Tattoo Aftercare

There are many schools of thought on the best aftercare practice. There are dozens of articles on the web and you will suddenly meet dozens of ‘experts’ in your friends, at the pub etc. who all have an opinion of the best way to look after a new tattoo. It is advisable to listen to your tattooer. He or she is the one who knows the most about your individual tattoo, it’s placement on your body, the type of ink used etc. Wicked Tattoo’s official stance is to take the advice of your tattoo studio, but here are a few pointers to be aware of.

Leaving the Studio

The artist should cover the tattoo temporarily when leaving the studio

When you first leave the tattoo studio, you will most likely have had the area where you just got a tattoo, covered in some form of ointment and wrapped in cling wrap. This cling wrap is important because it allows the ink to settle into the dermis layer of your skin before you go and wash it thoroughly. The thing to remember (and this is important) is to not leave the cling wrap on too long. 1 to 2 hours is plenty of time for the ink to settle and anything longer than this can actually do you more harm than good. The reason for this is that with the cling wrap on, your skin can not ‘breath’. You will inevitably perspire and build up heat. Human sweat in a hot plastic covered area is a perfect breeding ground for bacteria (just think of gym shoes!) this bacteria can cause infection – and even more likely will cause bacteria-ridden, sweaty and possibly bloody juices to leak out of the edges of you cling wrap.

When you get Home

The point of the above information is: get to a shower after an hour. Don’t plan a big night out right after leaving the tattoo studio. Plan your day so that you can have access to a clean place to wash the tattoo area in warm water with mild fragrance-free soap as close to one hour after getting the tattoo as possible. Dry the area after washing by patting the tattoo – don’t rub it. It is often recommended to apply an healing ointment that is also an antiseptic like Bempathen after your shower, but this should be applied lightly. The object is not to seal up the would with goop. The skin needs access to the air to heal properly. Only use a healing ointment hat is recommended by your tattooer. Don’t use any old lotion. Many lotions and cream contain chemicals and fragrances that can actually do damage to your tattoo! It would be better to not apply anything than to apply the wrong sort of cream. Wear loose fitting clothing for the rest of the day and certainly don’t re-bandage. If you re-bandage or wear clothing hat can stick to the wound, when it comes time to pull the material away from the tattoo, it can pull the ink out with it!

During Healing

The next two to three weeks are crucial to the quality and longevity of your finished tattoo. It is always advisable not to let your tattoo into direct sunlight. This will damage the cells during the healing process and will displace the pigment causing fading (the same process applies even after healing – the sun is a tattoo’s worst enemy during its lifetime). Don’t swim. Showers are fine… but don’t go swimming. When you submerge your skin underwater for extended periods of time, your pores absorb water and our skin gets waterlogged (think of prune fingers) this is terrible for a healing tattoo. The other good reason not to swim is that pools and hot tubs are usually filled with chlorine. This will bleach a healing tattoo! Salt water is not good for a healing tattoo either.

Always ask your tattooer for his or her recommended practice for looking after your tattoo immediately after, the first night and next couple of weeks after getting it.