Tattoo Aftercare: the Best Method to Heal Your Ink Correctly

Tattoo aftercare is vitally important to the health of your new tattoo, and it must not be ignored. Many people believe that once the needlework is done, their tattoo is a lock, but that is far from reality. The fact is that unless you properly care for your new tattoo, it could easily fade, lose saturation, flake, scar, or you could wind up with an infected mess on your body.
But if you ask a dozen tattoo artists how to take care of a new tattoo, you'll probably get a dozen different answers. The conclusion is that no one knows precisely what will work for everyone, so your best bet is to follow a conservative, consensus-driven aftercare procedure.
The most important rule of tattoo aftercare is 'listen to your tattoo artist.' Their advice will always trump the procedure outlined here because they know your tattoo best. In the event that they didn't give your directions, or they were incomplete, here's how to go about it.
Tattoo Aftercare Do's
Do use an approved aftercare moisturizer / healing cream Do leave your initial bandage over your tattoo for at least four to six hours, but no more than 12 hours Do keep your tattoo out of direct contact with water (this includes the shower) Do keep your tattoo moisturized Do pat your skin dry when the tattooed area gets wet Tattoo Aftercare Don'ts
Don't expose your tattoo to sunlight until fully healed Don't submerse your tattoo in water, and especially avoid chlorinated water Don't let your tattoo dry out Don't over moisturize your tattoo Don't pick your tattoo scabs Don't cover your tattoo with a bandage once the initial bandage has been removed Don't scratch your tattoo or allow it to bruise Tattoo Aftercare Procedure
1) Four to six hours after you leave the tattoo parlor, wash your hands thoroughly with an antibacterial soap. You'll want to ensure that your hands are free from dirt, germs, or anything infectious.
2) Carefully remove the bandage that was placed over your tattoo at the parlor. With a gentle antibacterial soap, carefully wash the tattooed area, removing any of the greasy covering, ink residue, blood, etc. You'll know the area is clean when it just feels like wet skin. Be very gentle with your skin. Pat your skin dry -- do not brush or rub dry.
3) Apply a thin layer of antibiotic cream to the tattooed area. Don't gob the ointment on; rather, drop some small beads on your tattoo, spread it around with your fingertips, and work it in. The area should be moist, but there should not be any buildup or streaks. If you have an expensive or deeply saturated tattoo, you might want to skip typical ointments like Neosporin, and jump directly to tattoo-specific creams like Tattoo Goo, H2Ocean Aftercare, or Black Cat Tattoo Cream.
4) Three to four times per day, apply a small layer of anti-bacterial ointment to your tattoo. You will want to use enough to moisten the tattooed area, but not so much as to leave streaks or allow it to build up. Your goal is to moisturize the area only, so start with a small amount and work it in with your fingers.
The problem with over moisturizing the skin is that the inks can seep and fade from moisture, and that moisture includes more than just water. If you slather on a thick coating of Neosporin and keep it saturated throughout the day, your tattoo might heal in just over a week -- but the inks will fade. If, however, you lightly coat the area three to four times per day, your tattoo might take two to three weeks to heal, but the colors will set properly. This is a tough lesson for many to learn. In some cases, letting the body heal at its own pace makes more sense to your tattoo.
5) Keep your tattoo covered, and out of exposure to sun, moisture, and other danages, but don't cover it tightly. Ideally, a loose, breathable fabric can be worn. Don't scratch or pick your tattoo! If your tattoo begins to itch unbearably, gently slap the skin or use rubbing alcohol to relieve any itching or irritation.
While there might seem to be a lot of instructions to follow, each step is quite simple. The bottom line is that you need to pay attention to your tattoo, and allow the body to heal itself as naturally as possible. You will do everything you can to assist that process, but you don't want to rush nature. If you can do that, and stay diligent with your care for a few weeks after inking, you will be blessed with a rich tattoo that can be enjoyed for years to come.

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