Tattoo Care Good Practices

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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