What Do You Put On A Fresh Tattoo?
Aftercare for Your Tattoo – So, how can you make sure that new tattoo is something you don’t end up regretting? Follow these steps while your new tattoo heals.
- Be sure your artist covers your new tattoo in a thin layer of petroleum jelly and a bandage.
- Remove the bandage after 24 hours. Gently wash the tattoo with antimicrobial soap and water and be sure to pat dry.
- Apply a layer of antibacterial/Vaseline ointment twice a day, but don’t put on another bandage.
- Gently wash your tattoo area twice a day with soap and water and gently pat dry before reapplying the antibacterial/Vaseline ointment.
- Keep applying a moisturizer or ointment after you clean it to keep it moist.
You should repeat this process for 2 to 4 weeks. Also try not to wear clothes that will stick to your tattoo, and avoid swimming and the sun for about 2 weeks. And take cool showers. Scalding hot water will not only hurt, but it can also fade the ink. Wear a physical blocker sunscreen with at least 7% zinc oxide sunscreen during the daylight hours and/or cover it up (with clothing, a bandage).
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What kind of ointment do you put on tattoos?
– Use a mild, fragrance-free soap or a specially formulated tattoo cleanser to clean the area. Your tattoo artist can recommend a tattoo-specific cleanser. Soap options include the following products, which you can buy online:
- Dove Sensitive Skin Beauty Bar
- Liquid Neutrogena
- Dial Gold Antibacterial Deodorant Bar Soap (although this soap isn’t fragrance-free, tattoo artists often recommend it)
For the first day or two, use an ointment like A+D Original Ointment or Aquaphor Healing Ointment or the product recommended by your tattoo artist to help the tattoo heal. It’s best to avoid products that are 100 percent petroleum-based, like Vaseline. The American Academy of Dermatology says that petroleum-based products can cause the ink to fade. However, there’s one exception: Authority Tattoo says that Vaseline may be helpful while showering.
Because Vaseline is nonporous (watertight), you can apply it to your tattoo before you step into the shower so that it can protect the area from getting sprayed with water. It’s also been noted that Vaseline may be helpful on healed tattoos or the skin surrounding the tattoo if it’s exceptionally dry.
Just apply a thin layer. Putting on too thick of a layer won’t allow your skin to breathe. After about 2 days, you can switch to a regular moisturizer. Some products that you can buy online include:
- Lubriderm Daily Moisture Fragrance-Free Lotion
- Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Body Lotion for Dry Skin
- Curél Fragrance-Free Lotion
- Eucerin Intensive Repair Lotion
Whatever you choose, make sure it’s fragrance-free and alcohol-free. Also make sure it doesn’t contain additives, such as colored dye, that could dry out your skin. When properly cared for, your tattoo can be as brilliant as one of these inspiring breast cancer tattoos.
What is the best cream to put on a new tattoo?
Aquaphor Advanced Therapy Healing Ointment Aquaphor’s Advanced Therapy Healing Ointment is easily one of the most widely used treatments for tattoo aftercare, as myriad artists swear by it.
What should you not put on a new tattoo?
Can I put Vaseline on my tattoo?
– The first 24 hours after getting a tattoo are critical to your aftercare. Your tattoo artist may advise that you wear special bandages for added protection. After a few days, you may be able to safely take showers, but you’ll still need to avoid submerging the tattoo in water when bathing.
While your tattoo is bandaged, this may allow for a very small window for using Vaseline too, since your tattoo is already covered. However, you’ll want to verify this with your tattoo artist first. Generally, there’s no need for Vaseline on a new tattoo whatsoever.
Once your bandages are off, you’ll want to stay away from Vaseline during the healing process, too. You may be able to use Vaseline on a newer tattoo only after it’s completely healed. The only use for petroleum jelly on your tattoo is for extremely dry skin around the area.
What do you do first 24 hours after a tattoo?
How soon after a tattoo can you shower?
How Soon After a Tattoo Can I Shower? – Your first shower after a new tattoo can be the day after you got the tattoo. That could be between 12 and 48 hours. Sometimes, the tattoo becomes messy after a night of oozing blood and ink. In order for the tattoo to start healing properly, you need to give it a light wash with antibacterial soap and lukewarm water.
After 48 hours, your tattoo should be good for water exposure, but only once or twice a day. During the first week, it is essential not to expose the tattoo to the water for longer periods. This will prevent the tattoo from drying and forming a new skin layer.
In such a case, your tattoo could get infected. Note : we also recommend you avoid sweat-inducing activities, like working out, jogging, etc. Sweat carries bacteria that can infect the tattoo. Furthermore, sweating prevents the tattoo from drying out, which could also lead to an infection.
