Proper Tattoo After Care

After receiving a new tattoo, your artist will apply an ointment, usually A&D, and wrap your tattoo in saran wrap or a medical bandage. This is to keep any foreign materials out of the tattoo. A new tattoo is a wound, an abrasion on the skin, and can be prone to infection if not properly cared for. So covering it for the first few hours is a normal procedure in most tattooing studios. Leave the bandage on for about 4 hours. If there is any resistance when you try to take off the bandage, try taking a q-tip or cotton ball with warm water on it and gently rub the outside edges of the bandage or wherever is sticking. Keep applying more warm water until the bandage comes off with no resistance.

Your tattoo will need to be washed after removing the bandage to remove any dried blood or ink that was left after that tattoo was finished; gently wash the area with your fingertips using lukewarm water and a mild or antibacterial soap. Do not scrub your tattoo with a washcloth or a sponge, only use your fingertips for the first week of healing. To dry, pat with a lint-free cotton towel - again, do not rub. Do not re-bandage your tattoo after taking the original bandage off; the skin will need to breathe. Keeping it covered will prolong the healing process and will keep the scab on the tattoo gooey or sticky instead of drying out like it should.

Apply a thin coat of ointment; Bacitracin, H2Ocean or whatever ointment you choose to keep from drying out, about once every four hours, more when it starts healing and the scabs become thick and hardened. Do not use any petroleum based products such as Vaseline - these will suck the ink out of your tattoo and cause it to fade. If you notice small itchy liquid filled bumps appearing after using a certain product, immediately discontinue use, wash the tattoo and let it dry out.

Keep your fresh tattoo out of direct sunlight; you will want to anyways, because you can feel the sun burning it. Sunlight is the number one cause of a faded tattoo. Put on a sunblock with a high SPF rating when you go out in the sun for long periods of time to maintain color. Do not soak your new tattoo. This will also cause it to fade. Shower as normal but do not let the water beat down directly on the tattooed area.

Do not pick at the scabs that will form. They are a normal part of the healing process and when picking them off you may also pick off some of the ink.
Tattoo may peel slightly like a sunburn or a little worse in a few days. Make sure to keep it moisturized. Your tattoo should fully heal in 7 to 10 days depending on the location of the tattoo and the artwork itself. These times are average for a normal new tattoo, not a cover-up or fix-up.

Redness and sometimes bruising surrounding a new tattoo is normal for the first day or two, but if you notice any bumps or increasing redness please contact your local tattoo studio for more information because these things are not normal. Also if you have any other questions or concerns don't hesitate to get answers.