So, you got your ink!! SWEET! Now what??
Every shop/artist tends to have varying opinions on aftercare. However, the simplest facts are the following: 1. You do not want to introduce any bacteria to your open wound a.k.a tattoo. (Yes, a tattoo is an open wound. For those who didn't know.) So, wait at least 2 hours to remove your bandage unless you are going straight home to wash it. The bandage will protect it from any airborne bacteria that can enter through your open wound. 2. Wash your tattoo daily. GENTLY...but, daily. Use lukewarm water and fragrance-free antibacterial liquid soap. I recommend Dial Liquid Gold Antibacterial Soap. After you wash it for the FIRST time, I also recommend turning on the hottest water you can stand and getting a damp washcloth or paper towel and apply that damp cloth to your tattoo like a hot compress for about 15 seconds. Then, follow up with a COLD compress for 15 seconds. This will pull the excess plasma and ink out that would not have stayed anyway and will keep your tattoo from scabbing too soon. 3. Pat dry! Your tattoo will behave and feel like a mild sunburn throughout the healing process. So, be gentle. Scrubbing it will hurt like a motherf***er, lol. After pat drying your tattoo, allow it to air dry for 20 minutes. This will give your tattoo time to get rid of excess moisture via evaporation. Apply ointment such as A&D, or Aquaphor just enough to be absorbed into the skin, creating a thin shine, and ONLY when the tattoo is completely dry and starts to feel tight. Applying too much product to your tattoo will clog your pores and increase the likelihood of infection, and pimples, by creating too moist of an environment where bacteria can grow. After about 3 days you can switch to a gentle, fragrance free lotion like Aveeno or Eucerin. But, again, apply sparingly. 4. Do NOT soak your tattoo in any water. This includes baths, pools, lakes, ocean, etc. Too moist of environments introduce bacteria. 5. Do NOT expose your tattoo to direct sunlight. Again, it behaves and feels like an existing sunburn and will hurt even more. 6. Do NOT scratch or pick healing tattoos! As tempting as it is to peel off the thin, cloudy layers of skin that "will fall off anyway" - Don't do it. This phase is called "onion skin" and it will fall off on its own when its good and ready. Pulling any level of dead flesh off too soon will risk damaging your beautiful tattoo. Let it do its thing. 7. Avoid working out. Tattoos are at high risk of getting damaged when the skin is forced to move and stretch too much. This is part of how thick scabs and scars occur. 8. Avoid tight fitting clothes. This includes sleeping. If you wake up to your clothes sticking to your healing tattoo, get your clothing where its sticking a little damp and it should peel away without damaging your tattoo. 9. Avoid swelling. It is a natural part of the healing process to experience some temporary swelling. However, if your tattoo is on a lower limb like your leg, ankle or foot, then standing on your feet for long periods of time will increase swelling and inhibit the healing process. Keep limbs elevated and, if needed, take ibuprofen to reduce swelling. Overall, your new tattoo will complete its initial healing process in about 2 weeks. It will heal very similarly to a sunburn. You will see the layers of skin flake off little by little. Depending on the level of sensitivity your skin normally has, it is not uncommon to see your skin scab up more than usual in some spots. Your skin endured a traumatic experience and some people's skin will overreact to this experience causing thicker scabs and swelling. Watch it. Keep it clean and rather dry. Sometimes a touch up will be needed as it heals and you see how the ink takes to your skin. Your tattoo should be completely healed from the inside out in about 6 weeks.
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AuthorProfessional Tattoo Artist in Nampa, Idaho. ArchivesCategories |