Essential tattoo aftercare – Podcast Script
Welcome. My name is Simon Vadelma, and I’m a tattoo artist at Vadelma Tattoo in Amsterdam. In today’s episode, I want to walk you through essential tattoo aftercare. Not just what to do, but how to think about the healing process, so you give your tattoo the best possible chance to heal clean and beautifully. The truth is simple: taking care of a tattoo is not complicated—but it is easy to underestimate.
Most mistakes don’t happen because people don’t know what to do.
They happen a few days later, when everything seems fine. So today, we’ll go through what to do—and what to avoid—during the healing period, which usually takes around three to four weeks. But before we get into the practical steps, it helps to understand one thing: What is actually happening in your skin after a tattoo session? Because once you understand that, aftercare stops feeling like a list of rules—and starts making sense.
A fresh tattoo is, essentially, a controlled wound.
The needle places ink into the dermis, and your body immediately begins repairing the skin. Blood flow increases, the area becomes sensitive, and your immune system starts working to protect and rebuild the tissue. Here’s the important part: even when the surface looks healed, the deeper layers are still rebuilding. That process takes weeks. So what you do during that time directly affects how the tattoo settles—how sharp it looks, how evenly it heals, and how well it lasts. The goal is not to fix anything. The goal is simply not to interfere with what your body is already doing well.
A tattoo becomes part of a person’s identity.
It moves with them through different phases of life. In a way, it’s always there in the background—like a song that never completely stops playing. That’s why I see tattooing as a collaboration. It doesn’t end when the session is over. The way a tattoo heals is part of the process, and that part is shared between the artist and the person wearing it. Your aftercare routine really begins when you remove the protective second-skin film, usually after three days. Before we continue, there’s one thing I want to mention – that often surprises people. While you’re wearing the second-skin film, you might notice something – what looks like ink spreading underneath it. It can make the tattoo appear blurry, but don’t worry—It’s simply a mixture of excess ink and fluids sitting between your skin and the film. If the blur is only slight, you can keep the film on – for the recommended three days. If it becomes so cloudy that you can barely see the tattoo anymore, remove it sooner and follow the instructions in our blog, “What to Do If Your SECOND Skin Fell Off Sooner.”
Whenever you remove the second-skin film
Do it slowly, ideally under lukewarm water. Your skin will be sensitive, so treat it gently. Wash the tattoo with water and a mild, fragrance-free soap, pat it dry with a clean paper towel, let it breathe for a moment, and then apply a very thin layer of aftercare cream. During the first days, repeat it every four to six hours, although you’ll often need less as healing progresses, and if you can’t – You don’t need to wash the tattoo every time. At work – cream alone should be enough. A simple rule of thumb is this: whenever the tattoo starts feeling dry, it’s probably a good time for another thin layer of cream. And two small but important things: always touch your tattoo with clean hands, and if you have pets, don’t let them lick your fresh tattoo. Dogs, especially, would probably love to do that.
There’s a pattern I’ve noticed over the years.
People are very careful during the first week. But somewhere around day seven, the tattoo starts to feel… normal. And that’s exactly when attention begins to fade. This is where small decisions start to matter: touching it casually, scratching it, or letting it rub repeatedly against clothing, desks or other surfaces. None of these things seem dramatic on their own, but together they can affect the final result. So if there’s one thing I’d like you to remember, it’s this: Take care of your tattoo not only during the first few days—but throughout the entire healing process.
Also Be mindful of friction.
If your tattoo rests against a desk, backpack strap, waistband, bra strap, or any other surface for long periods, try to reduce that repeated contact. Try to avoid very tight clothing whenever possible, and choose natural fabrics that breathe. I will give You another small tip – If you need to cover your tattoo temporarily—for example, because you need to wear elegant clothes and You don’t want to stain them with cream—you can wrap the tattoo with ordinary plastic food foil for a couple of hours – before wrapping however, put a little cream on it as usual. Afterwards, remove it, gently clean the tattoo, and let your skin breathe a little and then apply cream again. For the first few weeks, avoid saunas, swimming pools, sea, ocean, hot tubs, and direct sun exposure. Heat and prolonged moisture can interfere with healing more than most people realize. It’s also a good idea to avoid intense workouts during the first days, as excessive sweating can irritate the healing skin. It’s not about avoiding movement completely, but about giving your body the best possible conditions to recover. And please resist the temptation to scratch or pick at the tattoo, even when it begins to flake. That stage is completely normal.
Let it happen naturally.
Your body heals better when it’s supported. So = Sleep matters. Hydration matters. What you eat matters. The better your general condition, the better your tattoo is likely to heal. And if something doesn’t heal exactly as expected, don’t worry. Once the skin is fully healed and stable – we can always meet for a refinement session. If you ever have questions during the healing process, simply reach out. We’re always happy to help. A tattoo is more than something you get. It’s something you carry for a lifetime. And the healing phase is the moment when it truly becomes part of you. If you give your body the right conditions, stay consistent, and avoid unnecessary interference, your tattoo will settle exactly the way it was meant to. Thank you for listening. If you found this episode helpful, you can learn more at Vadelma.eu, or explore original artwork and fine art prints at VadelmaPrints.com. Take care of yourself, take care of your tattoos, and I’ll see you in the next episode.
