How to take care of your tattoo

How to take care of your tattoo

Healing your tattoo is the final look of your piece of art. The opinions and advice given are endless, and there are more experts than tattoos. Since we guarantee our work we ask you to follow our advice and not your friend who has three tattoos. As with a psychiatrist, you will probably never get the same advice or instructions from different artists. But after many years of combined experience, you will find this information very beneficial in healing your unique ink tattoo.

A tattoo typically takes 7-14 days to appear fully healed, depending on the type, style, size, and placement. The truth is that it can actually take up to a month for a tattoo to fully heal below the surface of the skin and for your body's natural healing abilities to fully lock in the ink. Yes, all of these things can and will make a difference. There is no "idiot proof" method, but if you take the time to read the following, you'll have a much better chance of healing your tattoo without any issues to ensure it looks as good as possible.

The bandage

When your tattoo artist finishes your tattoo they will clean your tattoo with some green soap, water, and maybe even a witch hazel before taking a picture for you. They should then apply a very thin layer of Ointment or some kind of clear anti-bacterial ointment. They will then come to you, hopefully with a sterile absorbent pad.

A word of caution: If you see the store using paper towels, duct tape, or duct tape in the bandaging process, RUN!!!

Sometimes your tattoo may be in a difficult spot or too large to use a standard bandage, so clear plastic film is used. There are some pros and cons to this practice.

The Pros: Plastic wrap doesn't stick to your new tattoo, it works for large pieces, and you won't have to keep removing the bandage to show all your friends your fresh new tattoo.

On the Con side of things: Your tattoo will continue to leak body fluids and leak and can become messy. It forms a barrier on your skin and will make it stay moist, moist and warm. These are the perfect things needed for bacteria growth to start an infection!

If plastic wrap is used, remove it as soon as possible, which means you really don't want to spend a couple of hours with it. Your bandage will be held with medical tape. If you are someone who has allergies to adhesives make sure you let your tattoo artist know or bring your own tape.

A+D® Ointment – ​​This is what most tattoo artists will use during the tattoo process. Many ladies will tell you that it is used quite frequently for diaper rash, so it is a great product to start with. It starts the healing of your tattoo, it also works as a lubricant for the tattooist while he works on you but it can have some side effects. One thing is that it is very thick and needs to be rubbed all the way. If you are getting a large tattoo and use it for a prolonged period of time, it may produce an adverse reaction of overdose due to the skin absorbing too much of the active ingredients. The skin may break out in a rash or get pimples. If this happens, stop immediately!! If using A+D® Ointment, we recommend using it only to start the healing process for 1-2 days and then switching to a non-medicated, fragrance-free lotion at that point.

How long do you have to leave the bandage on?

The answers are wide and varied. Almost everyone wants to remove it to show their friends right away, but this is a bad idea. Resist the temptation and wait. Your tattoo will continue to leak body fluids for an hour or two depending on the size and location. This period of time is critical and needs to be protected. So how long? 2 to 4 hours is the most common answer, but it's not uncommon to hear 6 or 8 hours, but never go more than 8. If an artist tells you 2 weeks, that's just so they have time to get out of town before seeing the anger in his arm!

After 2-4 hours, it's time to remove the bandage and show all your friends and loved ones the new art you've collected. Well, you might want to clean up first. The only thing you want to use is a non-scented liquid anti-bacterial soap!! (What we recommend is Dial antibacterial liquid.) When washing, you want to make sure you're only using your clean hand to do the washing, and not scrubbing with anything. You want to make sure you get all the dried fluids and any ointment that is left over. If you have to use a soft cloth, make sure you just washed and don't scrub. If you're washing in the shower, make sure you're using lukewarm water, not hot. DO NOT let the water hit your new tattoo, let the water hit the top of it and run off for a short period of time. The idea is to get in and get out. Don't get in the bathtub either!

An additional word of advice: Don't lean on things with your new tattoo. Many people are out for a night of fun, but the restaurants, bars, tables and walls are full of danger! Your new tattoo should not come into contact with anything.

What to put on your new tattoo

Once again, here is one of those times when there are a thousand recommendations. Don't take the advice of your friend who knows everything and has three tattoos. At the same time there are many supposedly professional tattoo artists who don't know their machine from a jackhammer and will have their clients doing all sorts of crazy things like using Preparation H. I even heard of one saying to a client, but alcohol of rubbing Your tattoo and nothing else.

There are plenty of tattoo healing products marketed, for example Mountain Clan – Tattoo Protection . The only thing they have in common is telling tattoo shops to "push these products and pay your rent." Not that they are the best thing for a tattoo, or better yet, they will tell you that they are the best thing since the invention of the wheel!!! These two products have been proven over years of experience and history! I can also tell you that you would be hard pressed to find a reputable tattoo artist who would not agree with these two products.

How often and how much to use

Let me remind you that you basically have an open wound, and while it is a good looking wound, it is still a wound and you need to treat it as such. First, wash your hands before applying the lotion!! Think about all the things you have touched and who and what has touched that object. Children and animals are HOTBEDS for germs, illnesses and bacteria. It's very easy to transfer some serious mistake from a handle, switch, etc. to your nice new tattoo. (Which, don't forget, is a nice open wound with direct access to your blood supply.)

All you are trying to do is moisturize the skin and keep it clean. Take a small amount of Mountain Clan – Tattoo Protection and gently rub all the way. Your tattoo should have a slight sheen to it, which means a very thin layer! Your tattoo and skin need to breathe to heal properly and quickly. You need to reapply 3-5 times a day depending on the size, location and condition of your skin. If it seems dry, then put a small amount. REMEMBER... More is not better!

Taking care of your tattoo during the first week

The first week of taking care of your tattoo is the most important, especially the first 2-3 days. Now you know what to put on it, but there are a few other things you can do to make sure your new tattoo looks great for many years to come.