Extensive Tattoo Aftercare Guide To Follow

We know that you have given it a lot of thought before you got yourself a brand new tattoo. Getting a new tattoo looks easy, but it is not. Most people are afraid or rather skeptical for the first time they plan to get a tattoo. If you have faced the same, then it’s absolutely normal. A tattoo is going to be with you forever in the coming years. So, you have to be 100% sure of getting it. A tattoo holds a lot of meaning and significance in people’s lives. That is why they spend a lot of time thinking about the design, placement, etc.

But, getting the tattoo is just the first step you have taken. Taking good care of your tattoo for at least the first 3-4 weeks is even more challenging and tedious. Your tattoo is an open wound and the skin around it becomes highly sensitive due to the trauma it received. So, you have to be patient and give it enough time to heal over a couple of weeks. Any negligence can lead to serious problems and damage your tattoo more than you can imagine.

If you have just got a new tattoo, then you have to be fully aware of the aftercare tips that are going to help you take care of the tattoo. Today we are going to discuss with you the best and extensive tattoo aftercare guide you can follow. Without further ado, let’s find them out.

What Is The Importance of Tattoo Aftercare?

A tattoo is more than a tattoo. It’s a piece of art and it defines you in many ways. A lot of people do tattoo in order to signify something they believe in, or of someone close to them. This entire process is a medical procedure because the tattoo artist is going to use a needle in order to insert the ink just underneath your skin. That is why whenever the skin around the tattoo gets opened or damaged, there is always a risk of it getting scarred or infected by bacteria.

Caring for the tattoo is the only way in which you can avoid any kind of complications and make sure that it heals properly. Both you and the tattoo artist are going to play very equal roles in this entire process. Just like you are going to visit a licensed and reputed tattoo artist, once you have got the tattoo you must take full responsibility for it’s aftercare.

When you are taking good care of your tattoo, it will heal sooner and in a proper manner. Thus, leaving behind the risk or vulnerability of any kind of infections or damage to it. Meanwhile if you want to shop for tattoo sunscreen to use it when going out, visit https://inkeeze.com/collections/sunscreens and check out their fabulous sunscreen collection.

How To Care For The Tattoo?

Tattoo aftercare starts as soon as you have got yourself inked. After the tattoo artist is done with making the tattoo, he/she will cover it in a thin layer of tattoo aftercare cream and wrap it with a thin plastic wrap. This is done in order to prevent any bacteria, dust, germs and other negative elements to damage the tattoo. It also protects the tattoo from getting rubbed against the clothes or any other surface you are near to.

Here are some aftercare tips that you should follow as soon as you come home. Take a look.

• Keep the tattoo dressing for some hours. Your tattoo artist will tell you the exact time when you can remove your protective covering. Make sure to follow the artist’s instructions because every tattoo is different. So, only your artist can determine the right time when it is absolutely alright to remove the plastic wrap and wash the tattoo.

• Once you have removed the protective cover, it is essential that you wash the tattoo thoroughly. While removing the plastic wrap, you will see that a lot of plasma and blood is going to come out from the fresh wound. You need to get rid of them. Use lukewarm water and mild anti-bacterial soap to clean the tattoo and the surrounding area.

• After you are done with the cleaning process, you have to dry your tattoo well. Use a soft and clean cloth to do so. Don’t rub the cloth against the tattoo but pat gently over it. When you think that the tattoo has dried up, you can apply a tiny amount of petroleum cream over the tattoo. This will help it to remain moisturized for the day. Don’t make the mistake of wrapping the tattoo again with a cover because you need to let the tattoo breathe.

So, these are some of the tips and instructions you should follow as soon as you come back home from the tattoo parlour. These immediate tips are essential and are the first step towards your tattoo aftercare schedule. Now, let’s check out some do’s and don’ts of tattoo aftercare.

Tattoo Aftercare Do’s and Don’ts

There are many things you should keep in mind when you are going to take care of your tattoo. Check out these few do’s and don’ts which will help you take good care of it.

Do’s –

• Always use a tattoo sunscreen or cover the tattoo when you are going out. You should not expose the tattoo to direct sunlight. The sun rays consist of the harmful UV rays which can cause the ink to fade away and also botch the tattoo. If you are using a cloth, make sure it is loose and not tight or else it will scratch against the tattoo surface.

• Use a premium and good quality tattoo aftercare ointment in order to keep the tattoo moisturized. Your tattoo will dry over time and you have to let it breathe in order to do so. Using any other cream can actually cut off the air supply. So, use a good tattoo ointment.

