When Can You Stop Washing Your Tattoo?

When Can You Stop Washing Your Tattoo
The first wash – After usually no less than 5 hours, it is safe to remove the bandage and wash the tattoo. After thorough hand-washing, a person can gently wash the tattoo with hypoallergenic soap and warm water using their fingers. The moisturizer on the skin will come off, and the tattoo may appear as if it is oozing ink or a thick, sticky substance.

  • This reaction is not usually a cause for concern, as it is just the excess fluid and ink from the tattoo process;
  • After washing, a person should pat the skin with a clean paper towel and allow it to air-dry for up to an hour;

When the area is completely dry, they can apply a thin layer of moisturizer to the tattoo, but leave it uncovered to allow the skin to breathe.

When can I stop constantly washing my tattoo?

Download Article Download Article Taking good care of your new tattoo right after you get it will help it heal quickly and stay vibrant. Keep the bandage that your tattoo artist applied on for at least a few hours before gently removing it, washing your tattoo with lukewarm water and antibacterial soap, then patting the skin dry. By keeping your skin evenly moisturized and clean, staying out of the sun, and avoiding picking or itching your new design, your tattoo will heal beautifully.

  1. 1 Leave the covering on for 2-3 hours. Once the tattoo is complete, your tattoo artist will clean the area, apply an antibacterial ointment and cover the tattoo with a bandage or plastic. Once you have left the tattoo parlor, resist the temptation to open the bandage. The bandage is there to protect your tattoo from dirt and bacteria and should be left on for up to 3 hours before you remove it. [1]
    • Since different tattoo artists have different methods of wrapping new tattoos, ask your tattoo artist when they recommend removing the bandage. Some artists may not wrap the tattoo at all, depending on the products and technique they use.
    • If you leave the bandage on longer than the artist suggests, you are more prone to infection and the ink may bleed.
  2. 2 Wash your hands before carefully removing the bandage. Washing your hands beforehand will help prevent your tattoo from getting infected when you go to touch it. To remove the bandage more easily, you can apply warm water to it to prevent the bandage from sticking to your skin. Pull the bandage off slowly and carefully so you don’t damage your new tattoo. [2]
    • Throw away the used bandage.

