These are general guidelines. After your session, follow the individual instructions provided at the studio because the protective material, care routine and healing process depend on the tattoo and the condition of the skin. This page is not a substitute for qualified medical assessment of a possible infection, allergic reaction or other complication.
Arrive rested, having eaten and reasonably hydrated. Do not attend under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Wear clean, comfortable clothing that allows access to the body area and will not press or rub against it after the session.
Do not shave the area yourself unless this has been agreed in advance. Contact the studio before attending if the area has an active wound, rash, infection, significant irritation or sunburn, or if you have a fever or feel unwell, because the session may need to be postponed.
Tell the studio in advance about relevant allergies, skin conditions, diabetes, autoimmune conditions, a tendency to form keloid scars, pregnancy or breastfeeding, medication that affects immunity or blood clotting, and any previous reaction to a tattoo, antiseptic, adhesive or cream. Do not stop prescribed medication or change a dose without speaking to the clinician who manages that treatment.
After tattooing, you will receive instructions that match the tattoo and the protective material used. Removal or replacement times differ between materials, so do not change the routine based on generic online advice.
Do not cover the tattoo again with improvised materials or apply a product that was not agreed. Contact Anubis before improvising if the covering lifts, leaks, feels excessively tight, causes a rash or you are uncertain what to do.
On the first day, touch the tattoo only with clean hands. Clean it gently according to the instructions provided after the session, without scrubbing or rough wiping. After cleaning, gently pat the area dry with the clean material that was recommended to you.
Around the third day, you may notice tightness, itching, flaking or small scabs. Do not scratch, pick scabs or peel skin that is coming away. Touching and care should be limited to what is genuinely necessary.
Until the skin has fully settled, avoid pools, hot tubs, saunas and immersion in the sea, rivers, lakes or a bath. A short shower is not the same as prolonged soaking, but follow the individual instructions you were given.
Avoid pressure, impacts, friction, tight or dirty clothing and contact with contaminated surfaces. Normal daily movement is not the same as activity that strongly stretches the skin, causes heavy sweating, creates friction from equipment or involves contact with unclean gym surfaces. Return to training according to the tattoo location and the actual stage of healing; there is no single universal ban on all activity for exactly one month.
During the early stage, you may notice tenderness, limited redness and swelling, and a small amount of clear fluid. Later, itching, flaking and small scabs may occur. The expected direction is gradual improvement rather than worsening.
Do not assume that every itch, rash, discharge or colour change is automatically normal. The intensity, spread and direction of the symptoms matter.
Contact the studio if an instruction is unclear, if there is a problem with the protective material, if you are unsure whether a particular activity is appropriate or if you want to check how the tattoo looks during ordinary healing.
For an aftercare question, call +385 91 783 4388 or use the contact page. A tattoo artist can help with the instructions, materials and appearance of the work, but is not a substitute for a doctor when infection or a serious reaction is suspected.
Seek qualified medical care if redness spreads or becomes more intense, pain worsens instead of settling, the area becomes markedly hot or increasingly swollen, there is pus or unusual discharge, fever, chills, a general feeling of illness, a rash, blisters or symptoms that are getting worse.
For difficulty breathing, dizziness, severe swelling, intense pain or another serious reaction, seek emergency medical care immediately.
Protect a fresh tattoo from direct sunlight with clothing and shade until the skin has healed. Sunscreen is not a substitute for avoiding direct sun on a fresh tattoo.
Once the skin has healed, use a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher on exposed tattooed skin and reapply it according to the product label, especially after swimming or heavy sweating.
Between days 14 and 21, or at another time agreed for the specific tattoo, send a photograph taken in natural light. This does not mean that every tattoo is fully healed by then; it is a checkpoint for assessing the appearance and deciding what happens next.
Large projects, demanding body areas and tattoos that will continue in another session may require a different schedule. More information about the working process is available on the Tattoo page and the How to make an appointment page.