A tattoo on the body speaks loads about your attitude, and the way you care for it speaks even more. The tattoo has to look like an aesthetic design on your glowing skin. It should leave no marks, cause no irritation, and do not trouble you in any way. For this, the process begins immediately after you get a tattoo. The newer the tattoo, the more prone it is for infections. Since the tattoos are done using needles, itâs obvious that good care need to be taken so that the tattoo heals faster. Here are some tips to take care of your tattoo.
1. Wiping it clear
The tattooing involves piercing of needles in quick succession. In all the cases, the process leads to oozing out of fluid from the tattooed part. As any professional tattoo artist would suggest, you should wipe out the fluid regularly instead of leaving the tattoo unattended to dry out. This would help in speeding up the process of healing and also retain the tattoo in the shape and color that itâs made.
2. First two hours after tattooing
A healing ointment is necessary to speed up the process of healing. It also forms a protective layer over the tattoo, thus preventing infections that are common in wounds. Talk to your tattoo artist about the type of ointment you should apply on the tattooed skin. The secret to having a glowing sharp tattoo is not to let scab form over it. Formation of scab may distort the shape of the tattoo and can also destruct its color. Usually, when the fluids stop oozing, tattoo artists apply ointment on the tattoo and place a bandage over it so that you reach your home without exposing the tattoo. It helps the process of healing and protects the tattoo from getting infected due to dust particles etc. Donât let the bandage be on the wound for long. This must be removed within 2 hours. Prefer staying away from direct sun light, dusty areas, etc. for a while when you remove the bandage.
3. Buying a good ointment
The secret to proper healing lies in selecting the right ointment. Usually tattoo artists recommend Bacitracin or Neosporin. However, if you are allergic to zinc, etc. it is better to go for A&D ointment. Always talk to your tattoo professional before zeroing on an ointment.
4. Using the ointment
When you remove the bandage, wait for a few minutes to see if the fluid is oozing out. If it does, wipe it, and apply the ointment. Donât leave the fluid oozing out. It would lead to formation of scab. You may have to repeat the process of wiping and reapplying every 20-25 minutes for the first few hours. Itâs fine. Do it!
Youâll see that the fluid droplets stop appearing after 6-7 applications. This might vary from person to person. If you still see the fluid appearing, you may need to continue to applying the ointment for a longer duration, but make sure you donât stop the process. Keep applying ointment till it is healed completely.
When the tattoo starts healing, a process that generally begins in two days, you can reduce the frequency of applications to 4-5 times a day, then 2-3 times and then stop after around 6 days.
5. Protecting against infection
While it is advisable to stay away from the infection causing agents for whole one day, depending on the healing you can continue your work too. However, you do need to make sure that anything that can bear any sort of infection agents does not touch your tattoo area. So be careful while you play, work, travel, or during any other activity for the first 4-5 days. Remember, your tattoo should be dry and clean all the time. Even while applying ointment, make sure that your hands are washed and the finger tips are clean. Do not cover it. Apply ointment around 4-5 times for around 5 days, starting the second day of getting a tattoo.
6. Keeping it moisturized
Moisturized skin heals faster than dry skin. This does not mean that youâd hydrate it. Remember you have to keep it away from water. Wetting the tattoo may cause infection in pre-healed condition, so you can apply a little Vaseline to avoid wetting the tattooed skin totally, and wipe it out after bathing. And yes, do not wash the tattoo within one day of getting it, in any case. It would further prolong the healing. Apply a good quality moisturizer to the tattooed area 4-5 times so that the tattoo does not dry.