Taking Care of Your Tattoo

Now, you have your fresh new tattoo, and you want to take good care of it!​
From this point on, your artist is not responsible for any infection or problems you may have with your tattoo if you don't take proper care of it. It is very important that you follow these guidelines. A really beautiful tattoo can turn into a disaster if the proper aftercare is not taken.​

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Leave That Bandage Alone!

Your artist took the care to cover up your new tattoo for a very good reason - to keep airborne bacteria from invading your wound. Yes, as pretty as your new tattoo is, it is still a wound. Open flesh is a breeding ground for bacteria and infection. Leave the bandage on for no more than an hour. The first 24 hours of your tattoo healing process is the most crucial and should be very well taken care of and nurtured. Excitement of having a new tattoo will make you want to remove the bandage so you can show your friends, but your friends will just have to wait until later.
The only exception to this rule is if your artist covered your tattoo with Saran wrap or some kind of plastic. This is extremely detrimental to a tattoo, so it should be removed immediately so you can wash and treat. You're better off not having any covering than to be suffocating your new tattoo with plastic wrap for a prolonged period of time. No more than an hour after getting it.
 

​Wash and Treat​

After you remove the bandage, you will want to wash your tattoo so do so when you get home from getting your new tattoo. Take a hot, steamy shower as this will open your pores to allow any plasma that is secreting to the surface of the skin to come out. This will make the healing process more comfortable with less swelling & will give it a head start toward the peeling process. Avoid direct contact with the shower water as this can be too abrasive to the freshly perforated skin and cause damage. Use a fresh clean wash cloth to place over your tattoo while showering but do not use this to remove the ointment as it can be to abrasive. Your hand is the best tool to use to gently wash away any ointment, blood and/or plasma to completely clean the area. Liquid antimicrobial soap or a soft soap without dyes or fragrances such as Dove will be the best choices for cleaning. Pat (do not rub) the area with a CLEAN towel or paper towel to dry and allow your skin to air dry for about 5 minutes. Follow with a very light application of your choice of ointment. We prefer Aquaphor.

​**Note your ointment may become runny or start to accumulate on top of the skin therefore smothering the tattoo. You'll notice that the area you had tattooed is very warm if not hot. This is our bodies natural defense to keep the area protected from any airborne bacteria or impurities. The hot skin is what causes the ointment to liquify thus smothering the tattoo. Check every 20 minutes to a half hour. You want to wash your hands and gently rub the ointment back into the skin making a nice smooth surface. If the tattoo seems dry wash off the area and repeat.** 
Aquaphor would be my first choice because it has the least amount of petroleum & it is made by Eucerin. A&D vitamin enriched ointment would be my second choice, but if you don't have any, Bacitracin or a similar antibacterial ointment is acceptable.
**Do not use Neosporin. This is a wonderful product for cuts and scrapes, but not for tattoos. Some can have an allergic reaction to the Neosporin, which causes little red bumps. When the bumps go away, so does the ink, and you end up with a polka-dotted tattoo.**​
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(If your tattoo feels slimy and slippery, you have probably been oozing plasma. Try to gently remove as much of this as possible - when the plasma dries on the skin surface, it creates scabs.) 

 

For bedtime, work or going outside of your home

For bedtime we recommend a couple different methods. One method would be to wash off the area before bed, pat it dry (be gentle), air dry for a couple minutes and then cover it with saran wrap. This will allow any plasma that continues to surface to aid in the healing process as well as will prevent the area from drying out and sticking to anything such as material or bedsheets. Take off the saran wrap when you wake, wash off the area and apply your ointment. The second evening us a little ointment but please dab off the excess before placing the plastic wrap barrier over the tattoo. The following two evenings no siran wrap, just some type of loose cotton covering and ointment. By the forth morning after firtst getting your tattoo you should now be using ointment.

 

For work or going outside of your home you should keep the area covered with *New* white cotton such as a loose t-shirt or a loosely fitting sock that is turned inside out and apply your ointment before covering. This will keep your tattoo moist for the next hour. In one hour you need to uncover your tattoo and reapply your ointment. Washing it off isnt' always necessary before reapplying your ointment. Make sure to wash your hands first before touching the area. Do not uncover the tattoo to show friends unless you plan on cleaning it at that moment.​ To clean, uncover the tattoo if you have waited too long to reapply the ointment  you might have to loosen the fabric from the skin by wetting it before removing it as the cotton can stick to the skin. Wash your hands and then wash the skin making sure to get all of the excess ointment off or if plasma has dried on the surface dab the area with a saturated paper towel after washing gently and apply ointment as stated above than re-cover the tattoo with the cotton. Remember, even though covering the tattoo may seem convenient we still need to allow it to breathe. Whenever at home and not sleeping leave your tattoo uncovered and the ointment on sparingly. 

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Specialty Products and Lotions
If you prefer, you can also use a specialty product such as Tattoo Goo or After Inked. It's not necessary, as many over the counter products work just fine, but it's your choice. Use the products as directed as continue for 3-5 days.
After that, continue to keep it clean, but you can use lotion when needed instead of ointment, to keep the skin soft. Whatever lotion you use, it should be dye and fragrance free. A lot of artists recommend Lubriderm, but I have found that Lubriderm stings when I apply it. Instead, I have had great success with Eucerin. Aveeno is also a great alternative.


Bathing, Showering, Hot Tubs, and Swimming​
Yes, you can (and should!) shower with a new tattoo.  It's OK to get your tattoo wet - just don't soak it. Submerging your tattoo in a bath or hot tub can cause serious damage, so you'll want to avoid those for 2-3 weeks, but showering is perfectly fine as long as you don't saturate your tattoo. If you get soap or shampoo on your tattoo, just remove it quickly with water. Swimming - whether it be a pool, fresh water or salt water - should be avoided for at least 2 weeks.


Scabbing and Peeling​
After a few days, you will notice some peeling and possibly a little scabbing. Excessive scabbing could indicate you haven't taken care of your tattoo properly or it may be the cause of a poorly-done tattoo. A little is sometimes normal and there is no need to panic. Apply warm moist compresses to the scabs for about 5 minutes 2-3 times a day to soften them and they will eventually come off on their own. (Do not apply ointment or lotion to a softened scab - wait for it to dry) You will also start to itch as any surface abrasion will when it begins to heal. The advice here is, don't pick, and don't scratch! If the skin itches, tap it gently with your hand. Once again, Gently Please!!. If it is peeling, put lotion on it. And if it is scabbing, just leave it alone. Your tattoo is almost healed, and now is not the time to ruin it!


Protection from the sun​
After your tattoo is healed, from now on, you will always want to protect it from the sun's ultraviolet rays. These can fade and damage a brilliant tattoo very fast. Before spending a lot of time in excessive heat, protect your tattoo with a minimum 30SPF sunblock. This will keep your tattoo vibrant for many years, and it will continue to be a source of great pride.