Having just been "Inked" you will want to take the utmost care of your tattoo, after all it's now your responsibility to take care if it as best as you can.
The effort and care you put in now will pay dividends in the long run.
It is very important that you follow these initial guidelines and state that these are guidelines based on experience and research. We would advise that any person getting a tattoo should go on-line researching tattoo after-care due to the variety of skin types, medical conditions, social and working environments that are relevant to you as an individual.
A new tattoo is covered for a very good reason, to keep air-born bacteria from invading your wound. Open flesh is a breeding ground for bacteria and infection. Leave the dressing on for a minimum of one hour. This gives the body time to establish the healing process and use its natural defenses to care for the wound.
Remember upon leaving any studio, 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.
Towel or plastic wrap?
Many think that a cling film type of covering is extremely detrimental to a tattoo. Any non porous covering will cause the skin retain any sweat produced, and as sweat contains bacteria, creating is an ideal area for infection to take hold. So the problem is that plastic wrap creates an occlusive seal meaning that no air gets in and no air gets out. This keeps all of the body fluids pooling on the skin surface. That surface builds up body temperatures to nearly 103 degrees which is a perfect breeding ground for bacteria. Your new tattoo has just been turned into a petri-dish for bacterial growth.
Many don't like the fact that even the "non stick" type dressings can and do stick due to the liquid plasma leeching through the micro-pores in the dressing. Sometimes and unavoidably small fibres from gauzes and dressings canShould this happen using a clean warm water can be used to release the dressing.
The effort and care you put in now will pay dividends in the long run.
It is very important that you follow these initial guidelines and state that these are guidelines based on experience and research. We would advise that any person getting a tattoo should go on-line researching tattoo after-care due to the variety of skin types, medical conditions, social and working environments that are relevant to you as an individual.
A new tattoo is covered for a very good reason, to keep air-born bacteria from invading your wound. Open flesh is a breeding ground for bacteria and infection. Leave the dressing on for a minimum of one hour. This gives the body time to establish the healing process and use its natural defenses to care for the wound.
Remember upon leaving any studio, 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.
Towel or plastic wrap?
Many think that a cling film type of covering is extremely detrimental to a tattoo. Any non porous covering will cause the skin retain any sweat produced, and as sweat contains bacteria, creating is an ideal area for infection to take hold. So the problem is that plastic wrap creates an occlusive seal meaning that no air gets in and no air gets out. This keeps all of the body fluids pooling on the skin surface. That surface builds up body temperatures to nearly 103 degrees which is a perfect breeding ground for bacteria. Your new tattoo has just been turned into a petri-dish for bacterial growth.
Many don't like the fact that even the "non stick" type dressings can and do stick due to the liquid plasma leeching through the micro-pores in the dressing. Sometimes and unavoidably small fibres from gauzes and dressings canShould this happen using a clean warm water can be used to release the dressing.
Wash and Treat
After you remove the dressing, you will want to wash your tattoo. Use lukewarm water and mild, liquid antibacterial or antimicrobial soap to gently wash away any ointment, blood and/or plasma and to completely clean the area. Do not use a wash cloth or anything abrasive, your hand is your best tool in this case. Ensure that your hands have been properly cleaned, again with an antibacterial soap before touching the tattoo. (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.)
To dry your now washed and clean tattoo pat (do not rub) the area firmly with a paper towel to get it completely dry. Follow with a very light application of your choice of ointment. The variety used today and the number of times the cleaning process is carried out varies widely from person to person, common products used by our clients are Fade-The-Itch, Cocoa Butter, Bepanthen, Diprobase, Derma Dry Skin Cream,and E45 to name but a few.
Preparation H (a hemorrhoid cream) is designed to soothe the skin and contains no beneficial healing properties for a tattoo and should not be used. Bepanthen (nappy cream) can be used, however Bepanthen when used excessively tends to cause inks to exude from the skin resulting in a patchy tattoo. As with any product spot testing to ensure no abnormal reactions occur is advised.
Bathing, Showering, and Swimming
It is Ok to get a tattoo wet for a short period, though soaking or submerging your tattoo in a bath or hot tub can cause serious damage, avoid this for 2-3 weeks. 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. 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 may start to itch when it begins to heal don't pick or scratch.
If the skin itches, gently slap it do not scratch it. If it is peeling, put lotion on it. And if it is scabbing, just leave it alone unless cleaning the tattoo.
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 sunlight, protect your tattoo with a minimum 30 SPF sunblock. This will keep your tattoo vibrant for many years, and it will continue to be a source of great pride.
After you remove the dressing, you will want to wash your tattoo. Use lukewarm water and mild, liquid antibacterial or antimicrobial soap to gently wash away any ointment, blood and/or plasma and to completely clean the area. Do not use a wash cloth or anything abrasive, your hand is your best tool in this case. Ensure that your hands have been properly cleaned, again with an antibacterial soap before touching the tattoo. (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.)
To dry your now washed and clean tattoo pat (do not rub) the area firmly with a paper towel to get it completely dry. Follow with a very light application of your choice of ointment. The variety used today and the number of times the cleaning process is carried out varies widely from person to person, common products used by our clients are Fade-The-Itch, Cocoa Butter, Bepanthen, Diprobase, Derma Dry Skin Cream,and E45 to name but a few.
Preparation H (a hemorrhoid cream) is designed to soothe the skin and contains no beneficial healing properties for a tattoo and should not be used. Bepanthen (nappy cream) can be used, however Bepanthen when used excessively tends to cause inks to exude from the skin resulting in a patchy tattoo. As with any product spot testing to ensure no abnormal reactions occur is advised.
Bathing, Showering, and Swimming
It is Ok to get a tattoo wet for a short period, though soaking or submerging your tattoo in a bath or hot tub can cause serious damage, avoid this for 2-3 weeks. 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. 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 may start to itch when it begins to heal don't pick or scratch.
If the skin itches, gently slap it do not scratch it. If it is peeling, put lotion on it. And if it is scabbing, just leave it alone unless cleaning the tattoo.
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 sunlight, protect your tattoo with a minimum 30 SPF sunblock. This will keep your tattoo vibrant for many years, and it will continue to be a source of great pride.