All the things i know about aftercare

The most frequently asked question i get is "Why do many artists have so many different aftercare directions?" The answer is because there are so many ways to take care of a new tattoo. These are a few guidelines to help you better understand the process. If you know something i don't have here, Email me and i'll put it up so we can all figure this one out together!

Right away, your tattoo artist will put a bandage of some kind on the tattoo to protect it from airborne dust and bacteria, usually a meat packing pad or plastic wrap. Some artists feel that plastic wrap is very bad for a tattoo, although i've never heard evidence as to why. I think the meat are pads are better for absorbing blood, where the plastic wrap makes the tattoo visible and easy to show off to friends.

What to do next seems to be debatable depending on who you ask. Most artists will tell you to remove the bandage between 1 and 3 hours later. I feel that waiting at least two hours is best, it gives the body plenty of time to get in there and close the wound (We tend not to think of a tattoo as a wound, but as far as your immune system can tell, it's the same thing as a scratch or scrape).

After you've given it 2 to 3 hours to seal, it's good to remove the bandage and wash the tattoo. A shower is the best way to wash a tattoo the first time, but its ok to use a sink if you can reach the tattoo with your hands. With this first shower, the hotter the water the better! The hot water will burn pretty bad, but it will open your pores and allow your skin to push out any nasties that may have gotten in there. An antibacterial hand soap is the preferred agent to clean with, using your hands, not a washrag or sponge. Just as the the hot water opens your pores, a cold water rinse will close your pores and prevent that pesky dust from getting in there.

After washing and gently patting dry, it's time to apply an ointment, and there are many to choose from! You can use A+D, Aquaphor, Bacitracin, Calendula, Vitamin E oil, i've even heard a few success stories about Preparation H! The important thing is that you use VERY LITTLE of it. Most tattoos i've seen that heal hard are because they used too much ointment, it clogs those pores and makes big thick scabs. Use a very small amount of ointment so it barely shines at all, and then blot it with a paper towel. You just dried out the area with hot water, so this is to moisturize it the tiniest bit.

I believe after cleaning it is essential to rewrap the tattoo, and i personally favor the plastic wrap in this case. The tattoo will leak off a little more clear liquid, thats blood plasma and it's pure. A bandage may absorb that and dry it out, however the plastic wrap will keep it from going too far, and will help moisturize and heal from outside in. The plastic wrap should be kept on throughout the rest of the day and overnight, it's very important to keep the tattoo wrapped as you sleep.

Keeping the tattoo wrapped for the first 24 to 48 hours is good, washing and rebandaging every 12 hours or so. Some artists will tell you not to rebandage- this will cause the tattoo to shed a layer, seen as peeling or scabbing. If you use the plastic wrap, you will see this layer shed as colored sludge when you wash. Either method is fine, you should try both and decide for yourself, but i prefer the plastic wrap.

So you've made it this far, the tattoo is mostly healed after that first 48 hours! All that's left is to continue moisturizing the skin with a mild lotion. Many artists recommend plain, white lotion, but i think that excludes any fragrances that may be caused by acceptable natural ingredients, such as coco butter, cucumber, and aloe. My best guideline for lotion is to avoid artificial ingredients or added factors such as exfoliating or hair removing, however a healing factor is a plus. With ointments and lotions, try to remember that spending a little extra for quality or brand name reliability might be a good idea. If you put lotion on your tattoo and it starts to burn, that's not the stuff for you! Wash it off and try something different, you'll find one you like.

You should see the tattoo heal fully within 2-3 weeks. I recommend waiting a minimum of 6 weeks before any touch up work- new skin growing in will be opaque and the tattoo may look dull, but giving that extra time will allow the skin to get comfortable with the ink and show it best. Taking multivitamins during the healing process is very good for it, and even after it's fully healed using lotion daily will keep it bright and pretty for many years to come!