A new tattoo is a fragile thing, which must be taken care of.

Unless you take the proper precautions, your tattoo could lose its color; the design might even be obliterated.

Your tattoo artist probably took some preliminary measures to protect the tattoo after finishing it. He / she probably gave you further instructions about tattoo-care as well. And, if you’re smart, you’ll follow these instructions to the letter. Some other, basic precautions you should take are listed below:

Your tattoo artist probably bandaged your tattoo before you left the tattoo parlor. The tattooed area is very likely raw and sensitive. A tattoo is created by inserting a needle into your flesh and every insertion draws blood.

Keep the bandage on overnight. Always treat your new tattoo as an open wound rather than as a work of art.

You should remove the bandage in the morning, but, before you do so, procure mild, liquid-based anti-microbial or anti-bacterial soap.

After removing the bandage, wash the tattoo and, the area around it with the soap and lukewarm water. Then carefully wash off the remaining dried blood and any remnants of the ointment the tattoo artist may have applied before bandaging the tattoo.

A word about the washing itself doesn’t seem out of place. At this point of time, at least, wash your tattoo by hand only.

Using a washcloth might damage the tattoo somewhat. After you’ve washed the area, pat it dry, using a paper towel or a clean bath towel. Do not scrub.

After you’ve cleaned and dried your still-delicate tattoo, or, we should say, wound, cover it with protective anti-bacterial medication. For this, you can use A & D Ointment or Bacitracin, both of which should be available at a nearby drugstore.

Your tattoo artist may not have given you these names while suggesting medicines. He / she might well have recommended H2Ocean or Tatttoo Goo, both of which are preparations specially designed to treat new tattoos.

You can use either the anti-bacterial ointments or these concoctions. Both will work equally well, so it’s entirely up to you.

No matter which treatment you choose, remember that it must be continued for the next three to five days at least. After that, you can stop using the medications, though the area must still be kept very clean.

In fact, you must continue to clean the tattoo and the surrounding area, at least till the tattoo has healed completely.

However, after three-five days, you can replace the ointments with a mild, perfume and dye free lotion, which will keep your skin supple and soft as well as protect the tattoo.

While it’s okay to get your tattoo wet, you shouldn’t let it soak. So, avoiding dipping in your tub is a good idea. Similarly, you should avoid swimming for at least two weeks after you get your tattoo.

This warning is something to be taken very seriously. Letting the tattoo soak could damage it permanently .

To know more about tattoo care, check out the Chopper Tattoo web site. Apart from their large collection of tattoo designs, they also have tips on new tattoo care. For more information, read the Chopper Tattoo review on this blog.

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The following are a few important steps you should take as a good tattoo care practice:

Keep Tattoo Dry

As soon as you’ve got your tattoo, remove the bandage at home and wipe off the ointment and oozing body fluid with a tissue. This is important to prevent dead cells from accumulating, sticking and drying on the surface of the tattooed area. Remember, DO NOT wash the tattooed area. Washing may lead to infection due to bacteria in water.

Apply Ointment Regularly

Apply a thin layer of A&D ointment, Bacitracin, or comparable product on your fresh tattoo. Make sure you are not allergic to any of the product. In fact, product selection is not really important. The key to good tattoo care is to apply the ointment CONSISTENTLY.

Do Not Expose Tattoo To Sunlight

Keep out of direct sunlight. Exposing your new tattoo to the sun is not a good idea. Sunlight may cause swelling of redness on the tattoo. If you really have to go outdoor, apply a layer of moisturizing sunscreen with Sun Protection Factor (SPF) 20 or above on the tattoo.

Good tattoo care is always a smart thing to do if you want to maintain the sharpness and the vibrancy of the tattoo. Most people do not bother, and they end up with ugly looking tattoo after a period of time.

The epidermis is the surface layer, and the dermis is underneath. The ink is deposited about a millimeter under the skin in the dermis. Your tattooist will bandage his newest work of art before you leave his shop. Leave it wrapped up for at least 10 to 12 hours.

This protects it while the skin is its most vulnerable, and gives it time to properly scab over. Once the bandage is off, don’t cover your tattoo up again. Rebandaging can trap foreign particles such as dirt and lint under the gauze, irritating your skin increasing your chances for tattoo infection.

There are as many recommendations for tattoo lubrication as there are tattoo shops, but a few facts hold true. Petroleum-based products used to be the aftercare of choice, since it was inexpensive and could be found just about anywhere. It has since been discovered that they can take color out of your tattoo, and does nothing whatsoever to promote healing and stave off infection.

For a while, Neosporin was the favored alterative. It has antibiotic properties and preserved the color beautifully. However, some people developed small, red bumps on their new tattoos. The bumps generally healed without much problem, but they took some color with them when they went. Hoards of Neosporin users are walking around with spotted tats. Bacitracin is the big thing in tattoo aftercare right now.

It’s good for fighting infection and keeps the tattoo moist to keep the healing skin healthy. It’s not perfect; some people still have allergic reactions. There’s no one thing that will work perfectly for everyone. A&D Ointment or Micotracin are good alternatives. A&D is a great choice for people who don’t do well with antibiotic ointments. While it doesn’t have infection-fighting proprieties, it does have vitamins that promote healing.

Unless you’re prone to infection, keeping your tat clean should be enough. If your immune system is compromised for any reason, you don’t need to get a tattoo anyway. Wait until your back up to speed. Whatever your choice of ointment, use it frequently.

Don’t ever let your fresh tattoo dry out. Keeping the tat moist will keep your scabs from falling off too early. Eventually, the tattoo will develop a layer of dry skin over the top. Resist the urge to peel or scrub it off. That’s just another way to get it infected. Let it fall off naturally.