• Contact your tattoo artist or a skin specialist immediately if you see any signs of infection or skin problems. Don’t neglect it because it can lead to a chronic disease in the next few days.

Don’s –

• Don’t use a tattoo sunscreen at least before 2-3 weeks. Let the tattoo heal properly and only then use a sunscreen to cover it when going out. Also, you must remember to take a small bit of the cream and not over apply it.

• Never scratch or pick the tattoo under any circumstances. The tattoo is going to itch a lot in the coming days. But you must resist the urge to scratch it. Rather, use a ice gel packs and pat over the tattoo to get relief from itchiness.

• Don’t wear very tight clothes which can scratch against the surface of the tattoo. Wear loose clothes so that it can breathe properly. It will also prevent the tattoo from scratching against the cloth constantly throughout the day.

• Avoid soaking the tattoo in water. You must stay away from the swimming pool and the sea water for at least 3-4 weeks. The chemical in the pool and saline water of the sea will cause seriously damage to the skin. Just take light showers and that too in lukewarm water and using a mild soap.

Tattoo Aftercare – Day by Day Routine

The time required for a tattoo to heal, totally depends on the size and intricacy of the tattoo. The bigger the tattoo is, the more time it will require in order to heal properly. Bigger tattoos can take more than 4 – 5 weeks to heal whereas small tattoos can heal within 2 – 3 weeks. Here is a day by day routine of how you are going to take care of the tattoo for the first few weeks.

Day 1 – you must already have got an idea of how to treat your tattoo the very first day, isn’t it? Well, let’s give it a revision, shall we? After you come back from the tattoo artist, you must remove the protective covering from the tattoo as instructed by the artist. They will tell you the exact time you must remove the covering.

As soon as you take out the covering, you will see a lot of blood and plasma coming out from the fresh tattoo. Some extra ink is also going to come out from the tattoo. Your skin around the tattoo will be red and you may also see slight swelling. You have to clean the tattoo quickly. Clean your hands and wash the tattoo using lukewarm water and fragrance free soap. Don’t rub or scratch the tattoo. But gently pat the surface to clean the blood and plasma.

Use a mild ointment to cover the tattoo after it has dried up thoroughly. Don’t cover the tattoo anymore. You have to allow it to breathe.

Days 2 to 3 – you will see that the tattoo is now dull and has got a cloudy appearance. This is absolutely normal because it indicates that the skin is healing. During this time, you will also see some scabs forming around the tattoo. Wash your tattoo with lukewarm water and mild soap after every 2 days. Apply a premium tattoo aftercare ointment to keep it moisturized. You’ll also notice that some extra ink will ooze out from the tattoo when you was the tattoo.

Days 4 to 6 – by this time, you will see the redness around the tattoo to fade. Light scabs over the tattoo will also start to form. The formation of scabs over the tattoo is good and it’s the body’s natural way of healing the skin. However, you must never pick the scabs. This can damage the tattoo seriously and lead to scarring as well. Keep using a good aftercare ointment and keep the tattoo covered with a loose cloth whenever you go outside. Don’t use a tattoo sunscreen now, give it more time.

Days 6 to 14 – after a week, the scabs will not be soft anymore and they you will see that they have hardened. Even now, should not pick them. Let the scabs fall off naturally. Don’t hamper the body’s natural process of healing. Otherwise, it can leave behind scars or pull out ink from the tattoo as well. The skin will itch a lot during this time. Use a gentle moisturizer in order to get some relief from the itchiness.

On a different note, if you see that the tattoo is still swollen and the redness still prevails, there are high chances that it is infected. So, you must immediately contact your tattoo artist or a good skin specialist to consult the condition.

Days 15 to 30 – this is the final stage of the healing process. Most of the scabs will fall off during this time frame. You will be able to notice a fresh new layer of skin coming up over the tattoo and around it. Lot of dead cells will be coming out as well. However, the tattoo area will look dry and dull even now. Use a good tattoo cream to keep it moisturized. By the 4th week, the topmost layer of the skin will heal completely if you have done everything right. But the underlying layers of the skin will take another 2 – 3 weeks to heal properly. You can use a tattoo sunscreen by this time.

So, this is the day by day guide of how you are going to treat and take care of your tattoo. Make sure to follow all the instructions if you want your tattoo to remain safe at all times.

Final Words – tattoo aftercare is extensive and requires a lot of effort from on part. But, it is essential that you pay great attention to it. Your tattoo is going to be with you for the rest of your life and that is why you have to be really careful when dealing with it.