Tattoo Aftercare Info
Proper aftercare is essential for healing your new tattoo. The days following your appointment are instrumental in how your new artwork will turn out. Follow the aftercare directions listed below to properly heal and care for your new tattoo.
Healing factors:
The healing time of your tattoo will vary depending on the placement, size, and technique applied.
Other factors include:
Age (younger people heal faster)
Nutrition (vitamins, supplements and diet)
Tobacco use (non-smokers heal more quickly)
Stress level (stress delays the healing process)
Infections or illnesses such as diabetes, thyroid disease, high blood pressure, and poor circulation can drastically affect the overall healing process.
Consider that our bodies are mostly water and the resource we rely on to repair skin is in fact water.
A moist environment compared to a dry environment highlights the need for optimal hydration levels for effective healing because:
The process is hindered due to decreased delivery of oxygen and nutrients, as well as a decrease in the signaling capability between cells. When a wound is present, maintaining optimal hydration internally is just as important (arguably more important) as it is at the wound site through topical dressing selection.
So stay well hydrated!
Aftercare Schedule:
Day 1
You will leave the tattoo studio with a bandage on your new tattoo. The purpose of this bandage is to pull plasma and ink away from the skin, preventing it from forming a thick scab. It also serves to protect your car interior/clothing and prevents contact with bacteria. After several hours, you can remove the bandage. Once the covering comes off, your body will push out plasma and ink. Your skin will still be irritated, warm and sore to the touch; this is normal. Follow these aftercare steps to clean your new tattoo:
Always wash your hands before touching freshly tattooed skin.
Apply fragrance-free soap to the tattoo and gently wash with warm water.
Rinse the area clean.
Use clean paper towels to press all the extra moisture from the tattoo surface without wiping. It is important to thoroughly dry after washing by pressing, not wiping.
Let your skin breathe and avoid any type of covering to promote healing.
Apply Aquaphor ointment for comfort. Your sheets are subject to staining by the aforementioned plasma, ink, and ointment.
Days 2 to 4
Your tattoo will be much less sore. Your body has done a fantastic job sealing up the wound, but scabs will be forming now.
The skin will start to tighten and dull.
It is important to wash and dry your tattoo, only as needed. Repeated washing dries out the skin.
The skin should no longer be red, or hot to the touch.
Days 4 to 7
You will start to notice more scabbing, not thick but definitely raised. Do not pick or scratch your scabs. This can cause scarring and damage to the tattoo.
This time also marks the beginning of the “itching phase”.
A fragrance-free and alcohol-free moisturizer will help with the itching tremendously.
Discontinue use of Aquaphor once you transition to moisturizer.
Continue to wash the tattoo once or twice a day, and use moisturizer as needed.
Days 7 to 14
The skin has finished scabbing and will now start to exfoliate.
Again, do not pick or scratch at these scabs, let them exfoliate naturally.
Your skin will continue to itch. Moisturizer is key to overcome this.
Days 14 to 30
Your tattoo should no longer be considered an open wound, by now the skin is probably sealed up completely.
The tattoo will probably look dry and feel very dry. This is normal for healing skin.
Areas might still be raised up and glazed over or dull looking.
Continue to moisturize daily to upkeep the hydration of the skin.
It can still take several months of care to fully heal all layers of the dermis.
Products I recommend:
Lubriderm Daily Moisture Fragrance-Free Lotion
Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Body Lotion for Dry Skin
Eucerin Intensive Repair Lotion
A few helpful warnings:
Avoid Vaseline and other petroleum based products as they can clog pores, cause irritation and ultimately cause ink to fade. (AAC)
Some websites claim that coconut oil keeps the skin under your tattoo moist and protects against infection. There is not sufficient testing to confirm that this works. Anecdotally, I have found that coconut oil causes painfully dry conditions and doesn’t help damaged skin the way ointment and moisturizer does. (Healthy but dry skin is a different story)
Keep skin protected from sun until fully healed (don’t use sunblock for at least a month.)
Avoid wearing tight clothing over healing tattoo (that retains moisture or chafes.)
Do not go swimming or immerse your body in water (showers are okay) for at least two weeks.
See a board-certified dermatologist if you have a skin reaction or if your tattooed skin is changing in any way. Your skin may have a bad reaction to the ink in a tattoo. This can happen immediately after getting a tattoo or years later. A change could also be a sign of skin disease. A dermatologist can diagnose what’s happening and treat it.
[I’m not a doctor, but I play one on T.V. section]
Here are a few supplements that can potentially improve your overall health, and therefore your healing abilities:
Vitamin C is required for the synthesis of collagen. It is also a highly effective antioxidant protecting cells from damage by free radicals. Studies have shown that the vitamin can help speed the healing process of wounds.
Bromelain is an anti-inflammatory enzyme found in the stem of pineapple plants. It reduces muscle and tissue swelling especially following injuries or surgery.
Rutin, a nutrient in plant foods, is believed to protect blood vessels, prevent bruising, and intensify the effect of vitamin C in the body.
Grape seed extract, a popular health supplement that evidence shows may build new blood vessels and help vitamin C enter cells, strengthening cell membranes and preventing scarring in tissue.
Vitamins D, B-6, B-12, folate, and others.
