How well you take care of your tattoo while it is healing; directly effects how good it looks when it has healed completely!
Keep tattoo clean with a mild soap and water, wash several times a day for the first week. Gently wash tattoo with your open palm (do not scrub) until tattoo no longer feels slimy. Blot tattoo dry with a clean paper towel (do not use a bath towel or other linty cloth). Let your tattoo air dry for 5 minutes prior to applying ointment. For the first 4-5 days, keep your tattoo very *slightly* moist with a very thin layer of A&D ointment or Aquaphor ointment, several times a day as needed. After the first week, begin using a plain, hypoallergenic lotion such as “Lubriderm” or “Curel”. Continue moisturizing your tattoo with the lotion for the next couple of weeks or whenever it feels dry or itchy.
As the tattoo heals, you will notice colored “flakes” coming off the tattoo. This is perfectly normal. Your tattoo is not “falling off.” Be sure NOT to pick or scratch at these flakes, and let them fall off and heal on their own. Do not pick or scratch at the tattoo. Do not let your tattoo dry out. Do not soak the tattoo in tubs, pools, lakes, etc. until it is fully healed (wait until the tattoo has peeled fully, this can take 2-3 weeks). Do not expose tattoo to UV or sunlight until fully healed. After the tattoo has healed always use high grade sunscreen to protect and preserve your tattoo for the rest of your life.