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  3. 3 Wash the tattoo with lukewarm water and antibacterial soap. Instead of soaking your tattoo in water, cup your hands together and scoop lukewarm water over it. Use a mild, unscented liquid antibacterial or antimicrobial soap to rub the tattoo gently with your fingers, removing all traces of blood, plasma, or leaked ink. [3]
    • Do not use a washcloth, loofah or any sponge to clean the tattoo, as these may harbor bacteria. Do not resume use of the items until the tattoo has healed completely.
    • Avoid holding the tattoo directly under the water—the stream of water from the faucet may be too harsh on your new tattoo.
  4. 4 Let the tattoo air dry or pat it dry with a clean paper towel. While it’s best to let your skin air dry after the tattoo has been cleaned, you can also use a clean, dry paper towel to gently blot the tattoo until it’s dry. Avoid rubbing the tattoo with the paper towel to avoid irritating your skin. [4]
    • Regular towels can irritate your tattoo or cause little bits of fluff to get stuck in them, so it’s best to only use a paper towel for drying.
  5. 5 Apply a non-scented antibacterial cream. Once your tattoo is fully dry, apply a little moisturizing ointment, preferably an all-natural aftercare, to the tattoo. Make sure to apply only a very thin layer and pat it in gently until it’s absorbed by the skin. If you’re not sure what kind of ointment to use, ask your tattoo artist what they recommend for your skin. [5]
    • Aquaphor is a good, recommended option for a moisturizer.
    • Don’t use petroleum-based products, such as Vaseline or Neosporin, as these are too heavy and may clog the pores.
    • Once your tattoo is clean and moisturized, avoid rewrapping it.
  6. 6 Listen to your tattoo artist’s advice. Your tattoo artist will explain how you should care for your tattoo immediately after getting it, so try to follow their instructions. The way they bandage your tattoo may be different from other tattoo artists, so take the advice they give you seriously to ensure your tattoo heals correctly. [6]
    • Write down the instructions they give you on a piece of paper or type them up on your phone so you don’t forget.
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  1. 1 Wash and moisturize your tattoo daily until the scabs are gone. You should continue to wash your tattoo 2-3 times a day with antibacterial soap and lukewarm water until it’s fully healed. This can take anywhere from 2 to 6 weeks, depending on the size and location of the tattoo. [7]
    • While moisturizing is important, be careful not to smother the tattoo in lotion or ointment—a thin layer is all you need.
    • Continue using an unscented mild soap when washing.
  2. 2 Avoid scratching or picking at your tattoo. As it heals, your tattoo will start to scab over, which is normal. Let the scabs dry out and fall off by themselves, and don’t speed up the process by picking or scratching at the scabs. This can cause the scabs to fall off too soon, which can leave holes or light spots on the tattoo. [8]
    • Dry, scabbing or peeling skin can become very itchy, but scratching at your tattoo may also cause scabs to fall off.
    • Keep using moisturizing ointment to combat itchiness if it is a problem.
  3. 3 Keep your tattoo out of direct sunlight. The harsh rays of the sun may cause your skin to blister and bleach some of the colors from your tattoo. For this reason, it is best to keep your tattoo covered and away from the sun for at least 3 to 4 weeks until the initial healing is complete. [9]
    • Once your tattoo is healed, you’ll want to wear sunscreen to prevent the tattoo from fading.
  4. 4 Avoid soaking the tattoo in water. Until your tattoo is fully healed, don’t swim in a pool or the ocean. Avoid soaking in the bathtub as well. Exposing your tattoo to lots of water can pull the ink out of your skin and do damage to the tattoo’s appearance. The water may also be carrying dirt, bacteria, or other chemicals that can infect your tattoo. [10]
    • It will be safe to resume these activities once your tattoo is healed, but for now you should stick to rinsing your tattoo in the sink or shower.
  5. 5 Wear clean, loose-fitting clothing to avoid irritating your tattoo. Try not to wear tight or restrictive clothing on the area with your new tattoo, especially at first. As your tattoo heals, it will seep plasma and excess ink, which may cause the clothing to stick to the tattoo. The clothing will then be painful to remove and may rip off any freshly formed scabs. [11]
    • If your clothing does stick to your tattoo, do not pull! First wet the area with water, which should loosen the clothing to where it can be removed without damaging your tattoo.
    • Tight clothing will prevent enough oxygen from getting to your tattoo, and oxygen is essential for the healing process.
  6. 6 Wait for your tattoo to heal before doing strenuous workouts. If the tattoo covers a large surface area or is near your joints (such as elbows and knees), it may take longer to heal if the skin is forced to move around too much during physical activity. The movement will cause the skin to crack and become irritated, prolonging the healing process. [12]
    • If you work in a job that involves physical activity, such as construction or dance, you may want to consider having your new tattoo done right before you have a day or 2 off so it has time to heal before you return to work.
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When can you stop using antibacterial soap on tattoo?

Immediate Aftercare: – Your artist will most likely have tips that may vary, so listen to their advice first. They’re the artist who knows how to care for their particular tattooing techniques the best, but here are a few basics.

  1. Leave your bandage or tattoo covering on for one to three hours after your tattoo is finished. Your artist will instruct you on exactly how long to keep the bandage there. This process is collecting a lot of the goop, blood, and even ink from the fresh tattoo, so keep it on! You don’t want to ruin any new clothes or overly expose it at first.
  2. Make sure to wash your new tattoo several times a day with a soft, non-scented, antibacterial soap (Dial Soap Gold is a great brand to use) to keep it clean and avoid potential infection. Make sure to do this for two to three weeks or until the tattoo is more or less healed. Remember, never touch your tattoo unless you have just washed your hands!
  3. For the first few days (we suggest three days) after washing the tattoo make sure to apply an ointment to keep it hydrated. Great ointments to use that can be picked up at a drug store are A+D or Aquaphor. Use this sparingly! A thin layer is better than drowning the tattoo in goo and will help it heal faster.
  4. After the first few days of using ointment switch to a non-scented lotion after you wash your tattoo. Aveeno is a great brand available at drug stores and comes in both large bottles as well as convenient travel sizes, which are perfectly sized to fit in your pocket or purse.
  5. For the first two weeks avoid wearing tight clothing that might rub up against your tattoo as well as sleeping on your tattoo so you don’t agitate the healing process.
  6. While the tattoo is healing avoid going into large bodies of water (pool, ocean, hot tubs, etc. ), the gym or activities that lead to excessive amounts of sweating, and exposure to the sun for the first two weeks. This could damage the tattoo in the healing process. Showers are fine as long as they are quick and not overly hot. You don’t want to burn your new ink!
  7. Continue this process until the tattoo is healed, and remember, don’t pick, peal or scratch any scabbing or hard layers. These hard layers are normal and picking them off could damage or remove color.

How many days do I wash my new tattoo?

The moment you remove your bandage you must follow this schedule: Wash your new tattoo every couple of hours for 3 days. That means: Wash, dry and apply ointment. Remember to use hot water (the hotter the better), and yes, I know that can be rather uncomfortable.

