Tattoos are very popular today, a lot of people especially young teens can’t wait to get their first tattoo. Unfortunately, most first time tattoo goers don’t know or ignore proper aftercare and just remove the tattoo bandage to show off their new tat to friends. This is a very common mistake and this always leads to an infected tattoo.
What the types of tattoo bandages?
There are two types: first is your common gauze, which what we typically see in hospitals when bandaging a wound. The other one is a clear plastic film or your common plastic wrap. Obviously, the gauze is preferred in bandaging a tattoo or any type of open wound. You will never see plastic wrap being used in hospitals.
Why gauze?
A gauze is made of cotton fibers which are loosely woven allowing air to pass through, this allow the tattoo to breathe, which is good for tattoo healing. Also, a gauze is very absorbent and it absorbs all the oozing ink and plasma. The only problem when using a gauze bandage is it tends to stick to the wound if it is left to long. When the plasma dries up it becomes hard and it sort of cements the tattoo and gauze together. The best solution for this is to soak gauze with warm water for a few minutes, until the it loosens up.
Why Plastic Wrap?
You will find a lot of tattoo artist use plastic wrap mainly because it allows the client to clearly see the finished tattoo. Also, they claim that plastic wrap will shield the new tattoo from any dust or dirt preventing infection. The disadvantage is that it doesn’t allow the tattoo to breathe and doesn’t allow the wound to dry up a bit.
No matter what bandage you use for your tattoo, it is important remove it after 3 hours and not re-bandage again. Wash off any slipper stuff using an antibacterial soup, pat dry and apply a thin film of your favorite tattoo aftercare lotion. Reapply aftercare lotion when your tattoo dries up.
Protected by Patchstack