Our Guide To Tattoo Aftercare

First of all, if you’re reading this blog post chances are you’ve just got a new tattoo, so congratulations! Now comes the crucial part, getting a new tattoo is an exciting experience and it’s quite easy to get carried away and forget that you’ve just been through a procedure which can be quite traumatic on your skin. Tattoo aftercare is essential and taking care of that new tattoo from the moment you step out of the studio is essential to the healing process but also maintaining that amazing appearance for years to come.

Here's our Black Ink guide to tattoo aftercare to ensure your ink looks and remains as amazing in years to come as it does today.

Why Tattoo Aftercare Is Important

1. Prevents Infection: fresh tattoos are basically open wounds, this leaves them vulnerable to bacteria and infection. 
2. Promotes Healing: the proper care and attention will help the skin heal quicker and more effectively 
3. Maintains Quality: good aftercare sets you up for the future, a well healed and well looked after tattoo will keep its colours vibrant and its lines sharp for years to come. 

Here at Black Ink we have 3 aftercare methods to help you look after your tattoo, whichever option is best suited to your personal requirements there are 4 key things to make note immediately after leaving the studio. 

1. Listen to your tattoo artist: After-all they are the experts and have been doing this for years, they will provide you with specific aftercare instructions tailored to your tattoo.
2. Avoid alcohol and caffeine: This is to help the healing of the tattoo, especially important if you have any bleeding. Keep hydrated, dink a lot of water
3. Stay out of the light: avoid prolonged exposure to UV light, sun and sun beds should be avoided for at least 2 weeks.
4. Put your feet up: avoid exercise, it’s important to the healing process to minimise sweating, if possible avoid exercise for at least 2 weeks.

Aftercare Options 

*Always wash your hands before touching your new tattoo*

Your tattoo will be covered when you leave the studio, depending on your personal requirements this may be done in either cling film or waterproof new skin. Your tattoo artist will recommend which is better suited for your tattoo. 

Cling film wrap must remain on, avoid touching the tattoo where possible and before bed check the tattoo to see if there is any bleeding. If there's no bleeding or sweating just leave as is overnight. In the case that there is some bleeding or sweating, wash your hands, remove the cling film and wash the area with antibacterial wash. Then let the tattooed area dry, once dry, recover with fresh cling film. 

The next morning, take the wrapping off and give it another good clean with antibacterial wash and let it dry. 

Waterproof skin wrapping is a slightly different method and is dependent on your tattoo needs. If your tattoo is covered by the skin after-care waterproof wrapping, it is important that you keep the cover on for 48 hours. If you notice bleeding or sweating underneath the cover do not remove the skin, simply use some sharp scissors and pierce it skin wrap to drain the fluid. Keep the cover on for the full 48 hours.

After those 48 hours remove the skin wrap and allow it to dry for a further 48 hours. Only after these 48 hours (4 days post tattoo) you start to use organic tattoo cream twice a day. 

There is also a scenario where your tattoo artist may suggest that you keep the skin wrapping on for 5 days depending on the tattoo and your skin. In this situation, after the first 24 hours post tattoo, remove the skin wrapping and wash with antibacterial wash and let the area dry. Once dry reapply a fresh skin wrap to the tattooed area and leave it for 5 days. As above, if you notice any bleeding or sweating simply pierce the wrap and drain. 

From here, continue to avoid sunlight, swimming, bathing or exercising for a minimum of two weeks. Depending on the location of your tattoo wearing loose fitting clothes reduces rubbing which can lead to irritation.

Long Term Care: Key To Keeping Your Tattoo Looking Fresh

1. Sun protection: always protect your tattoo from exposure to the sun with a high SPF sunscreen to help prevent fading.
2. Moisturising routine: get into the habit of moisturising your tattoo. We would recommend 2-3 times a day, morning and night being the most important.

Common Mistakes To Avoid

1. Over moisturising: too much of a good thing can lead to suffocation of the tattoo and clogged pores.
2. Ignoring signs of infection: redness and swelling of the tattoo or extreme pain are signs that something is not quite right. If you notice any of these signs contact a healthcare professional immediately.
3. Using harsh products: avoid using any products with fragrances, alcohol or harsh chemical scrubs which can irritate the skin and damage the tattoo.
4. Give the tattoo time: it’s important that you give it the time it needs to heal, follow the steps outlined here or by your artist to ensure your tattoo heals quickly.

Our final thoughts

Tattoo aftercare is crucial for both the health of your skin and the longevity of the tattoo. Following these simple steps outlined here and working with your artist can help ensure that your new ink heals properly and stays as fresh as it did on day one. A well healed tattoo not only looks great but also shows off the skill and detail that your artist has put into making your tattoo a one of a kind masterpiece.