How to Properly Care for Fresh Hand and Finger Tattoos

The ultimate expert guide on caring for your hand tattoo

Whether it’s your first time getting ink or your hundredth, a hand tattoo is a trendy way to show off any style, from cutesy to hardcore. To keep them looking nice, though, hand tattoos need to be kept out of sun and water and washed five times a day for the first ten days, then kept moisturized for the rest of your life (seriously). We’ve compiled a list of the best expert recommended tips—keep reading to get the best aftercare routine out there!

This article is based on an interview with our tattoo artist, Michelle Myles, co-owner of Daredevil Tattoo. Check out the full interview here.

1

Listen to your artist.

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Follow the care instructions your artist gave you. Different artists have different ways they want their work to be cared for. Generally, the advice is pretty similar, but they may recommend products or ask you to leave your bandages on for more or less time. Do exactly what they tell you to.
- Reach out to your artist if you’re having any trouble caring for your tattoo.
- Many shops send tattoo care instruction sheets home with clients.

2

Rest and stay hydrated.

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Take it easy and drink lots of water while your tattoo heals. Tattoos are open wounds, so your body kicks into a higher gear to heal itself. Anything that makes your body weaker interferes with healing, so don’t drink alcohol, sleep at least eight hours, stay hydrated, and don’t let anything rub up against your tattoo.
- Partying is especially dangerous since you’re exerting yourself, possibly drinking alcohol, and potentially rubbing your tattoo against other things and people.
- These behaviors can cause fallout, which is when your tattoo ink comes out of your body.

3

Remove your bandage after 24 hours.

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If your tattoo was bandaged, leave it on for 24 hours. Once again, follow the instructions of your artist, but if your tattoo was wrapped, take it off after 24 hours and wash your hands with antibacterial soap.
- If you’re worried about sleeping with a new tattoo, rewrap the tattoo in plastic for the first night, but leave it uncovered after.

4

Wash your tattoo 3-5 times a day.

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Wash your hands with liquid antibacterial soap 3-5 times a day. Bar soap can spread bacteria, so wash your hands with liquid antibacterial soap and warm water. Don’t scrub your tattoo or use a cloth to wash it—you could end up pulling up little parts of your tattoo. Dry your hands with a clean paper towel.
- If your tattoo is on the front of your hand, use your fingers to gently rub the soap in for 15-20 seconds.
- If it’s on the back of your hand, wash the front of your hand for 15-20 seconds, then collect a little soap in your fingers and wash your tattoo.

5

Keep it moisturized after the first 24 hours.

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Once the bandage is off, moisturize the area 3-5 times daily for 2-3 weeks. ^{[1]XTrustworthy SourcePubMed CentralJournal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of HealthGo to source} Use an unscented, non-petroleum based moisturizer (your artist may recommend one) or a tattoo cream without any artificial ingredients, like Hustle Butter.
- Using petroleum products can over moisturize your tattoo and can end up fading it.
- After the first 2-3 weeks, moisturize your tattoo once a day (for the rest of time).

6

Avoid picking at and touching your tattoo.

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Keep your tattoo from coming into contact with anything. While your tattoo is healing, don’t touch, pick, shave, or put clothes on it. Freshly tattooed skin becomes crusty after a few days, but picking can cause your tattoo to become patchy or infected. Avoid wearing gloves for the first 2 weeks.
- Fresh tattoo starting peeling after a few days. The scabs can be itchy, but press your fingers firmly into the tattoo instead of scratching to keep from rubbing anything off.

7

Avoid swimming, bathing, and sweating.

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Keep your tattoo dry for the first 2 weeks of healing. Submerging a tattoo too early can cause the ink to run, but more importantly, it can cause infections. Treat your healing tattoo like any other open wound. Steer clear of the public pool, bodies of water, and your bathtub. After 10-14 days, tattoos are water safe.
- You can still wash your hands and shower with your tattoo, just fully dry the tattoo with a clean paper towel after.

8

Stay out of the sun.

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Keep out of the sun for 10 days, then wear sunscreen on your tattoo. UV rays can fade the ink in some tattoos, so stay totally out of the sun while it’s still fresh. Once the upper layer of skin has healed (after ~2 weeks), apply a water-resistant, 30+ SPF broad spectrum sunscreen 15 minutes before going outside.^{[2]XTrustworthy SourceAmerican Academy of DermatologyProfessional organization made of over 20,000 certified dermatologistsGo to source}
- Reapply the sunscreen every 2 hours.

9

See your artist or a doctor if the tattoo gets infected.

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Immediately contact your artist if you think your tattoo is infected. If you can, go to your artist in person. If you can’t, contact your artist and send them several pictures of your tattoo, so they can get an idea of what’s going on. Listen to your artist, and if they recommend seeing a doctor, go to one.
- Signs of an infected tattoo include: redness, itchiness, swelling, bumps on the tattoo, sweating, chills, fever, worsening pain in the area, and fever.

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Tips

Get your tattoo on the back of your hand or fingers to help it last longer. Tattoos age significantly faster on hands than anywhere else. Tattoos on your palm, the side of your hand, or between your fingers are at risk of fading or blurring quickly, even within months.
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Expect to get multiple touch ups to keep your tattoo crisp—possibly even in the first year.
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If you can, take time off work or school for the first few days after getting the tattoo.
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Warnings

Hands are the most visible places for tattoos, after the face and neck. Having a visible tattoo can affect getting a job in the future.
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