Tattoo Aftercare Messages: What to Text After the Session

Aftercare instructions handed over on paper end up in a car door. A few short texts at the right moments get read, heal better tattoos and bring clients back. Here are templates you can adapt.

A note first: use your own aftercare instructions, the ones you trust and that match your state's rules and the products you use. The templates below leave room for them. They are not medical advice, and clients with signs of infection should see a doctor.

Message 1: the same evening

Send it a few hours after the session, when the client is home:

Hi Dana, thanks for today. Your fern looked great. Quick aftercare reminders:

1. [Your instructions for removing the wrap]
2. [Your washing instructions]
3. [Your ointment or lotion instructions] No swimming, soaking or direct sun until it heals. Questions? Text me here.

Keep it to what they need tonight. A long list gets skipped.

Message 2: day 3 or 4 check-in

This is when itching and peeling start and people worry:

Hi Dana, how is the fern healing? Some peeling and itching around now is normal. Do not scratch or pick it. If you see anything that worries you, send me a photo.

Clients remember the artist who checked in.

Message 3: the review request, the day after

Ask while they are excited, with a direct link:

Thanks again for yesterday. If you have a minute, a Google review helps other people find me: [link].

InkPilot sends this one automatically after every session, so you do not have to remember. See how to get more tattoo reviews.

Message 4: the healed photo and touch-up offer, week 3 or 4

Hi Dana, your fern should be healed by now. Would you send me a photo in natural light? If any spot needs a touch-up, it is free within 8 weeks of your session. Just book here: [link].

A free touch-up within a set number of weeks is a common offer, and it shows you stand behind your work. After the window, a touch-up is a paid session; with sample rates, $60.

Message 5: the next tattoo, a few months later

Only to clients who agreed to hear from you:

Hi Dana, I have open dates next month and a new flash sheet. Want first pick? [link]

Tips for all of these

• Use the client's name and the piece. "Your fern" beats "your tattoo"
• Keep each message short. One idea per text
• Send from your business number, not your personal one, so the conversation stays with the studio
• Save them as templates on your phone so sending takes seconds

What to keep out of texts

• Diagnoses. If a client sends a photo of redness, swelling or heat that worries you, tell them to see a doctor. Do not guess
• Long product lists. Name one product, the one you trust
• Pressure. One review request is enough. Do not chase
• Private details about other clients, in examples or photos, without permission

Keep the tone the same as you are in the chair: friendly, calm and clear.

The aftercare kit

Many artists hand over a small kit at the end: ointment or lotion, a few wipes and a printed card with the instructions and your website. It reminds the client of you every time they open it. With sample rates, it is a $20 add-on in the estimate, or included in your price.

Timing at a glance

• Same evening: short aftercare reminders
• Next day: thank you and review request
• Day 3 or 4: healing check-in
• Week 3 or 4: healed photo and touch-up offer
• A few months later: open dates or a new flash sheet, only if they agreed

Five texts over a few months, each one useful. That is all it takes.

Put aftercare on your website

Make a short aftercare page on your site and link to it in message 1. Clients who lose the text can find it again, and people searching for aftercare find your studio. A tattoo artist website from InkPilot includes a page for it.

Why it matters for your business

Good healing makes your work look better in photos, in reviews and on the client's skin for years. A check-in and a touch-up offer turn a one-time client into a regular. And the review request, sent at the right time, is how new clients find you.