Should I moisturize my tattoo the first day?
You should start moisturizing your tattoo as soon as it starts to dry — not before. This can generally take about 1–3 days after you got your tattoo. Be sure to wash and dry your tattoo with antibacterial soap and choose the appropriate moisturizer as well.
If you’re new to tattoos, we recommend that you educate yourself on the complete healing process. We go into detail on the precautions you need to take, how to get the job done, and how often to moisturize.
If you’re a tattoo-head, it might be worth your while to get a refresher, as well.
What can ruin a tattoo?
Should I cover my tattoo at night?
This info should guide you through the care of healing your tattoo, but if you have any other questions while it is healing, do not hesitate to contact your artist directly or call the shop for immediate reply. There are no stupid questions about healing.
– After your tattoo is completed, your artist will bandage your tattoo for your trip home. Leave the bandage on for one to three hours. When you take the bandage off, wash it with very warm water (as hot as is comfortable) and mild liquid hand soap (like Dr.
Bronner’s, Dial or Softsoap, just no perfumed or exfoliating body washes). Pat it dry gently with a paper towel, and let it air dry the rest of the way (never scrub the tattoo with a towel or sponge). Then you will apply a very small amount of Aquaphor Ointment or plain, unscented skin lotion (we recommend Aveeno, Lubriderm, Curel, or any of their generics) to the tattoo, just enough to lightly moisturize.
- Your first night sleeping, your artist might recommend you re-wrap the tattoo with plastic wrap (like Saran Wrap) to sleep without the tattoo sticking to your sheets. This is generally for larger or solid-color tattoos. If your artist did not recommend re-wrapping, just let the tattoo stay exposed to air overnight.
- Every day from then on, you will wash the tattoo in the morning and at night, and apply lotion 3 times a day or so, or whenever the tattoo feels dry or tight.
- Always wash your hands before touching the tattoo.
- DO NOT apply Vaseline, Neosporin, Bacitracin or any other medicated or perfumed product to your tattoo.
- After a few days, the tattoo will form a thin scab over it, and in about a week the scab will begin to flake off in the shower. DO NOT pick or scratch at the scab, just keep it clean and moist and the scabs will all fall off by themselves in about two weeks. Picking any of the scabs off will cause faded color and damage to the skin.
During healing do NOT:
- Wrap the tattoo after the first night (wearing breathable clothes over it is fine as long as they are not causing friction. (Keeping tattoos wrapped in plastic or bandages will stop air from getting to the tattoo, slow healing, and make gross stuff grow in there. )
- Submerge the tattoo in water. This means baths, pools and oceans. Regular showering is fine.
- Expose it to strong sunlight (Like outdoor activities or beach days. Walking to your car is fine)
- Shave over the tattoo (ouch!)
When all the scabs fall off and the skin feels smooth again to the touch, it is all healed and you can shave over it again, and swim and everything else. Sometimes after the scab falls off there is a secondary shiny, raised or waxy coat over the tattoo. This is just another healing layer of skin. Continue to moisturize it and it will smooth out by itself over time. If you have any questions about your tattoo while its healing you are always welcome to come by the shop and have us check it out, or email the artist who did the tattoo with “AFTERCARE” in the subject line for an immediate response.
- Do not slather a big, thick coat of product over it; just enough for it to stay moist and flexible;
- If you are using Aquaphor, you can switch to a plain lotion after the first few days;
- Lotion is generally fine for everyone, your artist will recommend if you would benefit from ointment;
If something doesn’t look perfect After your tattoo is finished healing, we’ll do our best to make it right. Sometimes with excessive scabbing, or other unpredictable reactions during healing, your skin can reject some ink, leaving a “light spot” that is closer to your skin color in the tattoo (or a line might get thinner or lighter in one spot).
- This is common as its unlikely your body will accept every spot of pigment uniformly, so just contact your artist via email after your tattoo is finished healing with a photo to see if a small touch up is in order;
Unless you were negligent during the care of your tattoo, touch-ups are very minor and quick, and guaranteed by our artists if you contact them about it within 3 months of getting the tattoo. Because older tattoos that have settled in fully and aged require more work to make uniform, we suggest coming in as soon as possible when it’s healed, as touch ups are performed for a fee at the artist’s discretion after 3 months.
Can I use coconut oil on my tattoo?