How do I know my tattoo is healed?

You will know that your tattoo is completely healed when there are no scabs, the texture of your skin where the tattoo was placed is the same as a similar surface of skin, and the colors on your tattoo are no longer faded.

Can you wash tattoo too much?

Moisturize  – Washing your skin often, especially with antibacterial soap, can cause excessive drying. We want to avoid drying out our skin too much because dry skin heals slower than moisturized skin. Each time you’ve washed your tattoo, put your choice of moisturizing, fragrance-free lotion on the area.

Don’t use a lotion that you share or have dipped your fingers into many times. The best tattoo lotion I’ve ever personally used is a vegan aftercare product called  After Inked Tattoo Aftercare Lotion. This stuff works amazingly well during the healing process; not only by keeping your tattoo really well hydrated but also by soothing any annoying itching and irritation.

When using it from the very start of the healing process, this lotion will help to decrease tattoo healing times and work towards eliminating any lingering dryness and scabbing. Ensure the area is completely dry before applying the lotion as you don’t want any water becoming trapped underneath it. When Can You Stop Washing Your Tattoo A bubbling tattoo.

When can I start washing my tattoo with regular soap?

The first wash – After usually no less than 5 hours, it is safe to remove the bandage and wash the tattoo. After thorough hand-washing, a person can gently wash the tattoo with hypoallergenic soap and warm water using their fingers. The moisturizer on the skin will come off, and the tattoo may appear as if it is oozing ink or a thick, sticky substance.

This reaction is not usually a cause for concern, as it is just the excess fluid and ink from the tattoo process. After washing, a person should pat the skin with a clean paper towel and allow it to air-dry for up to an hour.

When the area is completely dry, they can apply a thin layer of moisturizer to the tattoo, but leave it uncovered to allow the skin to breathe.

What happens if you forget to clean your tattoo?

REGULAR TATTOO AFTERCARE INSTRUCTIONS –

  • Wash thoroughly with a mild antibacterial soap. Avoid scents, exfoliating beads, loofahs, washcloths; really anything abrasive.
  • Rinse, wash, repeat until it’s clean. The first wash is sometimes painful, but it’s SO IMPORTANT.
  • Pat dry with a clean towel or let your tattoo air dry.
  • Once dry, apply a very SMALL amount of moisturizing ointment. We recommend Redemption, Aquaphor, or basic white hand lotion.
  • Wash again 1-3 times a day. After each wash, apply a small amount of ointment.
  • After 3-5 days the tattoo will be flakey and may have scabbing.
  • At the 3-5 day mark, wash your tattoo once a day, and apply lotion 2-3 times a day – not ointment.
  • If it scabs, let the scabs do their thing – don’t pick, scratch, or bump any scabs.
  • After 2-3 weeks, the tattoo should be healed.

THINGS TO AVOID FOR THE FIRST 2-3 WEEKS

  • Do not submerge in water. No swimming, no baths, no hot-tubs – showering is okay (please shower).
  • Do not scratch that itchy tattoo. Seriously. Instead try patting it or washing it and reapplying lotion.
  • Do not workout if the workout feels like it is pulling on or squeezing the tattoo.
  • Do not tan or spray tan.
  • Do not touch the tattoo (or let others touch the tattoo) with unwashed hands. Also, that’s just gross in general. Please wash your hands.

THINGS WORTH NOTING

  • Although performed in a clean environment with single use and/or sterile equipment, tattoos begin as open wounds and it is possible to get them infected. Touching your tattoo with unwashed hands increases your risk for infection. Avoid germy people/places/things.
  • In general bacteria enjoys a dark, warm, wet environment. Try not to provide that. Let your tattoo breathe, and don’t smother it in moisturizers.
  • If you see redness all around the tattoo and it is painful, please stop using any moisturizers, and call us so we can see the tattoo in person.
  • If you see just redness and tightness around a scabby area and no red around the rest of the tattoo, that is normal. Scabs shrink once formed/dry and can pull on surrounding skin.
  • If black or colored ink is flaking off and the color under the flake is different, that is normal. Expect more.
  • If you miss a few chances to wash it or moisturize it, don’t worry. Your body is completely capable of healing it without any help.

How often do I moisturize my tattoo?

How Often Should You Moisturize Your Tattoo? – Professional tattoo artists always recommended one moisturizes their tattoo(s) once or twice a day. The best way to moisturize a tattoo is by doing it in the morning and in the evening. It is also important to apply lotion or ointment after taking a shower, to protect the tattoo from drying out.

