How to Care for Your Tattoo

The First Day: Leave bandage on for at least four hours, overnight if you received the tattoo late before your sleep time. Make sure you can wash your tattoo when you remove the bandage. Hand wash it, no cloths or sponges, using warm water & soap. Use water to soak off any of the bandage that sticks. Do not Bandage. Wash tattoo at least twice a day while it is healing. Let tattoo dry out for one day, you may wash it to keep it clean during this time, after, start applying skin/hand conditioning lotion or lightly massage A&D ointment into tattoo.

Some people have been known to develop an allergy to Bacitracin, Triple antibiotic and other ointments may contain it. We do not recommend it. Nor do we recommend plain Vaseline. Lotions are safest in warm weather. Keeping it moist will speed the healing process, but your tattoo needs to breathe. Heavy application of petroleum based ointments can suffocate the tattoo and cause a rash. You can wet your tattoo, but don't soak in the tub or shower for a long time while it is healing.

If you work under very dirty conditions or have to wear tight clothes, you can tape dry paper towel over your tattoo. Try to wear loose clothing around your tattoo. It is normal for your tattoo to flake off tiny pieces of colored skin while it is healing, but you don't want to force it. So…Do not ever rub or scratch or pick your tattoo! You can smack it if it itches too much.

Wash your tattoo more often if you work near grease, chemicals, dirt, or if you got your tattoo in or near a high-bacteria area such as the armpit, buttocks, or genitals. Do not expose tattoo to chlorine, salt, alcohol or sun for 10 days. Be careful with lotions containing excessive alcohol.

Only expose tattoo to long periods of sun after it is fully healed and then with a strong sunscreen applied, so as to protect it from the fading effects of radiation. Tattoos normally take 7-10 days to heal.While many tattoos are given with success, there are some that do not have such a happy outcome. There are risks of getting a tattoo that cannot be discounted. Any type of problems that may arise as a result of getting a tattoo will likely have to be handled with the help of a licensed physician. This may include medication to treat any illness or infection that may occur. In addition to the immediate concerns, there may be a later need for a physician if the tattoo recipient should later decide to have it removed. In this scenario, the only way to remove a tattoo is through surgery.

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