Everything You Need to Know About Tattoo Aftercare:

Keep the dressing over it for a few hours, washing the area a couple of times daily, moisturizing several times, and avoiding sun exposure are some ways to care for your tattoo. Proper aftercare can reduce scarring and infections.

‍

Along with going to a licensed and reputable tattoo artist, you must take care of your new tattoo at home yourself.

Figuring out how to care for your tattoo can be tricky, though. Many councils don’t require their tattoo artists to provide aftercare instructions. The councils that do require aftercare instructions often let the artist decide which information to provide.Keep reading for a day-by-day guide to help you care for your tattoo, tips on which products to use, and more.

Tattoo aftercare during the first 30 days and beyond

How quickly you heal depends on the size of your tattoo and how intricate it is. Bigger tattoos will stay red and swollen longer because they cause more trauma to your skin.

Day 1

You’ll come home from the tattoo studio with a dressing over your tattoo. Our artists will tell you how long to wait before removing the dressing.which can usually be removed within a few hours. You’ll probably notice fluid oozing from the tattoo. This is blood, plasma, and some extra ink. Your skin will also be red and sore. It might feel slightly warm to the touch.When it’s time to remove the dressing, wash your hands thoroughly before gently peeling back the Dressing/covering.Use warm water and fragrance-free soap to cleanse the area. Rinse well before lightly patting the skin dry. Wait a few minutes before applying whatever ointment or lotion we recommend.

Days 2–3

By now, your tattoo will have a duller, cloudier appearance. This happens as your skin heals. Scabs may start to form. continue to wash your tattoo once or twice a day. You might notice some ink running into the sink. This is just excess ink that’s come up through your skin.Allow the skin to dry before applying the ointment or lotion we recommended.

Days 4-6

Any redness should start to fade. You might notice some light scabbing over the tattoo.The scabs shouldn’t be as thick as the scabs you get when you cut yourself, but they may be raised. Don’t pick at the scabs — this can cause scarring.
Keep washing your tattoo once or twice a day, and apply ointment or lotion as needed.

Days 6–14

By now, any scabs have hardened and will begin to flake off.Don’t pick at them or try to pull them off. Let them come off naturally. Otherwise, you could pull out the ink and leave scars.At this point, your skin may feel very itchy. Gently rub on a fragrance-free and alcohol-free moisturizer several times daily to relieve the itch.If your tattoo is still red and swollen at this point, you might have an infection. Go back to your tattoo artist or consult with a healthcare professional.

Days 15–30

In this last stage of healing, most of the big flakes will be gone, and the scabs should be going away. You might still see some dead skin, but it should eventually clear up, too.
The tattooed area might still look dry and dull. Keep moisturizing until the skin looks hydrated again.
By the second or third week, the outer layers of skin should’ve healed. It may take 3–4 months for the lower layers to heal completely.
By the end of your third month, the tattoo should look as bright and vivid as it will be.

Tips for long-term tattoo aftercare:

Once your tattoo has healed, you move into maintenance mode. Although you don’t have to worry about infection after the first 3–4 months, there are things you can do to prevent the ink from degrading.

Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water to support your overall health and improve skin elasticity.
Prevent sun damage. Wear sun-protective clothing and apply sunscreen to keep your ink vibrant.
Avoid rapid weight gain or loss. Rapid fluctuations in size could stretch out or distort the tattoo.

Selecting the best skin care products to use for tattoo aftercare

Use soap

Always use a mild, fragrance-free soap or a specially formulated tattoo cleanser to clean the area.We recommend Savlon cream, or SudocremWhich are anti septic, as long as you’re not sensitive or allergic to the contents.
‍

“Golden rule”
don’t listen to others…..if we knew a better way of getting a tattoo to heal, or we knew a better thing to put on, we would tell you.

