Tattoo Cleaning - Fresh Tattoo and Showering
So you did some soul searching and found that
perfect design or had an artist draw it for you. You found the
perfect tattoo artist and the ink has been laid down. So what do you
do over the next couple of weeks?
Good tattoo artists will clean the tattoo after each session and
apply antiseptic ointment to your tattoo. Expert tattoo artists know
that this helps keep your tattoo healthy until the original
protective bandage is removed. After that it it up to you!
1) Remove the bandage applied by the tattoo artist.
After finishing your tattoo, most artists will wash the area with
mild soap, apply an antiseptic ointment, and cover your tattoo with
a bandage to help prevent infection. Depending on the size of your
tattoo, this bandage may be gauze, medical bandaging, or even
plastic wrap.
This bandage should be removed after 4 to 6 hours. This will allow
your skin to breathe, which is essential for the tattoo's healing.
Showering with this bandage still in place can soak the bandage and
hold too much water against your tattoo.
2) Clean your tattoo with mild soap and water.
After removing the bandage, your tattoo will likely be covered with
adhesive, ointment, and dried blood. This mixture should be washed
away before you shower.
Use a very mild soap (such as liquid hand soap or dish soap) and
water to clean the tattoo. Use only your fingers to lightly massage
the soap onto your skin; do not use a cloth and do not scrub - this
can easily abrade your skin and result in scarring. Gently pat the
area dry with a cloth when finished.
3) Take a shower with your new tattoo. For the
first week or so - and especially the first day - after getting your
new tattoo, you will need to follow specific rules in the shower.
Run your shower with cool or lukewarm water. This is helpful for 2
reasons: it prevents the stinging pain that hot water would cause on
your fresh tattoo, and it prevents your pores from opening too wide.
Hot water will cause your skin's pores to open, which can lead to
loss of pigment. As an added precaution, consider running cold water
indirectly over your fresh tattoo for the last 30 seconds of your
shower to close your pores.
Do not allow the stream of water to hit your tattooed skin directly.
When rinsing, let the water wash over your tattoo indirectly. This
will help prevent scarring or puckering of your skin.
Take as brief a shower as possible. Your tattoo will heal better if
it is minimally exposed to steam, water, and soap. Hold your
tattooed skin out of the water as much as possible during the
shower.
4) Dry off after showering with your tattoo. After
showering, you should dry your tattoo as quickly as possible. Using
a clean towel, gently pat your tattooed skin dry. Do not use a
rubbing motion, and do not allow your tattoo to slowly air dry. Dry
the rest of your body as usual.
Many tattoo shops sell a tattoo goo of some sort. H2Ocean and others
may be fine, but they are not necessary. For each of my nine tattoos
I have used nothing but Curel Fragrence Free (about $4 at your local
drugstore). Many artists also recommend a tube of A&D ointment. A&D
ointment is meant to assist in the care of any abrasion which a
tattoo is. A&D will keep your tattoo clean and shiny and should be
used for the first few days. However, I still recommend the Curel -
from experience and because the moisture will alleviate much of the
itching and keep the skin moist.
Never rub the area too hard, or you could damage the healing
process. Applying the lotion with your hand and lightly working the
lotion all over with do the trick. The newest Curel product line has
a 24 hour time release formula that works really well. You will
notice that the area stays moist the entire day. However, I still
reapply the lotion lightly over the course of the day whenever
convenient. Applying after the morning shower, sometime midday, and
before bed will definitely keep the tattoo in good shape. This is
also why Curel does work for me - as you can rarely apply too much
lotion to the skin.
After 5 - 6 days, you could quit using the lotion, but judge by the
condition of the tattoo. One alternative is to use the A&D ointment
for the first 3-5 days to keep your tattoo healthy, and then move to
an unscented body lotion, such as the Curel for the next week. You
want to avoid body lotions that have scents, as they can easily
irritate the tender skin that resides under your tattoo.
After 9-14 days, you can stop using anything - your tattoo should be
healed. Some tattoos, after they have healed, may leave a scab in
some areas. If your tattoo has a scab, you should be careful and
never pick at it. If you aren’t careful, you could end up damaging
your design. The best thing to do is you have a scab is to leave it
alone. You can put A&D ointment on it if you want, as most of the
time a scab will itch.
For longevity remember to keep your tattoo protected with sunscreen
anytime it may be exposed in the outdoors. If you are often outdoors
or your tattoo is on an area that is always exposed, such as the
forearm, look for a daily lotion that has an inherent SPF. This will
provide some level of protection always while keeping the skin
moisturized.