aftercare for your tattoo if
How to take care of your tattoo!
A new tattoo is exciting, but it’s also a wound that we need to treat as such. When you leave the shop the tattoo may ooze a little over the next few hours - that’s okay because, again, it’s a wound.
When you get home and settled into a place where you can cleanly wash your tattoo you can carefully take off the bandage. Next, wash your hands thoroughly and using clean hands wash the tattoo gently with liquid soap, rinse with warm water, and dab dry with a clean towel (paper is fine). Once dried off, let it air out for a few minutes and apply a very very thin layer of Aquaphor*. That‘s pretty much it for your first cleaning!
- Remove bandage an hour or two after you get home.
- With clean hands, gently wash the tattoo.
- Carefully pat dry with a clean towel.
- Apply a super thin layer of Aquaphor.
- Do not reapply bandages - its time to let it air out.
After the first day...
For most people it works best to clean the new tattoo twice a day for 3 days using Aquaphor sparingly. Then, keep cleaning twice a day for 3 days except switch to an unscented white lotion - preferably something you know your body works well with. But, any high quality unscented white moisturizing lotion should do the trick. And, that takes you through the almost the first week.
- Wash tattoo twice a day for 3 days finishing with a thin layer of Aquaphor,
- Wash tattoo twice a day for 3 days finishing with a thin layer of white unscented lotion.
What else?
Your immune system is really doing all the work and your job is just to help it along. So, sleeping, eating and (I cannot emphasize this enough), staying hydrated is key to keeping your tattoo exactly where you want it to be.
Or, if there's a clear plastic sticker on you....
Using Saniderm
If you went home with a clear plastic stuck to you, this is the place for you.
Ideally, the bandage will stay on for 6-7 days. As long as the seal isn’t broken, and air can’t get in - or body juices out - you can leave it alone. If the tattoo’s seal is broken go ahead and take it off by running it under warm water and carefully peeling back from one corner. It shouldn’t stick too much to the tattoo but still go nice and slow.
Once it’s off you have a few options depending on how long it was on. if you went the full 7 days just wash it once a day with warm water and liquid soap, and hit it with a thin layer of unscented white lotion. Otherwise you’ll want to jump into normal tattoo aftercare based on how long it’s been on. For example, if it stays on for 3 days then on days 4, 5, and 6 you’ll do what it says below.
Day 1: Twice a day - morning and night - wash with liquid soap and warm water, dab dry with a clean towel, and apply a super thin layer of Aquaphor.
Day 2: Twice a day - morning and night - wash with liquid soap and warm water, dab dry with a clean towel, and apply a super thin layer of Aquaphor.
Day 3: Twice a day - morning and night - wash with liquid soap and warm water, dab dry with a clean towel, and apply a super thin layer of Aquaphor.
Day 4: Twice a day - morning and night - wash with liquid soap and warm water, dab dry with a clean towel, and apply a super thin layer of unscented white lotion.
Day 5: Twice a day - morning and night - wash with liquid soap and warm water, dab dry with a clean towel, and apply a super thin layer of unscented white lotion.
Day 6: Twice a day - morning and night - wash with liquid soap and warm water, dab dry with a clean towel, and apply a super thin layer of unscented white lotion.