Note : Make sure to wait between 10 and 20 minutes to apply lotion/ointment onto the tattoo after a shower. In that time, the tattoo will dry naturally, so when you do apply a moisturizer, it will soak into the skin nicely.

By applying lotion onto a wet tattoo, you’re risking overdoing it.

Can I have a bath 3 weeks after a tattoo?

– Nope. Your tattoo is an open wound, and soaking in water could expose it to bacteria and increase the risk of infection. Soaking can also dry out the skin, leading to cracking and making it more susceptible to infection and scarring. You need to avoid submerging your tattoo in water or keeping it wet for a prolonged period of time.

Can a tattoo heal in 2 weeks?

– The healing process is different for every person and tattoo. Most sources indicate that tattoos generally take about 2 weeks to heal. However, it may take up to 4 weeks for the skin to fully recover. Some complications may prolong the healing process. The following is what a person can typically expect.

Is it better to let a tattoo dry heal?

– Tattoo dry healing is an acceptable part of a tattoo aftercare routine as long as you follow all other aftercare instructions closely. Not taking extra care of your tattoo can lead to scabbing or scarring. And if you’re concerned that dry healing won’t work for you, feel free to use a safe, chemical-free moisturizer to prevent any reactions or interactions with your skin or the tattoo ink.

How can I speed up my tattoo healing?

When Can You Stop Washing Your Tattoo Mar 26, 2021 | brookline agency Do you want to know how to speed up tattoo healing ? We’ve got some bad news and some good news. The bad news for anyone looking for a ‘magic bullet’ is that there is no way around the inevitable healing period you’ll go through after you get a tattoo. No matter what steps you take, you’ll likely have a few weeks with potential irritation, itching, redness, and scabbing.

  • But here’s the good news : you can take some steps that may make this healing period shorter and more comfortable;
  • There are ways to reduce redness, cut down on itching, manage scabs, and fight irritation before it starts;

Having the right plan for how to speed up tattoo healing can mean a big difference in how you feel those few weeks. This may be especially important for those people getting many tattoos, or for those getting large tattoos that require multiple sessions. Here are our top tips for how to speed up tattoo healing:

  1. Start before you get your tattoo. Before the first drop of ink touches your skin, you have the ability to help control how well your tattoo healing process goes. There are products available that you can use during your tattoo session, with the power to reduce redness, irritation, and itchiness.
  2. Follow directions. Although it’s tempting to take your bandage off the minute you walk out of your tattoo artist’s studio, remember that the best way to speed up tattoo healing is to follow the experts’ advice. If your tattoo artist tells you to leave the bandage on for 3 hours – do that.
    • Not only that, but the right product can numb your skin so that you significantly reduce the discomfort associated with getting a tattoo;
    • True tattoo professionals know more than how to ink a great tattoo;

    They are experts in how to manage the healing process as well.

  3. Keep the tattoo clean. A dirty tattoo will only slow down and possibly derail your tattoo healing process. If you allow dirt or germs to get into the open wounds created by the thousands of tiny needle pricks, you’re increasing your chances of infection. It’s important to be gentle with your tattoo when you wash, but at the same time, you want to ensure you’re washing the area well.
  4. Know the “no-no’s”. There are certain things to avoid when you’re looking for how to speed up tattoo healing.
    • he first thing to avoid is the sun. Although your instinct may be to slather sunscreen on your tattoo, this is one of the few times you’ll hear professionals say NO sunscreen. You’ll want to wait until your tattoo is fully healed before applying sunscreen. Instead, keep your tattoo out of the sun by staying indoors, in the shade, or by wearing loose-fitting clothing that covers your tattoo.
    • The second no-no on our list when you want to speed up tattoo healing is water. Short showers are fine, but do not take baths, go swimming, or otherwise immerse your tattoo in water during the healing process.
    • The third one we’ll warn you about is picking your scabs. If you’re dealing with an itchy tattoo, and annoying scabs are forming, it is a very natural instinct to pick at it. But it’s so important not to touch your tattoo at this stage. Picking at scabs can make them fall off before they’re ready. This not only prolongs the healing process, but can also cause permanent damage to your tattoo.

When Can You Stop Washing Your Tattoo The few weeks it takes your tattoo to heal can seem like an eternity while you’re itching (pun intended!) to show off your ink and get past any healing or irritation. While you can’t skip this phase completely, there are ways you can be proactive in speeding up tattoo healing. If you’re interested in learning more about products that can help with the tattoo healing process, as well as those that can numb the skin for a significantly more comfortable tattoo experience, visit our store here. When Can You Stop Washing Your Tattoo.