– Coconut oil is gentle enough to use during any stage of the tattoo process. You can apply it to new tattoos, old ones, or even those that are undergoing removal or retouching. This can prove beneficial if you have more than one tattoo, or if you’re thinking about getting additional ink in the near future.
Is coconut oil good for tattoos?
The Final Takeaway – Because of its moisturizing properties and vitamins that are good for your skin, coconut oil is ultimately more than safe to apply to your tattoo. It’s a natural, inexpensive way to heal your tattoo and keep it looking healthy and vibrant for years to come..
How long do tattoos take to heal?
After getting a tattoo, the outer layer of skin (the part you can see) will typically heal within 2 to 3 weeks. While it may look and feel healed, and you may be tempted to slow down on the aftercare, it can take as long as 6 months for the skin below a tattoo to truly heal.
Can u use Neosporin on tattoos?
When it comes time to get a new tattoo, the right aftercare is as equally as important finding a reputable tattoo artist. A fresh tattoo is most vulnerable within the first few days: You are basically trying to heal wounded skin while also preventing ink distortion.
This requires moisture while also allowing the tattoo to get air. You might have an arsenal of products for wounds lying around in your medicine cabinet, including Neosporin. While appropriate for minor cuts and burns, Neosporin is not a good choice for a new tattoo because it can interfere with the natural healing process.
Read on to learn what makes this common first aid product a poor choice for fresh body ink , and what you should use instead.
Is Aquaphor or A&D better for tattoo healing?
Here’s What You Need to Buy: – There are tons of fancy tattoo care products on the market, but most tattoo artists will recommend three things: Aquaphor healing ointment, unscented Lubriderm lotion, and Dial antibacterial liquid soap. There’s plenty of debate about whether Aquaphor or A&D Ointment are better for the first few days.
Honestly, it doesn’t matter, because they both work perfectly fine. I have used both, but Aquaphor is definitely my first choice. It spreads on easier and it doesn’t clog the pores as much. I like to buy the miniature multipacks so I can keep one at work and one at home.
It’s also recommended that you switch to an unscented lotion after three days or so. Lubriderm is most artists’ lotion of choice because it’s gentle but effective at moisturizing. When it comes to soap, some people swear by H20cean’s green soap , and some love to use Dr.
Is A&D ointment good for a new tattoo?
Modern Healing Advice – A&D ointment ($14)—mostly prescribed for diaper rash—tops the list of recommended tattoo aftercare topicals. A&D contains both Vitamin A and D (hence the name) to treat abrasions and minor wounds. They also keep the skin supple and naturally protect it from outside organisms.
A&D’s one downfall is that it will not prevent infection due to its lack of antibacterial properties. But healthy individuals need not worry—a clean tattoo is a healthy tattoo and infection-fighting ointments are really just more of a precaution than a necessity.
Almost all artists recommend using a moisturizing lotion after letting your tattoo heal for a few days. Some actually advise using nothing but lotion from day one. But this is where it gets tricky, as different brands of moisturizers contain different ingredients, some of which can harm your new tattoo or cause a reaction.
- Look at the ingredients list and stay away from lotions that contain lanolin (a natural oil that comes from sheep’s wool), if you’re allergic to wool;
- Steer clear of unpurified beeswax, an emulsifying agent, which may clog pores and suffocate your healing skin;
And dyes and fragrances are an all-around bad idea for putting on an open wound anyway. Key Ingredients Lanolin is an oil produced by sheep and can be found in their shorn wool. It has been classified as an emollient, which means that it traps in moisture and reduces the skin’s overall moisture loss.
A generally safe bet for tattoo aftercare lotions are botanical-based creams and salves (look for ones with healing comfrey root) found at your local health food store. Lastly, specially made tattoo aftercare products, like Tattoo Goo ($8) are popping up like weeds.
Some artists highly recommend them while some say they’re a waste of money. But these newfangled creams do more than just heal your tattoo—a few contain sunblock and pain reducers—so it’s impossible to know what to choose. Check to see if your local artist carries a preferable product before purchasing something random online.
When it comes right down to it, following the recommendations of your local studio is always best. After all, they’re the professionals. If you’re susceptible to allergic reactions, have your tattoo artist provide a few alternatives for you.
Discontinue use immediately if you experience problems with any skincare product. And don’t be stingy when it comes to buying an expensive cream. Your tattoo will last you a lifetime, especially if you take good care of it..
What is the best antibacterial ointment for tattoos?
Apply a thin layer of antibiotic ointment such as Bacitracin™ Zinc Oxide ointment, Neosporin™ or Vitamin A&D ointment. After 5 days, substitute a gentle fragrance-free and color-free body lotion.
