South Town Tattoo Collective

Concerned about worsening symptoms? Read when to get medical care. Do not wait for a shop reply if you have signs of infection or a severe reaction.

Journal · Aftercare · Updated September 2026

Tattoo Aftercare Guide

Your artist's instructions are the primary guidance for your tattoo because dressings, products, skin, placement, and the work itself can differ. This page provides general information, not medical diagnosis or individualized treatment.

By South Town Tattoo Collective

General care principles

  • Follow the artist's dressing instructions. Ask when and how the specific covering should be removed or changed.
  • Start with clean hands. Wash your hands before touching healing tattooed skin, and use only the products your artist recommends.
  • Keep care gentle. Do not scratch, pick, or aggressively scrub healing skin.
  • Ask before changing the routine. Contact the shop when instructions are unclear or the dressing creates a concern.
  • Protect healed tattoos from ultraviolet light. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends broad-spectrum, water-resistant SPF 30 or higher on tattooed skin when exposed to the sun.

When to get medical care

Some redness, swelling, soreness, clear fluid, itching, flaking, or scabbing can occur during normal healing. The American Academy of Dermatology advises seeking medical care promptly when redness spreads or darkens instead of improving, pain worsens, pus or open sores appear, or fever, chills, or a painful rash develop.

Trouble breathing, chest tightness, dizziness, widespread hives, intense swelling, or another severe reaction requires immediate medical care. Contacting the tattoo shop does not replace evaluation by a qualified clinician.

Source: American Academy of Dermatology: tattoo skin reactions.

Lost your instructions or unsure about the dressing?

For questions about the instructions you received at South Town, call (775) 622-8831. Give the artist's name, the date of your appointment, the tattoo's placement, and the dressing or product you were told to use. If you do not know its name, say so rather than guessing.

Ask about the specific step you need clarified: removal, washing, products, or returning to an activity. A removal time from a different dressing or another person's tattoo may not apply to yours. This page does not prescribe one dressing schedule for everyone.

For questions that can wait, send the shop a message. The form is not an emergency service, and a photo cannot rule out an infection.