* Take off the initial bandage in a clean environment.
* Wash your hands before and after touching your tattoo for any reason
* Gently wash your tattoo using an unscented antibacterial soap and lukewarm water 2 to 3 times a day (every 8 to 10 hours)
* Pat dry with paper towel or air dry if possible.
* Apply a thin layer of unscented lotion to moisturize
* Keeping the area moist will protect your tattoo from cracking, drying out, and bleeding.
* Do not submerge your tattoo in water until it is fully healed
* Avoid excessive sun exposure and tanning bed to ensure the longevity of your tattoo
* Avoid scratching or picking at your healing tattoo
* Wear loose fitting clothing around the tattooed area
* Consult a physician if infection occurs.
Tattoos are created through ink being injected into the dermis layer of the skin using specialized needles.
When tattoo needles puncture the skin they create thousands of tiny micro wounds.
Your body, being the amazing thing that it is, immediately leaps into action.
Over the course of the next 1-3 weeks, depending on the healing methods used and the individual's immune system, your body treats the tattoo nearly identically to any other skin wound and busily works to repair the area.
Once your tattoo is finished, it's important to continually clean and protect your tattoo so that infection doesn't occur.
Getting a tattoo interrupts your body's natural exfoliation and oil production process. This makes it highly important to moisturize your healing tattoo regularly.
Try not to over-moisturize the area either, however, as this will likely clog your pores, resulting in rashes or pimples.
Remember: the goal when moisturizing your tattoo is maintaining a moisture level consistent with your normal, non-healing skin.
Since your body's immune system has a limited amount of energy to dedicate to the healing of the wound, it's important, for proper tattoo healing, to be in relatively good health.
If you've recently suffered injury or illness, we recommend you avoid getting tattooed -- at least until you feel like you're 100% again.
If you're healing a broken arm and decide to get tattooed at the same time, your immune system must divide its healing efforts between both injuries. This results in both injuries healing more slowly, which is never ideal, and can result in complications.
Avoid intense physical exertion, intoxicants, and intense stress when healing a tattoo for best results. Rest as much as possible and eat a clean, high-nutrient diet.
You want to give your body ample resources to heal your tattoo as quickly and effectively as it possibly can.
It's important to remember that there are many factors that can contribute, either positively or negatively, to a tattoo's healing. Some of these factors include your body's natural ability to heal, the quality and punctuality of your after care, the size and detail of the individual tattoo, the technical skill of the respective artist in working the skin, the color of the ink, and even the types of ink used.
This really couldn't be more true in the case of healing a tattoo. Keep your tattoo vibrant and never neglect proper wound care!
