Leave the balm on
Keep the balm your artist applies on your tattoo for the rest of your appointment day. Do not wash the area immediately, and do not add a bandage unless your artist gives you different instructions.
The Picosa Standard · Tattoo care
Protect the ink.
Fine-line work heals best with clean hands, light hydration, and patience. Follow your artist’s instructions for your specific tattoo if they differ from this guide.
Preparation · Healing · Long-term careYour first day
Leave the balm on.
Keep the balm your artist applied on your tattoo for the rest of the day. Do not wash the area immediately.
The first layer gives the skin time to settle and lets the healing ingredients absorb. No bandage is needed unless your artist has given you placement-specific instructions.
Clean, calm, consistent
Your everyday care routine
Less product and less handling are better than overworking healing skin.
Rinse gently
At your next normal shower, let clean water and a gentle, fragrance-free antibacterial soap move over the tattoo. Use clean hands—never a washcloth, loofah, or scrub.
Reapply lightly
Pat dry with a clean paper towel, then apply a very thin layer of balm. Your skin should feel comfortably hydrated, never coated or greasy.
The Picosa 3–2–1 method
A simple rhythm for three weeks of healing.
Each application should be a very thin, fully absorbed layer. Too much balm can keep skin overly soft and compromise delicate fine-line detail.
- 3xWeek one
Apply a whisper-thin layer of balm three times per day.
- 2xWeek two
Apply a light, absorbable layer twice per day.
- 1xWeek three
Apply once per day, or only when the skin feels dry.
Protect the healing skin
Give the tattoo room to do its work.
- Picking, scratching, or peeling flaking skin
- Pools, hot tubs, baths, saunas, and steam rooms for 2–3 weeks
- Tight clothing, straps, pads, or repeated friction over the tattoo
- Unwashed hands, dirty surfaces, pet contact, and unclean bedding
- Direct sun while healing; use SPF 30+ once fully healed
What to expect
Healing happens in layers.
Healing noteLight flaking and mild tenderness can be normal. Do not pick at the skin, even when it begins to feel dry.
Surface healing
The outer layer typically settles first. Flaking should release on its own.
Deeper healing
The tattoo continues healing below the surface after it appears calm.
Daily protection
Use SPF 30+ and keep your skin well hydrated. Excessively dry skin is not optimal for tattooed skin and can prevent your piece from looking its best.
When to reach out
You never have to guess alone.
Email a clear photo if you notice excessive redness, oozing, unusual swelling, blistering, sharp or worsening pain, or anything that feels concerning.
Email the studio