a shorter bar so it doesn't snag. Don't change the jewelry yourself.
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Until healed
Stick with it
A piercing can look healed on the outside long before it's healed inside. Keep up your routine for the full healing time, even when it feels fine.
Oral piercings: rinse with an alcohol-free mouthwash or saline after eating, after drinking anything but water, and after smoking. Cold water can help with swelling.
Typical piercing healing times
| Piercing | Typical healing time |
|---|---|
| Earlobe | 6–8 weeks |
| Ear cartilage (helix, conch, tragus) | 4 months–1 year |
| Nostril | 2–4 months |
| Septum | 6–8 weeks |
| Nasal bridge | 8–10 weeks |
| Eyebrow | 6–8 weeks |
| Lip / labret | 2–3 months |
| Tongue | About 4 weeks |
| Cheek | 4–5 months |
| Navel | 4 months–1 year |
| Nipple | 3–6 months |
Typical ranges only. Your piercer will tell you what to expect for your placement and anatomy.
The short list
Do
- Wash your hands before touching anywhere near it
- Clean with sterile saline once or twice a day
- Pat dry with clean paper towel — cloth towels hold bacteria
- Change your pillowcase often; try a travel pillow for ear piercings
- Keep makeup, lotion and hair products away from it
- Come back so we can downsize your jewelry
Don’t
- Twist, turn or play with the jewelry
- Use alcohol, peroxide, Betadine or antibiotic ointment
- Swim in pools, hot tubs, lakes or the ocean while it heals
- Sleep on it
- Change the jewelry before it's healed
- Take the jewelry out if you think it's infected — see a doctor first
What to watch for
Normal while healing
- Swelling, redness and tenderness for the first few days
- A little bleeding at first
- Clear or whitish crust around the jewelry
- Itching as it heals
- A flare-up after it gets bumped or snagged
See a doctor if you notice
- Pain or swelling that gets worse after the first couple of days
- Heat around the piercing
- Thick yellow or green pus, or a bad smell
- Jewelry feels tight or is sinking into swollen skin — come see us for a longer bar
- Red lines spreading from the piercing, or a fever — see a doctor right away
Think it’s infected? Leave the jewelry in and see a doctor. Taking it out can let the hole close over the infection.
Piercing aftercare questions
When can I change my jewelry?
Not until it's fully healed — check the healing times above. Come in and your piercer can check it and do the first change for you.
Why is there a bump on my piercing?
Bumps are usually irritation from movement, snagging, sleeping on it or jewelry that's the wrong length. Stop touching it, stick to saline and come see your piercer. If it's painful, hot or draining pus, see a doctor.
Should I take my jewelry out if it's infected?
No. Don't remove it before you see a doctor. Taking it out can let the hole close over the infection and cause an abscess.
Can I swim with a new piercing?
Avoid pools, hot tubs, lakes and the ocean until it's healed. Showers are fine.
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