If you want to make sure that your tattoo stays in premium condition throughout your life, it is important to pay good attention to your aftercare routine to ensure the ink heals brilliantly.
The tattoo process does not end the moment you are out of the chair, and it is essential to keep your tattoo in great condition to prevent any infections or issues during healing. Whether you are on your first tattoo or your thirtieth, aftercare is essential to focus on.
We hope you find this post useful for your next tattoo studio session.
How To Properly Care For A Tattoo After Getting It
The first two weeks after getting a tattoo is the most important part of the tattoo healing timeline. To help you out, we’ve turned our top tips and recommendations into a suggested tattoo aftercare routine.
Step 1 (Days 1 to 4)
First, it’s important to understand what type of protective covering you have on your tattoo. Your artist will clean up your tattoo and cover it. This could be with plastic wrap or cling film, a product like Tatu-Derm, a gauze covering affixed with Hildbrandt Surgical Medical Tape or Saniderm.
Leave your protective covering on your tattoo for the amount of time that your artist has specified. Depending on what type of product you have been given and the placement of the tattoo, this could be from anywhere between 2 hours to overnight.
Artists using Tatu-Derm or Saniderm may ask clients to keep the layer on for up to 2-3 days after the tattoo.
It may help to ask your artist for an additional aftercare covering in case you have more than normal seepage from the tattoo. Don’t panic if your covering comes off due to over-saturation and you don’t have a new sheet, though. Medical gauze and medical tape can be used in place of Tatu-Derm or Saniderm.
Step 2 (Days 5-14)
Now, we’re reaching the 1-2 week mark. Once you reach the point where you can take your covering off, it is time to clean your tattoo. Avoid washcloths, scented soaps and hot water- cold water is best here. If your artist has recommended a specialist soap (like Tattoo-goo) or cleanser, use this here. If not, use an anti-bacterial, mild soap to gently wash it.
Try to be as careful as possible when washing your tattoo- it’s still an open wound, after all. If you start to bleed again, get some advice from your tattoo artist on whether you need to re-bandage it or not.
Let your tattoo air dry and avoid touching it as much as possible. Unless you have to re-bandage it, keep it uncovered so it can breathe.
The next step would be to apply an aftercare product to your tattoo. Depending on what product your studio or artist recommends, this will be either a salve or a balm. Make sure to avoid anything with alcohol or vaseline, and steer clear of scents and colourings too.
Apply a thin amount of aftercare product, making sure to cover the entire tattoo. The average recommendation for re-applications goes between 2-4 times, depending on the size and complexity of the tattoo. Do this for the first few days to a week, and switch to a moisturizing cream or lotion after this.
Step 3 (Day 15 onwards)
It’s important to find the right balance between keeping your tattoo hydrated and avoiding over-saturation. When your tattoo starts to feel dry, apply a thin layer of the moisturizing cream, balm or lotion that you’ve chosen.
Make sure to avoid scratching your tattoo or picking at it wherever possible, too. It can be tempting to pick at a tattoo, but this can lead to infections or disruptions during healing. If you are struggling with itchiness or pain, search for a numbing cream.
Stay out of the sun, and avoid swimming until your tattoo is fully healed. There are specialist tattoo sunscreens, but these should only be used on healed tattoos.
The Products You Need To Buy To Establish A Great Aftercare Routine
There are a number of fantastic tattoo aftercare products on the market right now- and we’re proud to stock a wide range of aftercare products. It can be confusing to know where to start with purchasing aftercare, though, which is why we’ve gathered our recommendations in this list.
Some of the main products that you should look out for include;
- A good quality healing cream. To start off with, having a good healing cream is an absolute must. Healing creams help to keep your tattoos moisturized and nourished, and they can have antibacterial properties, too. We’d suggest checking out this Zensa Healing Cream – it has brilliant reviews.
- A soothing tattoo salve. Tattoo salves are one of the most important things that you can have to keep your tattoo in good condition. Out of all the products that we stock, we’d recommend this one by Tattoo Goo.
- A cleansing tattoo soap. There are a lot of specialized tattoo soaps on the market right now, and it can be very helpful to have one at your disposal. Tattoo Goo is a brilliant brand to check out for products like these.
- A topical tattoo cleanser. Having a good tattoo cleanser on hand is great for keeping your tattoo clean and in good condition. We’d personally recommend this tattoo cleanser by PurKlenz. It’s moisturizing, soothing and very effective.
Of course, this list is not exhaustive. Other products, like specialized tattoo sunscreens are worth looking into too.
In Summary
To sum up, if you’re getting a tattoo soon then do make sure to think about how you are going to care for it afterwards. While tattoo aftercare might not seem like the most fascinating aspect of getting tattooed, it is one of the most important. Make sure to follow your artist’s advice, and to contact them if any issues arise.
Want to find out more about the latest products on the market? We’ve got you covered. We are proud to stock professional tattoo equipment and aftercare, to suit both artists and clients alike. Take a look at our full website here to learn more, and feel free to email us at support@tattoomachineequipment.com to ask any questions.