How to care for your tattoo

A tattoo normally takes anywhere from 7 to 14 days to look fully healed, depending on the type, style, size and placement. Actually it can really take up to a month for a tattoo to be fully healed below the surface of the skin and for your body’s natural healing abilities to lock the ink in completely

1. BANDAGE-Remove bandage after 1-2 hours don’t take it off early to show people! It is still fresh and may bleed ever so slightly, and this is an important time which we want to keep it covered and clean from dirt and germs. There is NO need to reapply bandaging, it is really important to let the skin breath to aid in healing.
2. Clear plastic film is used to cover your fresh tattoo; Plastic wrap won’t stick to your new tattoo. Remove the plastic bandage ASAP, meaning that you really don’t want to go over a couple of hours with it on.
3. WASHING-Wash tattoo after removing bandage, try to wash with a CLEAN hand using your fingers to gently remove any ink or blood that has dried on the surface, and pat dry with clean soft cloth.
4. A and D tattoo cream helps you in the healing your fresh tattoo (Recommended by artist). Apply very thin layer of A&D after washing your tattoo. Wash your tattoo every 3 hours dry pat it and apply thin layer of A&D. . Keep your tattoo slightly moist. If you allow it to dry out it can lead to a thick scab formation and you don’t want that. Drying out your tattoo can cause it to slow the recovery procedure and could even harm the tattoo.. DO NOT OVERSATURATE your tattoo! Too much ointment on your tattoo and it cannot breathe. A very light coat is all that’s needed. Patting off excess ointment so that it is barely even shiny. If you are getting a large tattoo and you use it for an extended period of time, it can produce an adverse reaction from overdosing due to the skin absorbing too much of the active ingredients.  The skin can break out in a rash or get pimply. If this happens, stop immediately!!  If you use A+D_®Ointment, we would recommend only using it to start the healing process for 5 to 7 days and then at that point switching to a non-medicated, non-scented lotion
5. Soaking your tattoo, it’s good to wash it daily 2 to 3 times, but don’t soak it, that’s the same as applying too much ointment, making the skin too soft and mushy, and can make the color actually ooze out little by little. Quick showers are fine.
6. Tanning is really horrible for a tattoo new or old. Burning the skin while its healing will result in a lot of pigment loss.
7. Itch: Although tattoos get flaky may itch while healing, one must avoid picking and scratching a new tattoo. Removing the top layer of new skin will also remove the ink right under and cause scarring and “patchy” color.
8. Going to beach must be avoided because they harbor numerous bacteria.
9. Gym: avoid any workout that will stretch the skin where you have been tattooed at least for 3 weeks.
10. DON’T PICK SCABS:Over the next couple of days, your tattoo will look good and any redness should go away. Then you will notice that it will start to look duller and can even form a little white haze to it. This happens typically to larger or solid color or tribal pieces. You may see some scabbing form as well.  This is all normal.  Heavy scabbing is not normal and needs to be watched closely!!!  One of the most important things to remember…. DO NOT pick at any scabbing; let it fall off over time and/or during the gentle cleaning process.  Picking can SCAR your skin and ruin the tattoo or at the very least, cause light spots that will have to be touched up. You will see the skin begin to peel some, like mild sunburn. This is normal. You may also experience some color coming off while putting ointment on or during the cleaning process; again, totally normal and nothing to be concerned about.  This whole scenario can last over the next 7 to 15 days. You will then see the color coming back clean and clear and your tattoo will be in the end stages of healing.  By day 25, your new art piece should look fully healed.  You will want to continue to put your lotion or ointment on until there is no shine to the skin at all.