Tattoo Aftercare Instructions

You finally found the perfect design and you cannot wait to see it in ink. Perhaps you found the best tattoo artist around and now you are the proud new owner of your very first tattoo. Now what do you do what are the best tattoo aftercare instructions on caring for your prize?

A professional tattoo artist will clean your tattoo during and after each setting by applying antiseptic. All professionals know this is key to keeping the tattoo and you healthy until it is finished. Once you take the bandage off however it is all on you!

Once your tattoo is completely in ink the tattoo artist should let you know what you need to do to care for it. Some of the more professional artists will actually give you a take home sheet with tattoo aftercare instructions, like the hospital does, that will give you all the care instructions. Nevertheless if you did not get the comprehensive treatment you may be wondering what to do next. It is not all that hard to take care of a tattoo as long as you know what you can and cannot do.

First keep the original bandage on as long as you can. This does not mean leave it on for days or weeks. It simply means that if you can wait about 24 hours before removing it. Always remove it before you shower.

Do not take a shower or bath as soon as you get a new tattoo. When you do wash up you will need to use a very mild soap and wash it gently. Do not scrub with a loofa or any type of exfoliating bath washes. It is best if you do not touch the tattoo with your hands other than in the shower but if you must be sure they are clean. You will greatly reduce the occurrence of infection if you do this. Once you are done in the shower pat the area dry and apply the special protective ointment over your tattoo.

Tattoo shops all sell specialty cremes to put on your tattoo. These are usually fine but not a have to at all. With my tattoo I used a triple anti-biotic ointment and it did just fine. Curels Fragrance Free is also a smart choice and is relatively inexpensive. Many people will also advise using A&D ointment since it is an ointment for abrasions. However the recommendation from personal experience is still Curel because it contains an added moisturizer that will alleviate any itching.

It cannot be stressed enough that you should never rub the area to harshly, this will impede the healing and possibly cause an infection. Work any ointments into the skin lightly with only your clean fingertips. Curel has a new 24 hour lotion that I like really well. The tattoo will stay moist and shiny the entire day. I still like to reapply the lotion throughout the day though, about three times a day is sufficient.

Normally after about 5-6 days you can quit applying ointments. However all tattoos are not the same so use your best judgment. One good course of action is to use the A&d ointment the first few days then switch to an unscented lotion like Curel for a week or so. Never use a scented lotion because they can irritate the tattoo and or cause infections.

Somewhere around 9-14 days you should be able to quit using any type of ointment or lotion, some tattoos are prone to scabbing a little once they have healed. Whatever you do, do not pick at the scab! Scratching and pulling on a scab can cause irreparable damage to the tattoo. Leave the scab alone or continue with the ointment of your choice.

To keep your tattoo looking good remember to protect exposed ones from the sun. Use a good sunscreen on any tattoo that is constantly exposed to UV light. If you do happen to sunburn your tattoo do not use aloe on it! We did that on my husbands and the aloe lotion pulled some of the ink from the tattoo.

Tattoos are not cheap so do not balk at spending a few dollars to keep it looking great. If you take good care of it at the outset it will look nice for years to come. Follow the tattoo aftercare instructions from above and you will have no problems.

Check Out Our Tattoo Aftercare Video.