SUGGESTED AFTERCARE FOR BODY PIERCINGS

CLEANING

We strongly encourage you to use a sterile saline solution.labeled for use as a wound wash. Your saline ingredients should list circa .09% sodium chloride as the only ingredient (sometimes purified water will be listed). Additives like moisturizers and antibacterials should be avoided, as well as similar sounding products like contact lens saline, nasal spray, or eye drops.

CLEANING INSTRUCTIONS FOR BODY PIERCINGS

WASH your hands thoroughly prior to cleaning or touching your piercing for any reason.
SPRAY with sterile saline wound wash while healing. Moving or rotating jewellery is not necessary during cleaning/rinsing and may actually irritate the piercing.
DRY with clean, disposable products like gauze or cotton swabs, gently removing any crusty debris or build up. Cloth towels should be avoided as they can harbor bacteria and snag on jewellery

What is Normal?

Initially: some bleeding, localized swelling, tenderness, or bruising.
During healing: some discoloration, itching, secretion of a whitish-yellow fluid (Plasma)that will form some crust on the jewellery.The area may swell or tighten around the jewellery as it heals.
A piercing may seem healed before the healing process is actually complete. This is because this type of wound will heal from the outside to the inside. Although it may feel fine on the outside, the interior could still be fragile. Be patient, and keep the piercing clean throughout the entire healing period.
Once healed: the jewellery may not move freely in the piercing; do not force it. Cleaning your piercings as part of your normal hygiene routine can help them stay clean and avoid having “smelly”,secretions .
TIP: Piercings, even healed ones, can shrink or close in minutes, even after having been there for years! This varies from person to person; if you like your piercing, keep jewellery in—do not leave it empty.

WHAT TO DO

Wash your hands prior to touching the piercing; leave the piercing alone, even when cleaning, clean around the site.
During healing, do not twist, spin, or rotate your jewellery.
Exercise and sweating during healing is fine. Avoid activities that could jostle or aggravate the piercing. Keep the piercing protected from bacteria, and other pathogens.
Make sure your bedding is washed and changed regularly. Wear clean, comfortable, breathable clothing that protects your piercing while you are sleeping.
Showers tend to be more “hygienic “than taking baths, please be careful when drying etc.WHAT TO AVOID
Avoid cleaning with alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, antibacterial soaps, iodine, or any harsh products, as these can damage cells. Also avoid ointments as they prevent necessary air circulation.
Avoid over-cleaning. This can delay your healing and irritate your piercing.
Avoid undue trauma such as friction and pressure from clothing, excessive motion of the area, or playing with the jewellery. These activities can cause the formation of unsightly and uncomfortable scar tissue, migration, prolonged healing, and other complications, Like polyps.
Avoid submerging the piercing in bodies of water such as lakes, pools, ( salt water sea is fine) hot tubs, etc. Or, protect your piercing using a waterproof transparent film dressing. These are available at most chemists and are ideal for nipple/navel piercings.
Avoid all beauty and personal care products on or around the piercing including cosmetics, lotions, and sprays, etc.
Don’t hang charms or any object from your jewellery until the piercing is fully healed.

HINTS AND TIPS

JEWELLERY

Unless there is a problem with the size, style, or material of the initial jewellery, leave it in place for the entire healing process. Many piercings require a downsize before the piercing is healed. See a qualified piercer to perform downsizes or any jewellery changes during healing.
Leave jewellery in at all times. Even well-healed piercings can shrink or close in minutes! If removed, reinsertion can be difficult or impossible. Contact your piercer for a non-metallic jewellery alternative if your metal jewellery must be temporarily removed (such as for a medical procedure).
With clean hands or paper products, be sure to regularly check threaded and threadless ends on your jewellery for tightness.
Should you decide you no longer want the piercing, simply remove the jewellery (or have a professional piercer remove it for you) and continue cleaning the piercing until the hole closes. Body piercings create a permanent change to the body, while most scarring is minimal, piercings will leave scars in their absence,
In the event an infection is suspected, discuss with your piercer ( in the first instance) or local GP / health professional.