Tattoo Aftercare

A tattoo may be “done” the moment the artist's needle finally stops but it is only truly finished when it has completely healed. You need to be vigilant with the healing process so that it heals quickly and is ready to expose in all its glory.

Tattoo aftercare tips for right after you've had a tattoo done.

Black and Grey ink Tattoos: Take the bandage off the tattoo wound after an hour. Don't let it cover the design for more than two hours. Remember, it's a wound and it needs to “breathe” like any other.

Color ink Tattoos: Keep covered for 24 hours to let the color set.

Black and Grey Tattoo Aftercare: Ointment is recommended with Vitamin E and there are a number of special ointments designed for use on tattoos. Tattoo Goo is one of them. You may also use Vaseline, although this is recommended after the wound has healed for a few days. You don't have to drown it in ointment but apply just enough to cover the whole design and make it glisten. Don't be afraid, massage it in smoothly but gently, so that is absorbs into the wound well. The idea is to keep the wound 'borderline' moist. Just make sure you don't put too much as this will only suffocate the wound and it could ruin the picture. Use the ointment twice a day for two weeks or until the wound is fully healed and the tattoo is ready. Avoid fragrant lotions and the like they only irritate the wound.

Color Tattoo Aftercare: Ointment is not recommended. Will Thompson recommends
Aveeno Lotion two to three times a day. Ointments like neosporin can attack the color pigments like forgien bodies and start to lift or remove them from your skin,... which is the last thing you want.

You may take showers when tattooed: When washing the tattoo and the area directly surrounding it, use only your hand and not a scrub. You can imagine the pain if you use a bathroom scrub or cloth. Avoid this by gently using your fingertips. Use antibacterial soap, preferably a mild one that's easy on the skin. Make sure your water is warm and soothing. You may pat it dry with a delicate clean towel afterwards. but avoid long baths and prolonged soaks in water (swimming pools, spas etc.) Lengthy soaking can cause the design to “leak”. Shower quickly be sure not to scrub the tattoo while doing so. Don't be alarmed if the tattoo flakes while it is healing – this is normal. Your skin will peel of naturally. Do not attempt to help this process by peeling off scabs and flaking skin – you might damage the tattoo. Let nature take its course and soon enough everything will be ready to boast about and show off.

Protect Tattoo from Sun: Avoid sunbathing while it's healing (sunburn can be terrible for the healing).

Don't forget, your tattoo is important! Help it heal. Don't try to bypass the process and do things that will damage it. Heed this tattoo aftercare section and it will soon be ready for you to admire in the mirror for hours on end. Enjoy!

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