Welcome. My name is Simon Vadelma, and I’m a tattoo artist at Vadelma Tattoo in Amsterdam. In today’s episode, I want to walk you through essential tattoo aftercare. Not just what to do, but how to think about the healing process, so you give your tattoo the best possible chance to heal clean and beautifully. The truth is simple: taking care of a tattoo is not complicated—but it is easy to underestimate.
Most mistakes don’t happen because people don’t know what to do.
They happen a few days later, when everything seems fine. So today, we’ll go through what to do—and what to avoid—during the healing period, which usually takes around three to four weeks. But before we get into the practical steps, it helps to understand one thing: What is actually happening in your skin after a tattoo session? Because once you understand that, aftercare stops feeling like a list of rules—and starts making sense.
A fresh tattoo is, essentially, a controlled wound.
The needle places ink into the dermis, and your body immediately begins repairing the skin. Blood flow increases, the area becomes sensitive, and your immune system starts working to protect and rebuild the tissue. Here’s the important part: even when the surface looks healed, the deeper layers are still rebuilding. That process takes weeks. So what you do during that time directly affects how the tattoo settles—how sharp it looks, how evenly it heals, and how well it lasts. The goal is not to fix anything. The goal is simply not to interfere with what your body is already doing well.
A tattoo becomes part of a person’s identity.
It moves with them through different phases of life. In a way, it’s always there in the background—like a song that never completely stops playing. That’s why I see tattooing as a collaboration. It doesn’t end when the session is over. The way a tattoo heals is part of the process, and that part is shared between the artist and the person wearing it. Your aftercare routine really begins when you remove the protective second-skin film, usually after three days. Before we continue, there’s one thing I want to mention – that often surprises people. While you’re wearing the second-skin film, you might notice something – what looks like ink spreading underneath it. It can make the tattoo appear blurry, but don’t worry—It’s simply a mixture of excess ink and fluids sitting between your skin and the film. If the blur is only slight, you can keep the film on – for the recommended three days. If it becomes so cloudy that you can barely see the tattoo anymore, remove it sooner and follow the instructions in our blog, “What to Do If Your SECOND Skin Fell Off Sooner.”
Whenever you remove the second-skin film
Do it slowly, ideally under lukewarm water. Your skin will be sensitive, so treat it gently. Wash the tattoo with water and a mild, fragrance-free soap, pat it dry with a clean paper towel, let it breathe for a moment, and then apply a very thin layer of aftercare cream. During the first days, repeat it every four to six hours, although you’ll often need less as healing progresses, and if you can’t – You don’t need to wash the tattoo every time. At work – cream alone should be enough. A simple rule of thumb is this: whenever the tattoo starts feeling dry, it’s probably a good time for another thin layer of cream. And two small but important things: always touch your tattoo with clean hands, and if you have pets, don’t let them lick your fresh tattoo. Dogs, especially, would probably love to do that.
There’s a pattern I’ve noticed over the years.
People are very careful during the first week. But somewhere around day seven, the tattoo starts to feel… normal. And that’s exactly when attention begins to fade. This is where small decisions start to matter: touching it casually, scratching it, or letting it rub repeatedly against clothing, desks or other surfaces. None of these things seem dramatic on their own, but together they can affect the final result. So if there’s one thing I’d like you to remember, it’s this: Take care of your tattoo not only during the first few days—but throughout the entire healing process.
Also Be mindful of friction.
If your tattoo rests against a desk, backpack strap, waistband, bra strap, or any other surface for long periods, try to reduce that repeated contact. Try to avoid very tight clothing whenever possible, and choose natural fabrics that breathe. I will give You another small tip – If you need to cover your tattoo temporarily—for example, because you need to wear elegant clothes and You don’t want to stain them with cream—you can wrap the tattoo with ordinary plastic food foil for a couple of hours – before wrapping however, put a little cream on it as usual. Afterwards, remove it, gently clean the tattoo, and let your skin breathe a little and then apply cream again. For the first few weeks, avoid saunas, swimming pools, sea, ocean, hot tubs, and direct sun exposure. Heat and prolonged moisture can interfere with healing more than most people realize. It’s also a good idea to avoid intense workouts during the first days, as excessive sweating can irritate the healing skin. It’s not about avoiding movement completely, but about giving your body the best possible conditions to recover. And please resist the temptation to scratch or pick at the tattoo, even when it begins to flake. That stage is completely normal.
Let it happen naturally.
Your body heals better when it’s supported. So = Sleep matters. Hydration matters. What you eat matters. The better your general condition, the better your tattoo is likely to heal. And if something doesn’t heal exactly as expected, don’t worry. Once the skin is fully healed and stable – we can always meet for a refinement session. If you ever have questions during the healing process, simply reach out. We’re always happy to help. A tattoo is more than something you get. It’s something you carry for a lifetime. And the healing phase is the moment when it truly becomes part of you. If you give your body the right conditions, stay consistent, and avoid unnecessary interference, your tattoo will settle exactly the way it was meant to. Thank you for listening. If you found this episode helpful, you can learn more at Vadelma.eu, or explore original artwork and fine art prints at VadelmaPrints.com. Take care of yourself, take care of your tattoos, and I’ll see you in the next episode.
