Getting a beautifully made tattoo is something to be really proud off. This commonly encourage other people to get their own tattoo. But most of us, especially first time tattoo goers don’t know that there are a lot of important steps in getting a tattoo and probably the most important step is tattoo aftercare.
You may have found or made the best tattoo you ever and get the best tattoo artist money could afford. But once you get out of the tattoo parlor, the care of your new tattoo falls into your hands.
Tattoo aftercare is the most important part of getting inked. In reality, tattoo aftercare isn’t that big a deal as long as you know how to take care of your tattoo and have the discipline not to touch it, especially when it itch. Here are the latest instructions to properly take care of your new tat.
Be prepared. Before going to the parlor, you should have in hand: Antibacterial soap (preferably liquid soup), you favorite tattoo aftercare lotion, cotton towels or lint free paper towels and sun block.
Ask for cotton bandage. After the session, kindly tell your artist to wrap your tattoo with a cotton bandage. This will allow your tattoo to breathe, which is important for wound healing. Some customers use plastic wrap, this is not the preferred way to bandage a tattoo. It is important to know that you should treat your tattoo like an open wound, and wrapping it with plastic wrap isn’t the proper way to do it, you will never find plastic wrap in an E.R. or a doctor using this to bandage any open wounds.
Go straight home. After bandaging, do not go to the pub to show off your new tat to friends – go straight home and don’t even invite friends to your place. At this stage, your tat is extremely vulnerable to infections.
Remove bandage after two hours, this allows excess ink and bodily fluids to seep out. Then wash with bacterial soup using warm water. You will notice that your tattoo is slippery, this is excess aftercare lotion, ink and plasma, wash everything out and pat dry.
Apply thin a thin layer of tattoo aftercare lotion and do not rebandage. Allow you tattoo to breathe and expose it air as much as possible. When it gets dry, re-apply aftercare lotion. Your tattoo will heal in a week.
Do not scratch your tattoo. During the healing process, scabbing can occur and this can get very very itchy. Do not scratch! You can slap it to relieve the itch but no scratching. Your self-control will be tested to extreme here, but if all is well, you will be rewarded with a perfect tat.
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