TAKING CARE OF NEW TATTOO

Keeping your tattoo clean during the first few days after you receive it is imperative. Think about it this way: Your tattoo is basically an open wound. What happens if you don’t keep a wound clean and disinfect it? You guessed it! You’ll get an infection! When you get a tattoo, your skin tissues are very prone to infections for a few days. When your tattoo artist finishes, he will wrap your newly tattooed area in bandages. It is very important that these bandages stay on for at least five hours in order to prevent bacterial infections.

You should clean your new tattoo with warm water and antibacterial soap. You will want to avoid rugged clothes and scrubbing, as this can irritate the tattooed area. After being cleaned, you will want to apply a moisturizer to your tattoos. There is gel which will usually be available at your tattoo parlor. This gel should be applied as often as possible, especially during the first few months. If you don’t utilize the gel, you may notice that small spots of your tat have faded, and you will need to get touch-ups.

Additionally, new tattoos should be kept out of the sunlight until they are completely healed. Imagine getting a sun burn on an area of your skin which is already damaged.

Lastly, you will want to avoid baths and long showers. Excessive soaking of the new tat can dry your skin out, which will ultimately lead to increased likelihood of scabbing and slower healing rate.