We recommend keeping the tattoo clean and protected. Gently wash the tattoo with a perfume free antibacterial soap, water, and your hand. DO NOT SCRUB YOUR TATTOO because this could possibly damage the tissue. Not washing your tattoo or touching it with unclean hands could very possibly lead to an infection.
3-5 times daily apply a very thin layer of vitamin A+D ointment (or another recommended lotion) to the tattoo. You should wash the tattoo gently prior to doing this. After applying the thin layer gently rub it into the tattoo. Too much ointment can clog pores and lead to blemishes, which can damage the tattoo as well. For people with naturally oily skin we recommend Tattoo Goo Lotion. It has no petroleum in it, still has the necessary vitamins to help your skin heal quickly, and is much less likely to clog any pores. Anyone can use it, but it is highly recommended for oily skin. Just make sure that the tattoo has a nice sheen to it before you rub the ointment in. Not enough ointment can lead to it drying out and/or scabbing. Neither of these are very good for your tattoo. The A+D ointment is only applied for the first few days while the Tattoo Goo Lotion may be applied throughout the healing process.
After that time switch to a hypo-allergenic skin lotion and apply in the same manner as the A+D. This may need to be done for anywhere from a week to two weeks.
While the tattoo is healing you need to keep it protected from damage. If the tattoo is in a location where it will be rubbing on clothing or in constant contact with other objects you will want to place a non-adhesive bandage over it. These bandages have a thin poly-coat on them to keep them from sticking to the tattoo as much as a normal bandage would. Whenever possible, you will need to let the tattoo "breathe" though. Change into loose clothing, remove the bandage, and expose the tattoo to the air.
In case of working in a high dust or dirt environment we recommend placing a plastic wrap over the bandaged tattoo. This is not incredibly good for the tattoo because it can trap heat and cause fevering, but it is better than the possible infection from dust, dirt, wood, plastic particles, machine coolant, etc, etc. Once again, whenever possible let the tattoo breathe.
It is not terribly uncommon for thin flakes of skin to fall from the tattooed region. This is just a thin layer of dead skin falling off. It is nothing for you to be afraid of or worried about.
Here is a quick breakdown of the other rules for taking care of a tattoo. No picking, scratching, swimming pools, hot tubs, preferably no swimming in any other body of water either (especially salt water), tanning (fake or real), and if you have any questions ASK YOUR ARTIST!