aftercare
You've just spent a hell of a time getting tattooed, you’re stoked with it, and I’m sure you wanna show it off to your, but we gotta be smart and keep it clean. When you leave with your new tattoo, I will have it covered with either cling wrap or second skin; It keeps your tattoo free from dust & dirt that may lead to infection, as you take your fresh tattoo home for TLC.
For cling wrap cover, when you get home and you start to see the plasma build up ( usually takes about an hour or so ), wash your tattoo with your hand + antibacterial soap, and gently clean your tattoo of all blood/plasma under running warm water. Dab dry with a fresh towel. (Do this 2x daily for the first week). If your tattoo is exposed to dirt, dust, sand, heavy sweating, or anything foreign to the area, clean it ASAP.
Let’s KEEP IT CLEAN.
There are so many aftercare creams available today, so it’s really up to you which one you prefer, but make sure it has antibacterial properties. When it comes to creams, some of the typical choices are actually just barrier creams that sit ON the skin and don't repair or rejuvenate your healing tattoo. ( Pawpaw ointment, Petroleum-based products, mums homemade ointments.) What makes it worse is the over-layering of the products, restricting your skin from breathing through the stuff. Just imagine taking off the plaster after a few days and your skin looks gross; This, in a sense, happens when you overdo it with the creams. You’re not letting your skin heal when you keep it too moist. After each wash, apply a thumbnail-sized amount to clean fingers and gently massage it into the tattoo. Do not recover your tattoo.
The fine line of using aftercare creams.
At the end of the day, a tattoo is a team effort that includes me as your artist and you. For a great heal and a great tattoo, just be smart about your day-to-day activities. Do not go swimming for about a week. Try and keep it out of the sun. Wear loose clothes if possible. and KEEP IT CLEAN. After your tattoo, don’t run to the gym; give it at least 48 hours.