Most people get tattooed to express themselves, to commemorate an important life event or as a daily reminder of something meaningful.Getting inked can be a major decision of your life because its permanent and you don’t want to go wrong with it. It’s important that you think about it and be responsible for it when you decide to get a tattoo. What is equally important is to know how to take care of your tattoo. A tattoo is like a fresh wound on your skin and if you do not take care of your tattoo you might end up with a serious skin infection.Here are some tips which will help you care for your tattoo.
- Listen and follow the instructions given to you by your tattoo artist. A few of them may give you printed advice which you can take home.
- Your tattoo artist should apply a layer of petroleum jelly over your tattoo after its done and then cover it with a bandage to avoid rubbing with clothes and bacterial infection. Keep the dressing on for at least 2-5 hours since it will absorb any sort of fluid or excess ink oozing from the fresh wound.
- After a few hours, gently remove the bandage and wash your tattoo using lukewarm water and a mild soap.
- Pat dry your tattooed skin using a soft cloth and apply a thin layer of unscented cream. A plethora of tattoo aftercare products are available in the market. Make sure to use a good quality cream or buy the one recommended by your tattoo artist. After this step you should leave your tattoo open and let the skin over there breathe for a bit. You should repeat the above mentioned cleaning procedure at least three to four times a day.
- While the skin over your tattoo is healing, make sure to keep it dry. You can take your regular showers but avoid spending too much time in water.
- Avoid exposure to direct sunlight especially when your tattoo is healing. Wear sun protective clothes when you are stepping out. Do not apply sunscreen on a healing tattoo.Do not wear tight clothes over your tattoo when it is healing. Even after your tattoo has healed, keep it protected from sunlight. You may apply sunscreen on a healed tattoo if you are going out in the sun in order to avoid fading of the tattoo colour.
- The healing time of a tattoo varies depending on the size and intricacy of the tattoo. It may range from a week, for a simple design, to a few months for a larger pattern. You should keep it clean and moisturised and diligently follow the aftercare instructions till complete healing takes place.
- The raw skin over you tattoo might feel a little itchy when it is healing. Do not itch the area of this happens. Instead gently pat the area to get relief. Also there might slight scabbing or flaking of the skin when the tattoo heals. Do not pick the area since this may lead to fading of the tattoo ink.
- If your skin itches excessively, becomes red and raised or if it bleeds for more than one day then get in touch with your tattoo artist and seek medical advice immediately.
- With time, if your tattoo starts to fade then get a touch up done by your tattoo artist who should do it for you for free.
So, these were a few tips on how to take care of your tattoo. Make sure to follow them religiously in order to keep your tattoo in pristine condition.