Once again, welcome back to our Analysis of Aftercare series! In today’s final part, we’ll look at the DOs of tattoo aftercare for small/medium, and large and highly detailed tattoo pieces. Let’s jump right back in!
THE GENERAL DO LIST:
- DO Contact your tattoo artist with any questions or concerns that you may have.
Your tattoo artist is the first person you should contact regarding inquiries or issues with the tattoo. They will provide you with all the necessary information that you need for the aftercare process.
- DO wear loose clothing around the tattoo.
Direct contact with tight materials may aggravate the tattooed area and cause more irritation. Make sure to be gentle with your skin and avoid scratching the area.
- DO stay hydrated.
The more you drink, the more your healing skin will thank you. By staying hydrated, your skin will heal quicker, and you’ll be able to flex that new tattoo sooner than you think.
IMPORTANT NOTE – Tattoo Exposure
For all types of tattoos, if the bandage rolls up and the tattoo is exposed, your risk of infection increases as well as the chance of loss of ink. In any case of the bandage coming off or losing grip, DO contact your tattoo or the studio immediately.
We’ll begin with the DOs for handling small/medium tattoos.
Healed
Healed
FIRST 5 DAYS FOR SMALL/MEDIUM TATTOOS:
- DO be careful with the bandage. Avoid any strenuous activities and rest the area.
- DO ten-minute showers. Avoid submerging the tattoo in water for the time being.
- Any blood and plasma accumulated under the bandage are perfectly normal!
ON DAY 5 FOR SMALL/MEDIUM TATTOOS:
- DO wash your hands with soap, and carefully remove the bandage under the running water.
- DO gently wash the tattoo with clean hands and soap. We recommend using PurSan, Ivory (bar), and Dove (bar) for soap.
- DO pat dry the tattoo with paper towels. DON’T wipe or reuse paper towels.
- DO gently tap the tattoo with moisturizing cream in 3-4 areas, and slowly work out every area to achieve a THIN layer of cream over the tatted area and surrounding skin.
- DO repeat steps 1-4 two times a day for 30 days.
- YAY! After 4-6 weeks, the tattoo should be fully healed but DO continue to moisturize the tattooed area at least once a week throughout the year.
Next, we’ll transition to the DOs for large and highly detailed pieces. While many steps are similar to handling small/medium tattoos, there are a few notable differences.
FIRST 24 HOURS FOR LARGE PIECES & HIGHLY DETAILED:
- DO be careful with the bandage. Avoid any strenuous activities and rest the area.
- DO ten-minute showers. Avoid submerging the tattoo in water for the time being.
- Any blood and plasma accumulated under the bandage are perfectly normal!
AFTER 24 HOURS FOR LARGER PIECES & HIGHLY DETAILED:
- DO wash your hands with soap, and carefully remove the bandage under the running water.
- DO gently wash the tattoo with clean hands and soap.
- DO pat dry the tattoo with paper towels. DON’T wipe or reuse paper towels.
- DO airdry the tattoo for 20 minutes.
- DO watch our video tutorial on how to apply a new tattoo bandage: flamewiseink.ca/bandage
- DO keep the bandage on for the next 7 days.
DAY 8 FOR LARGE PIECES & HIGHLY DETAILED:
- DO wash your hands with soap, and carefully remove the bandage under the running water.
- DO gently wash the tattoo with clean hands and soap.
- DO gently tap the tattoo with moisturizing cream in 3-4 areas, and slowly work out every area to achieve a THIN layer of cream over the tatted area and surrounding skin.
- DO repeat steps 1-3 two times a day for 30 days.
That wraps up all our DOs for tattoo handling and our series on tattoo aftercare procedures! We hope you found these blogs helpful and informative. Following these steps will not only make your healing process go as smoothly as possible but will ensure that your ink looks just as fresh as the day you got it.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, contact your tattoo artist or call our studio for any assistance. Your health and safety are our top priority, and we are always happy to help!
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About the Author
Flame Wise Ink is a progressive tattoo studio located in Toronto that offers a wide variety of styles done by the best tattoo artists with an individual approach.