Tattoo Aftercare Advice

Tattoo aftercare plays an important role in the field of tattooing. Tattoo and tattooing are not just a passion or emotion of individual, but it turns into disaster if you ignore the importance of tattoo aftercare. It is as much important as choosing a right tattoo suitable for your personality. After tattooing as per your expectation the role of a tattoo artist has been finished, now it’s your turn to prevent your tattoo from external infection or any other skin problem.

It is very important to follow some guild lines which I have mention below, at least a week from tattooing.

Never Remove the First Bandage Instantly

It has been found that due to certain excitement of new tattoo, many people remove that bandage which tattoo artist put just after tattooing, I concern you that never do this common mistake. This bandage is for prevention from environment bacteria because a new-made tattoo is like unclosed flesh, and these bacteria attack fast on open wound. I recommend you to keep this bandage at least two hours.

If your tattoo cover-up by saran wrap or some kind of plastic by your tattoo artist, then it is possible for you to remove it after an hour.

Washing a Tattoo

After removal of bandage, you can wash tattoo to remove blood or ink spread around the tattoo, for this use mild warm water or any antibacterial liquid or antimicrobial soap. Do not use rough cloth to wash tattoo, instead of that you can use your fingers, but remind that it should be cleaned by any antibacterial soap.

Products and Lotions 

You can use some well-known products like Tattoo Goo or H2Ocean, but use a single product at one time as per directed until 3-5 days.




About Bathing, Showering, and Swimming after Tattooing

It’s completely OK that you can do bath with new tattoo and get your tattoo wet. Just do not use very hot water to wash tattoo area until 2-3 weeks. Yes, you can swim with new tattoo but keep in mind that only fresh water is allowed, do not swim in salty water at least two weeks.

Protection from the Sun after Tattooing

In the initial days after tattooing try to avoid direct contact with sun rays because ultraviolet rays affects the melanin of skin and results in fading of tattoo colors and cause skin infection as well.

Tattoo Aftercare

• Always listen to what the tattoo artist has to say. Most tattoo artists have their own set of instructions about the dos and don’ts of tattoo aftercare. Ensure you follow this routine even if you find it difficult to maintain it everyday. Sometimes, you may need to have the area bandaged to prevent it from being infected. Always stick to the instructions suggested by the tattoo artist in this case.
• Ensure you keep the area bandaged for at least 2 hours once the tattoo is done. Every person has a different texture of the skin and sensitivity factors so make sure you consult with the tattoo artist about this point. Never reuse any bandage.
• Once the bandage is off, wash your new tattoo under running water and use a gentle soap. Use your fingers to gently wash off the surface of the skin.
• Pat the area dry with the help of a clean paper towel. Avoid cloth as it may harbor certain bacteria and cause some reaction with skin.
• Consult your tattoo artist to know which cream would work the best for you. This will help skin to heal faster. Apply a thin layer of the cream and use it at least for 2 days. This will keep the area moisturized and it will also act as an effective disinfectant.
• Keep a check for two days and by the third day, you can switch to a light lotion. Look in the market for specific tattoo aftercare lotions that would be mild and without all the perfumes and additives. This will help to keep the area moist.
• Avoid prolonged exposure to the sun in the first week. After a few weeks, your tattoo will definitely need loads of light and air but overexposure to the sun may not really be good for the tattoo. The UV rays can cause the tattoo to fade at a faster rate. Later on, you can go in for a good quality sunblock.
• It is definitely fine to shower with a new tattoo. Tattoo aftercare in this case would be necessary when it comes to having a luxurious bath in the tub. This should be definitely avoided as soaking a tattoo for longer hours in the water does not exactly prove to be a good idea. You may even have to avoid a good swim for the initial weeks.
• The skin in that area may also peel off after a few weeks. This is normal and would happen because the skin has heeled. In such cases, do not touch that particular area of the skin. This is the time when your tattoo is healing, so simply avoid touching it fretting about it.
• Always try to wear loose fitting clothes. This would help prevent the constant rubbing of the cloth against the skin and also help the tattoo to heal faster.
• In case of specific allergic reactions, you may need to consult the doctor immediately. This can happen because of the inks used or the skin may have reacted in a different way to the cream that is being used. Sometimes, you may require a change in the cosmetics or creams. In such cases, the doctor would be able to guide you which step you need to take with regards to tattoo aftercare.
• In case of swelling, use ice packs on the area. This will help to soothe the inflamed skin.