Aftercare · Subleink, Panama City
How we heal a tattoo
Dry. That is the whole method in one word, and it is the opposite of what most people are told. This is the protocol we give every client at the studio — written down so you still have it on day four.
Why dry healing
A tattoo is an open wound. A wound that stays damp stays open longer, and in a large black area that means a slower, messier heal and a greasier final tone. The drier you keep it, the faster it closes and the more solid the black settles.
That is why almost everything below is about what not to put on it.
Second skin film: only on small tattoos
If your piece is small, we cover it with film. It stays on for around five days. You take it off at home and the tattoo is healed underneath.
Large pieces and full sleeves get no film at all — and this is the part people get wrong on their own. Do not wrap a blackout in film or plastic once you leave. A large area needs to breathe. Covering it traps moisture and works against the heal.
Washing: once, then just shower
- When you get home, wash it once.
- After that, nothing special. You shower as you always do and rinse the tattoo with water only.
- Do not dry it with a towel. Let it air dry by itself. A towel drags at the scab and carries whatever is on it.
Cream: not yet. Wait for the scab to go
Cream or ointment goes on only once the tattoo has shed its scab completely and is fully healed — not before.
- Small tattoo: when you take the film off, you can start.
- Blackout: around day six, once the scab has come away on its own.
Putting cream on a tattoo that is still healing keeps it damp, which is exactly what you are trying to avoid. And never pull a scab off to get there sooner — that is how black comes out patchy.
What to avoid, and for how long
Until it is fully healed:
- Sun. The one that most often ruins the final tone.
- Sea and swimming pools.
- The gym. Sweat, friction and shared surfaces, all three at once.
- Alcohol.
- Scratching or picking. It will itch. Leave it alone.
Touch-ups
Usually there is nothing to touch up. A blackout here is finished in a single pass, which is the point of the technique — it either settles solid or it does not, and it does.
The exceptions are the places where skin simply behaves differently: fingers above all, where ink tends to lift, and sometimes elbows. If your piece is in one of those areas, we look at it together once it has healed and decide then.
If something does not look right
Message us. Send a photo on WhatsApp and we will tell you whether what you are seeing is a normal part of healing or not. Most of the time it is.
That said, we are tattoo artists and not doctors. If you have spreading redness, heat, swelling that keeps growing, pus or a fever, see a doctor — do not wait for us to answer.
Frequently asked
How do you heal a blackout tattoo?
Dry. At Subleink a blackout is not wrapped in film or plastic and gets no ointment while it is healing. The skin has to breathe, and the drier it stays the faster it closes. You wash it once when you get home and from then on you simply shower, rinsing it with water only. Around day six, once the scab has come off on its own, you can start using cream.
Do you use second skin film?
Only on small tattoos. The film stays on for about five days and the piece is healed when it comes off. Large pieces and full sleeves are not filmed at all: a large area needs to breathe, so it heals dry.
How do I wash a new tattoo?
Wash it once when you get home. After that just shower as normal and rinse it with water only. Do not dry it with a towel — let it air dry on its own.
When can I put cream on a new tattoo?
Only once the tattoo has shed its scab completely and is fully healed. On a small tattoo that is when the film comes off. On a blackout it is around day six. Putting cream on while it is still healing keeps it damp and slows it down.
What should I avoid while a tattoo heals?
Sun, sea, swimming pools, the gym, alcohol, and scratching or picking at the scab. Sun exposure during healing is what most often ruins the final tone.
Do blackout tattoos need a touch-up?
Usually not. A blackout at Subleink is finished in a single pass, so touch-ups are rare. The exceptions are areas where skin behaves differently and ink can lift: fingers mainly, and sometimes elbows. If your piece needs one, we look at it together after it has healed.