Blog
Aftercare advice from working tattoo studios. What each method is good at, what it costs you, and what we reach for.
From the Chair · No. 265 Rules for Showering With a Fresh Tattoo
Yes, you can shower with a new tattoo. Keep it lukewarm and short, stay out of the direct spray, leave Skin Reserve on, and pat dry. Five rules, from the chair.
From the Chair · No. 255 Ways to Protect a Fresh Tattoo Over the Holidays
Hugs, pets, holiday cooking, tight sweaters and busy schedules are all coming for your fresh tattoo. Five ways to protect it this season, from the chair.
From the Chair · No. 245 Questions Your Tattoo Artist Will Ask You
Booking a consult? Your artist will ask where, how big, your budget, your references and anything they should know. Here's how to come ready, from the chair.
From the Chair · No. 235 Tattoo Spots That Usually Hurt the Least
Nervous about the pain? The outer forearm, outer upper arm, calf, outer thigh and upper back are usually the easiest places to sit, from the chair.
From the Chair · No. 225 Signs Your Tattoo Might Be Infected
Most tattoos heal just fine. Spreading redness, odor or heavy drainage, worsening pain, red streaks and fever are the signs it's time to see a doctor.
From the Chair · No. 215 Things to Know Before a Cover-Up Tattoo
Thinking about covering an old tattoo? Go in open on size, bring clear photos, pick an artist who does cover-ups, ask about lightening and plan for more than one session.
From the Chair · No. 205 Ways to Keep a Healed Tattoo Looking New
Sunscreen, moisturizer, sleeves on long sun days, no tanning beds and an eye on the rub spots: how to keep a healed tattoo sharp for years.
From the Chair · No. 195 Things to Know About Tattoo Touch-Ups
Touch-ups are normal. When to get one, why some spots need it, why to check in with your artist first, and how to heal it, from the chair.
From the Chair · No. 185 Things to Know Before Getting Tattooed Before a Trip
Getting tattooed before holiday travel? Book two weeks out, pack your aftercare in your carry-on, watch the long rides, skip the pool and keep it out of the sun.
From the Chair · No. 175 Signs Your Tattoo Is Fully Healed
No flaking, no shine, smooth to the touch, no tenderness and clear color: five signs your tattoo is actually healed, and why it can look done before it is.
From the Chair · No. 165 Tattoo Styles and How Each One Heals
Fine line, bold traditional, blackwork, full color and white ink: what to expect from each style while it heals, and over the years, from the chair.
From the Chair · No. 155 Ways to Support Your Local Tattoo Shop
Small Business Saturday, tattoo edition: book in the slow season, leave a review, tag the shop, tip your artist and respect their time.
From the Chair · No. 145 Things to Do Before Your First Tattoo
Eat, skip the drinks, sleep and hydrate, dress for the placement and plan the next two weeks. Five things to do before your first tattoo, from the chair.
From the Chair · No. 135 Gifts for the Tattoo Lover on Your List
A gift card to their artist, an original flash print, a healing kit, SPF for healed ink and a convention pass: five gifts tattoo people actually want.
From the Chair · No. 125 Texts Your Client Will Send After a Tattoo (and What to Reply)
For artists: the five texts every client sends in the first month, what they're actually seeing, and a copy-paste reply for each, including the one that means see a doctor.
From the Chair · No. 115 Winter Habits That Wreck a Fresh Tattoo
Hot showers, dry indoor heat, wool layers, sun off the snow and the lodge hot tub: five winter habits that wreck a fresh tattoo, and what to do instead.
From the Chair · No. 105 Sailor Tattoos and What They Meant
The swallow, the anchor, the shellback turtle, the golden dragon and HOLD FAST: five classic sailor tattoos and what each one originally meant.
From the Chair · No. 095 Reasons Your Tattoo Faded Fast
Sun, picking the peel, soaking too soon, healing too dry and friction: five common reasons tattoos fade fast, and one reason yours might not be faded at all.
From the Chair · No. 085 Piercings, Ranked by Healing Time
Tongue, earlobe, nostril, navel and ear cartilage, ranked from fastest to slowest healing, with what slows each one down.
From the Chair · No. 075 Questions to Ask Before You Book a Tattoo
Licensing, needles and ink, healed work, aftercare and the deposit and touch-up policy. Five questions to ask before you put down a deposit.
From the Chair · No. 06The 5 Hardest Places to Heal a Tattoo, Ranked
Not the most painful spots. The hardest to heal: ribs, inner elbows and knees, necks, feet and hands, and what makes each one easier.
From the Chair · No. 05When Can You Work Out, Swim or Tan After a Tattoo?
How long to wait after a new tattoo before the gym, the pool, the beach, a touch-up or a blood drive, and what you can do in the meantime.
From the Chair · No. 04Got a New Tattoo Before Halloween? 5 Costume Rules
Body paint, spirit gum, tight costumes, glitter and the cleanup after. Five rules for dressing up on Halloween without wrecking a fresh tattoo.
From the Chair · No. 035 Tattoo Aftercare Myths (And What Actually Works)
Let it breathe, pile on the petroleum jelly, keep it dry, get some sun, peeled means healed. Five aftercare myths your friends swear by, and what to do instead.
From the Chair · No. 025 Things That Look Wrong While Your Tattoo Heals (But Aren't)
Leaking, a dark bubble under the film, redness, peeling, a cloudy finish. Five normal stages of tattoo healing that look wrong, and the signs that actually mean call a doctor.
From the Chair · No. 015 Ways to Heal a Fresh Tattoo, Ranked
Plastic wrap, gauze, balm, film or nothing at all? We rank five ways to cover a fresh tattoo, with what each is good at and what it costs you.