How to Properly Care for Your New Tattoo

Regardless of whether you have just got your first tattoo or added a new one to decorate your body, a certain period afterwards you have to pay special attention to the tattooed part of the skin. Proper tattoo care in the couple of weeks after the process is necessary if you want your skin to heal faster and the ink stay vibrant and spotless.

Wear the bandage
Even though this might be troublesome especially if the tattoo is at some place at the body where bandage can limit your freedom of movement and feel uncomfortable, it is absolutely necessary to keep it on for at least three hours. The tattoo artist does not put a bandage over the inked skin for no reason. In the first few hours, tattooed skin is very irritated and sensitive and bandage prevents the dirt from coming in into the wound as well as ink, blood and lymph from staining the clothes.

Wash the tattoo regularly
You do not have to take the shower more than twice a day if you do not need it, but put some effort into washing your fresh tattoo a couple of times a day for the next two to three weeks. While the tattoo is healing you have to keep it sanitized. It would be best to use antibacterial soaps for sensitive or baby skin.

Keep the tattoo well moisturized
In the first two weeks after you got the tattoo, moisturizing should become your biggest habit. In this period, rich creams such as panthenol and special ointments are the best choice for tattoo care. These products will keep the area moisturized, speed up the healing process and prevent any dryness and oversensitivity. Still, you should always pay attention to putting only a thin layer of ointment since a lot of product buildup can have an opposite effect. After first two weeks you can switch to your regular body lotions.

Be responsible
Most tattoo artists will give you the following advice and if you want to have a striking tattoo and stay safe you should stick to them. Basically, do not wear clothing that is too tight in the first two weeks since it can irritate the tattoo. Also, avoid immediate exposure to sun as well as excessive sweating and hot baths or showers. Moreover, taking a dip in the pool or ocean should be put on hold until the tattoo completely heals to prevent bacteria from entering the wound. Most importantly, be adult when it comes to various sensations that a new tattoo can give you – so, no picking the scabs or scratching the ink even if it itches.

Stay away from the sun
Even after the tattoo is healed, you should be wary of the negative influence sun rays can have on the ink. A completely healed tattoo fades a little in general but if constantly exposed to sun without any protection whatsoever, it can fade even more. Therefore, if your tattoo is not covered by clothes when you go out in the sun, always put a thin layer of sunscreen over it.

Consider the location of the tattoo
If you choose to get a tattoo on your hands, feet or wrists, be prepared for some longer healing process. Also, your care routine should be stricter since these areas can get infected more easily and you can forget yourself and unconsciously touch the wound with dirty hands. In case you have a tattoo on these body parts, you should not only pay attention to the skin care but your surroundings as well, so sanitize everything that can become a source of infection and keep the hand sanitizer close to you.

One should be aware that a new tattoo is an open wound and therefore it should be treated as such. Use your common sense and do not neglect proper care or do anything irresponsible that would pose a threat for infections to occur.

(Contributed by Diana Smith)

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