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After Care
How to Care for a New Tattoo - Initial Cleaning and Care
1 Listen to your tattoo artist. If you've done your homework and chosen a good tattoo artist, he or she will provide detailed instructions on how to care for your new tattoo, which you should follow carefully. Every tattoo artist will have a slightly different opinion on the best way to care for a new tattoo, but don't worry; reputable artists have had years of experience in caring for new tattoos, so their methods have been tried and tested.
Remember: tattoo artists want your tattoo to heal perfectly and look good just as much as you do, so they shouldn't give you any poor advice.
The following instructions may vary slightly from what your tattoo artist tell you, but should serve as a good guideline.
2. Leave the bandage on for 2 to 24 hours. Once the tattoo is complete, your tattoo artist will clean the area, apply an anti-bacterial ointment and cover the tattoo with a bandage or some dressing. Once you have left the tattoo parlor, try to resist the temptation to open the bandage to take a peak or show off your new tattoo to your friends. The bandage is there to protect your tattoo from airborne bacteria, which can penetrate through your broken skin. The bandage should be left on for a minimum of two hours before you remove it.
3. Carefully remove the bandage. Most artists agree that you should keep your tattoo covered for a minimum of two hours before removing.
4 Gently wash the tattoo. Most artists recommend lukewarm water and mild, unscented liquid antibacterial or antimicrobial soap. Use your hands to gently rub the tattoo, removing all traces of blood, plasma, or leaked ink. This will help to prevent the tattoo from scabbing too soon. Do not use a wash cloth or any type of sponge to clean the tattoo, as these may harbor bacteria.
5 Let the tattoo air dry. Once you have thoroughly washed the tattoo, you should gently pat it dry with a little paper towel. Do not rub the tattoo, as this may cause irritation. Once the excess moisture has been removed, you should leave the tattoo uncovered for 20 minutes to an hour. This will allow the tattoo to breath and any excess moisture to evaporate. You should allow your tattoo to breathe like this after each time you wash it or get it wet.
6 Apply ointment. Once your tattoo is fully dry and the skin begins to feel tight you can apply a little ointment, such as Bacitracin or A&D, to the tattoo. Make sure to apply only a very thin layer that's just enough to make the tattoo shine and rub it in gently until it's absorbed by the skin. It's very important that you don't apply too much ointment or else you'll suffocate the tattoo and encourage the growth of bacteria.[4]
You should continue applying the ointment after each time you wash the tattoo for about 3 to 5 days, or until the tattoo starts to peel. At that point, you can switch to a regular, fragrance-free lotion.
7. Continue to wash and moisturize your tattoo 3 to 5 times a day. You should continue to wash your tattoo with anti-bacterial soap and warm water until it is fully healed. This can take anywhere from 3 to 6 six weeks, depending on the size and location of the tattoo. You should wash the tattoo approximately three times a day, though you should wash more often if the tattoo is on your hand, wrist, foot, or any other area which is more exposed to germs.
After applying special anti-bacterial ointment for the first 3 to 5 days, you can switch to regular lotion after each wash. Most tattoo artists will recommend that you avoid using lotions that are scented, colored or contain glitter. Remember to only apply a light layer of lotion, as over-moisturizing can negatively affect the tattoo.
The initial healing of the tattoo will take up to two weeks. During this time, you can expect the tattoo to start peeling or flaking, in a similar way to sunburn. Some colored skin may come away as the tattoo peels, but this is completely normal.
After the skin peels, your tattoo will look glassy and feel tight. It may also have cloudy or white patches of skin that you will be tempted to peel off, but try to resist. This is referred to as "onion skin" and will fall off by itself within a couple of weeks.
If you have taken proper care of your new tattoo, you can expect your tattoo to be healed and your skin to have fully regenerated in about 4 to 6 weeks.
How to Care for a New Tattoo - Initial Cleaning and Care
1 Listen to your tattoo artist. If you've done your homework and chosen a good tattoo artist, he or she will provide detailed instructions on how to care for your new tattoo, which you should follow carefully. Every tattoo artist will have a slightly different opinion on the best way to care for a new tattoo, but don't worry; reputable artists have had years of experience in caring for new tattoos, so their methods have been tried and tested.
Remember: tattoo artists want your tattoo to heal perfectly and look good just as much as you do, so they shouldn't give you any poor advice.
The following instructions may vary slightly from what your tattoo artist tell you, but should serve as a good guideline.
2. Leave the bandage on for 2 to 24 hours. Once the tattoo is complete, your tattoo artist will clean the area, apply an anti-bacterial ointment and cover the tattoo with a bandage or some dressing. Once you have left the tattoo parlor, try to resist the temptation to open the bandage to take a peak or show off your new tattoo to your friends. The bandage is there to protect your tattoo from airborne bacteria, which can penetrate through your broken skin. The bandage should be left on for a minimum of two hours before you remove it.
3. Carefully remove the bandage. Most artists agree that you should keep your tattoo covered for a minimum of two hours before removing.
4 Gently wash the tattoo. Most artists recommend lukewarm water and mild, unscented liquid antibacterial or antimicrobial soap. Use your hands to gently rub the tattoo, removing all traces of blood, plasma, or leaked ink. This will help to prevent the tattoo from scabbing too soon. Do not use a wash cloth or any type of sponge to clean the tattoo, as these may harbor bacteria.
5 Let the tattoo air dry. Once you have thoroughly washed the tattoo, you should gently pat it dry with a little paper towel. Do not rub the tattoo, as this may cause irritation. Once the excess moisture has been removed, you should leave the tattoo uncovered for 20 minutes to an hour. This will allow the tattoo to breath and any excess moisture to evaporate. You should allow your tattoo to breathe like this after each time you wash it or get it wet.
6 Apply ointment. Once your tattoo is fully dry and the skin begins to feel tight you can apply a little ointment, such as Bacitracin or A&D, to the tattoo. Make sure to apply only a very thin layer that's just enough to make the tattoo shine and rub it in gently until it's absorbed by the skin. It's very important that you don't apply too much ointment or else you'll suffocate the tattoo and encourage the growth of bacteria.[4]
You should continue applying the ointment after each time you wash the tattoo for about 3 to 5 days, or until the tattoo starts to peel. At that point, you can switch to a regular, fragrance-free lotion.
7. Continue to wash and moisturize your tattoo 3 to 5 times a day. You should continue to wash your tattoo with anti-bacterial soap and warm water until it is fully healed. This can take anywhere from 3 to 6 six weeks, depending on the size and location of the tattoo. You should wash the tattoo approximately three times a day, though you should wash more often if the tattoo is on your hand, wrist, foot, or any other area which is more exposed to germs.
After applying special anti-bacterial ointment for the first 3 to 5 days, you can switch to regular lotion after each wash. Most tattoo artists will recommend that you avoid using lotions that are scented, colored or contain glitter. Remember to only apply a light layer of lotion, as over-moisturizing can negatively affect the tattoo.
The initial healing of the tattoo will take up to two weeks. During this time, you can expect the tattoo to start peeling or flaking, in a similar way to sunburn. Some colored skin may come away as the tattoo peels, but this is completely normal.
After the skin peels, your tattoo will look glassy and feel tight. It may also have cloudy or white patches of skin that you will be tempted to peel off, but try to resist. This is referred to as "onion skin" and will fall off by itself within a couple of weeks.
If you have taken proper care of your new tattoo, you can expect your tattoo to be healed and your skin to have fully regenerated in about 4 to 6 weeks.