Tattoo Aftercare and Piercing Aftercare in Gelsenkirchen
A fresh tattoo or piercing is a wound. Your artist's or piercer's instructions always come first.
Tattoo aftercare · Piercing aftercare · FAQ
Tattoo aftercare step by step
Keep it clean, apply a thin layer, don't scratch. No sun, no long soaks.
The first few hours
- Leave the covering on – your artist will tell you for how long.
- Wash your hands every time before touching it.
- Clean gently – lukewarm water, a mild, fragrance-free wash. Don't rub.
- Pat dry with kitchen roll rather than a towel.
- Apply a very thin layer of cream – too much softens the skin.
More details – tap to expand
The first few days
- Wash, pat dry, apply a thin layer of cream – your artist will tell you how often. Too little cream is better than too much.
- A little weeping, redness and slight swelling are normal.
- Soft, loose clothing and clean bedding.
Weeks 2 to 4
- Don't pick or scratch off scabs – otherwise ink comes out with them.
- If it itches, tap it lightly with the flat of your hand or apply a thin layer of cream.
- A milky sheen after peeling is normal and fades.
- Keep applying a thin layer until it stops peeling.
What to avoid until your tattoo has healed
- Sun and sunbeds
- Saunas and steam rooms
- Swimming pools, the sea, lakes, baths (a quick shower is fine)
- Scratching – the most common cause of gaps and faded patches
- Friction from tight clothing, backpack straps, watch straps, belts
- Intense exercise with lots of sweating in the first few days
Long-term care: sun protection
Over the years, sunlight makes colours and lines fade. Protect healed tattoos with a high SPF and keep your skin supple – especially with fine line and black & grey.
Piercing aftercare step by step
Keep it clean, hands off, no pressure.
- Clean – with clean hands, soften crusts, e.g. with sterile saline solution. Levent will tell you how often.
- Hands off – don't twist or push it.
- No pressure – don't sleep on it.
- No swimming pools, saunas or baths until it has healed.
Healing time for each placement: piercings by Levent in Gelsenkirchen.
Mouth and tongue piercings
Rinse with clean water after eating. While it is healing: no smoking, no alcohol, nothing spicy.
Sleeping and snagging
Don't lie on the piercing; for ear piercings, a travel pillow helps. Change your pillowcase often. Be careful with hair, jumpers, towels, headphones, hats and glasses. Keep cosmetics, hairspray and perfume away from it.
Changing jewellery
Only after healing – the channel inside is often not yet stable, even if it looks fine from the outside. Shortening the initial bar and the first change are best done by your piercer.
Warning signs: when to see your piercer and when to see a doctor
If it is infected, don't remove the jewellery yourself – get advice.
Normal
At first, redness, slight swelling, warmth, throbbing, a little clear to yellowish fluid.
See your piercer
The jewellery presses or migrates, there is a bump at the piercing channel – or you are unsure.
See a doctor
Symptoms get worse after a few days, heat, yellow-greenish pus, spreading redness, fever.
Doctor or 112 immediately
Tongue piercing: severe swelling, difficulty breathing or barely able to swallow.
Guides to individual piercings
Helix piercing: healing and aftercare · Ear piercing · Nostril piercing · Tongue piercing · Conch piercing · Microdermal
Aftercare FAQ
How long does it take for a tattoo to heal?
The surface has usually closed after a few weeks: first scabs form, then the skin peels and itches. Underneath, the skin takes longer to fully regenerate. How quickly it happens depends on the size, the placement and your skin.
Can I shower with a fresh tattoo?
Yes, a quick shower is fine and part of keeping it clean. Just avoid soaking it for long: no baths, no swimming pools and no saunas until the tattoo has healed.
Is it normal for a fresh tattoo to itch and peel?
Yes. Itching and peeling are part of normal healing, usually from the second week. Don't scratch and don't pick off scabs, otherwise ink can come out with them.
When can I change my piercing jewellery?
Only once the piercing has fully healed. How long that takes depends on the placement – cartilage, as with a helix, takes much longer than the earlobe. It is best to have your first change done by your piercer.
How can I tell if a tattoo or piercing is infected?
Warning signs are redness, swelling and pain that increase rather than decrease after the first few days, strong heat, yellow-greenish pus, spreading redness or fever. If so, see a doctor.
When can I go in the sun with a new tattoo?
Only once it has fully healed – and even then only with sun protection. Fresh tattoos should be kept out of direct sunlight and away from sunbeds. In the long term, a high SPF protects the colours from fading.
Questions about aftercare? Message us.
Not sure whether it is healing normally? Send us a photo on WhatsApp. If there are signs of infection, go straight to a doctor.