First step to a long and healthy relationship for your new tattoo is aftercare. If you neglect it, it’s going to look like shit within a few years. Today’s article is going to be about aftercare.
Every artist is going to have their own recommendations of how actually look after it, so it’s always good to hear out what their opinions are. And if it makes sense to you, then go ahead and do it. Everyone who has ever gotten a tattoo is also going to tell you how they looked after it. However, there are a few things that are set in stone. So, I’m just going to go through those things with you.
Contents:
1. How long do you have to wait to shower after getting a tattoo?
2. What do you put on a tattoo after you get it done?
3. Tattoo aftercare – first 14 days days
4. Tattoo aftercare – Make sure that you have clean hands, sheets and clothes
5. First Tattoo aftercare – Do not pick your scabs
6. Tattoo aftercare – Once it’s completely finished healing
7. Tattoo moisturizing aftercare – When should I start moisturizing my tattoo?
8. Sun will fade a tattoo over time – When can I expose my tattoo to the sun?
How long do you have to wait to shower after getting a tattoo?
After you’ve gotten your tattoo, wait for about an hour before washing it off. To wash it off just use warm soapy water on a clean cloth. But whatever you do, do not soak the tattoo. So, do not go and have a bath or anything like that. Just gently wipe it off, like wipe off all the goop or like the lymph fluid and all that sort of stuff. Just wipe I off and then let then let it dry for about 24 hours before you let it get wet again.
What do you put on a tattoo after you get it done?
There are so many aftercare products that you can use. Once again, it’s just a matter of finding what works for you. Personally I use Bepanthen but that’s just because it works for me and I’ve tried a lot of different things and that’s the only thing that’s reacting well with my skin as well as keeping the tattoo looking really good.
Once you’ve found a product that works for you, the important thing is to actually use it.
“If you just let your tattoo to dry out without any aftercare at all, it’s extremely damaging to your tattoo.”
Getting tattooed does open your skin. It’s creating tiny holes in your skin and it’s putting ink those holes. So, it’s opening your skin. So, you have to treat it like you would treat any other cut.
Tattoo aftercare – first 14 days days
I apply aftercare over two-week routine. The first seven days I apply it three times a day. So, once in the morning, once during a day and once at night. The next four days I apply it two times a day. So, once in the morning and once whenever I feel like I need it again, usually, at night. And the remaining three days I apply it once a day. Usually, just after I go to shower.
Tattoo aftercare – Make sure that you have clean hands, sheets and clothes
When you’re applying your aftercare, please make sure that you have clean hands because, if you don’t, you’re just spreading germs into it. Having clean sheets is extremely important. It’s always really just overlooked, but it’s important. If you have any kind of gunk in your bed, you’re going to be rolling in it, it’s going to be getting into your tattoo and it’s going to be doing some awful-awful stuff to it. This also applies to having clean clothes and having clean bath towels. I am NOT a germaphobe, I have to stress that. I think germaphobes need to get their heads out of their asses. I’m saying this because it’s a fact and tattoos are expensive, so I want you to protect your investment.
First Tattoo aftercare – Do not pick your scabs
It should really go without saying but I’m going to mention it, do not pick your scabs. If you pick your scabs, you’re potentially going to pick the ink out of your skin and you’re going to have patchy tattoos. I have really bad acne over my back and shoulders and I have little holes all throughout my tattoos from where there were pimples and there were scabs and I picked the scabs from the pimples.
So, if you have any kind of scab over a tattoo – don’t pick it, especially, when it’s healing. It will be itchy when it’s healing an if you have to scratch it, like it’s just driving your insane, do it like the hair extension pat and that will relieve some of the itchiness.
Tattoo aftercare – Once it’s completely finished healing
Meaning no more sensitivity, we want no more scabs and no more itchiness, you’re free to soak it. So, you can go and have bath and swimming.
Tattoo moisturizing aftercare – When should I start moisturizing my tattoo?
In order to keep the colors bright, I moisturize them every day. Keeping your skin well-hydrated will keep the pigments really bright. And it will also help the longevity of your tattoo, so, even if you have black and grey tattoo, this will still help. It doesn’t really matter what type of moisturizer, I just choose one that smells nice.
Sun will fade a tattoo over time – When can I expose my tattoo to the sun?
The last note on this topic is sun care. It’s recommended to wait at least 3-4 weeks.
I don’t really go out in the sun anymore because I work full time in retail, so it’s like: “Oh! What is the sun!”. But if you know that you’re going to be in the sun for more than about half an hour, please protect your tattoo. Whether you just use sun block or you cover it up completely, it is up to you. I’ve been told that using children’s sun block is less harmful to your tattoos because it has non-toxic ingredients but I don’t think it really matters that much, to be honest.