Healing A New Tattoo

Healing A New Tattoo

After the artist has completed your new tattoo, the job is only half done. The next important part, the healing, is up to you. There are as many ways to heal a tattoo as there are artists to explain it to you. The truth of it is, everybody heals differently and you must find what works best for you. You and you alone are responsible for healing your new tattoo.

We are going to discuss many factors that can affect the healing of new tattoos. Since environmental circumstances are different, the challenges also are different.

Let’s start at the beginning; the tattoo has just been completed. The artist may or may not give you some ointment to apply, or sell you a product to heal the new tattoo. Professional parlors will give you a care sheet with instructions on healing the new tattoo. You shake hands and leave the parlor pleased with your new tattoo.

Most professional tattoo parlors will use a protective covering for the first hour ortwo during the tattoo’s “weeping time”, the time your tattoo oozes blood, ink, and other bodily fluids. They will use anything from paper towels, saran wrap, or non-stick sterile gauze pads. It’s important not to leave these protective coverings on for more than a few
hours. Do not let them dry to the new tattoo. If this happens, soak the protective covering with warm {not hot} water for five minutes or longer until the covering gently comes off.This will prevent ink from being pulled out of
the new tattoo. Leaving the covering on the tattoo for prolonged periods of time can be unhealthy for the tattoo, as it could become a bacteria trap and possible infection could occur. Your skin will need to breathe in some fresh air to promote good healing.

Do not submerge the new tattoo in water for long periods of time. The skin will absorb the water and your tattoo will become slightly puffy and possible fading or spreading of the ink under the skin could occur. Taking showers will be fine. The new tattoo will be sensitive to hot water.

After an hour or so you will want to gently wash the new tattoo with warm water and anti-bacterial soap. Use only freshly washed hands to do this. Bathing products such as sponges, loufas, washcloths, etc,should not be used on the new tattoo. It can lift off dead skin cells before their time, lifting ink out of the new tattoo. After washing the
tattoo, make sure all the dried blood has been removed. Gently pat dry with a clean, lint free towel. At this point it is good to let the tattoo air dry for 5 to 15 minutes. This will prevent excess moisture from being trapped in the skin.

Next apply a very thin coat of ointment. Applying too much can suffocate the tattoo and prolong healing. It can also make your clothes goopy as well. If your new tattoo seems to be bleeding a lot after the first washing, massage the ointment into the skin to plug the pores. The less it bleeds the better chance for holding ink. Do not be alarmed if
the tattoo seems to bleed a lot after the procedure. This can be normal. Tattoos can ooze bodily fluids for up to three days. Hard to reach areas can be achieved by placing a piece of sterile gauze with ointment on a back scratcher. Apply ointment sparingly as often as necessary to keep the tattoo moist. This could mean as many as 10 times or more a
day.

If exposed to an unclean environment, {construction worker, painter, etc}, wash the new tattoo frequently as well. Do not over wash the new tattoo. If you wash the tattoo every hour, the skin could be at risk of depletion of its own natural oils needed for healing. Your new tattoo is an open wound,and should be kept clean and moist for optimum healing.

Note; if your new tattoo develops a rash, appearing like little red bumps in and around it, the skin could be having a reaction to the topical ointment being used. Wash the tattoo thoroughly and apply a different ointment, preferably something fragrance free and petroleum based. Remember to use ointment sparingly. Some of the recommended topical ointments are; Vaseline, A+D ointment, Triple Anti-Biotic ointment,Bacitracin, Bag-Balm, Tattoo-Goo, Ink Fixx,
and Tat-Wax. As an artist I’ve seen clients that have experienced reactions to one or more of everything listed. It can be a normal part of the healing process and rarely affects the quality of the tattoo. Fragrance free lotions are ok to use after the “flakey” stage. Lotions do absorb quicker and will need to be applied frequently. I never have been a fan of the “dry healing” technique. I believe the skin needs to be kept moist, and the ointment can also act as a barrier from possible air borne infections. Most all tattoo parlors will ask you not to use Neosporin; it’s great for scrapes and cuts but can be a little strong for healing tattoos. It has been said there is an ingredient in Neosporin that draws foreign matter out of the skin and since ink is not natural, it too may be pulled out. Do not use peroxide or burn creams on the new tattoo, these also can have some pretty cruel effects. Your artist may have other helpful hints that are not listed here.

The first few days the new tattoo should be washed 3 to 4 times a day. Be sure to continue washing the tattoo no less than 2 times a day for the duration of the healing process. If you are using well water to wash with, it may be a good idea to rinse the new tattoo afterwards with distilled water. Well water can have bacteria that could cause an infection.

Between 3 to 5 days after the tattoo has been healing, you should notice the tattoo is getting “flaky”. This is dead skin cells falling off, and is a normal part of the healing process. Generally the larger the tattoo, the more flaking that occurs. The tattoo at this stage is harder to keep moist and may require ointment frequently to keep from becoming too dry. A new tattoo generally will not scab over {a thick layer of hard crusty skin}. If it does, do not pick at or scrub off the scab. It will fall off in time. Applying a thin layer of ointment and wrapping the scabbed area with a sterile non-stick gauze pad for a night will help soften the scab for easier healing. Immediately after this stage of flaking as the new skin cells are forming, the new tattoo will appear faded. The fresh new skin cells will have a “milky” appearance. This can make the red ink look pink. As the next few weeks pass, the skin will mature and become transparent and the new tattoo will look bright again. This process takes anywhere from three weeks {small tattoos or outlines} to five weeks {larger tattoos}. It is always best to let the tattoo heal completely before getting a touch-up. This way you’re not fooled by the milky skin, thinking the new tattoo has already started to fade. Working on a tattoo that isn’t fully healed could cause severe tissue trauma and excessive scabbing. Be sure to stay out of tanning beds, direct sunlight, and lakes and pools for the duration of the healing process. Avoid shaving over the new tattoo until it has healed for best results.

After the tattoo is completely healed it is a good idea to use sunscreen for those days at the beach. Lotion for clients with dry skin will keep that tattoo looking bright as well.

If you have any trouble with healing of the new tattoo please see your artist immediately. That’s the artist’s signature you’re showing off and they also would like you to take care of their work. Some artists get upset when you don’t seek their counsel at the first sign of trouble. With a new tattoo things can go from bad to worse very quickly,
because it is an open wound. Don’t worry, the artist won’t get mad and scold you. They’ll be glad you care about their work and healing your new tattoo properly.