It's normal for the tattoo site to ooze small amounts of blood for up to 24 hours and to ooze clear, yellow or blood-tinged fluid for several days. Apply a cold pack. This can help reduce swelling, bruising or itching. Never apply ice directly to the skin as it can cause tissue damage.
If some swelling/redness is present the day after your tattoo, and it is uncomfortable or bothering you, it is appropriate to use ice (20 minutes) and/or an NSAID (ibuprofen, Advil, aleve, naproxen) to help bring the swelling down.
After getting a tattoo, it's common for the area to be raised and swollen. Typically, this swelling can last anywhere from a few hours to a few days. Most people notice that the swelling decreases significantly within 2 to 3 days.
Take anti-inflammatory medicines to reduce pain and swelling. These include ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve). Read and follow all instructions on the label.
Hold the swollen part of the body above the level of the heart several times a day. Sometimes, raising the swollen area during sleep can be helpful. Massage. Stroking the affected area toward the heart using firm, but not painful, pressure might help move fluid out of that area.
Ibuprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) used to treat mild to moderate pain, and helps to relieve symptoms of arthritis (osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or juvenile arthritis), such as inflammation, swelling, stiffness, and joint pain.
Over the counter medications: Tylenol and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), for example, can help with pain and inflammation. Antihistamine medications: Benadryl, for instance, can reduce symptoms of a minor allergic reaction, such as small, red bumps or a faint rash around the tattoo site.
Salabrasion is the method of removing a tattoo by rubbing salt and water on a tattoo. This method removes the top layers of skin to rub out the ink in a tattoo. This treatment is done multiple times until the ink in a tattoo is gone or can no longer be reached.
It's normal for a brand new tattoo to have some redness around it, and appear swollen for a day or two, especially if it's very large or in a sensitive area. But if the redness and swelling persists for more than a couple of days, or if it gets worse and begins to feel more tender, this could be a cause for concern.
Use the Aquaphor for the first 2-3 days then switch to a regular FRAGRANCE-FREE lotion such as Lubriderm, or any other fragrance-free brand. 5. Fresh tattoos sometimes “weep” during the first couple of days, meaning that plasma and ink form a thin moist coating on the skin. This can be DABBED with a clean paper towel.
Once you get home and settled in, it's recommended that the tattooed area be iced for approximately 20 minutes. As you start this soothing process, you will notice: Swelling will start to go down. Bruising will be reduced because the icing temporarily decreases the amount of blood flow to the sore area.
Your new tattoo will be red, irritated, swollen, warm-to-the-touch & possibly bruised; this is all NORMAL. This will normally last 1 to 3 days. If your tattoo is on an extremity, especially below the knee, you may experience more swelling than normal.
Over-the-counter pain relievers, such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen, may help ease the pain following a tattooing procedure. However, it is unclear if acetaminophen can effectively prevent pain from tattooing procedures. Instead, some tattoo artists recommend topical skin-numbing products.
Dermabrasion, chemical peels and surgical excision focus on removing skin or layers of skin that have permanent tattoo ink particles. This allows your skin to heal around where a tattoo used to be to make it look like the tattoo was never there in the first place. This usually causes scarring.
It's normal for the tattoo site to ooze small amounts of blood for up to 24 hours and to ooze clear, yellow or blood-tinged fluid for several days. Apply a cold pack. This can help reduce swelling, bruising or itching. Never apply ice directly to the skin as it can cause tissue damage.
Is It Better To Use Wet Healing Techniques for a Tattoo? Research suggests that wet healing is superior to dry healing for almost every kind of wound, including a tattoo. Dry skin has a hard time regenerating itself because it gets scabby and crusty and pulls away from itself (ouch).
Until the surface of the tattoo is healed (at a minimum of two to three weeks), wash the area gently 2-3 times per day. After cleaning the tattoo during this two to three week period, gently apply a thin coat of a lotion-based care product. We recommend After Inked tattoo moisturizer and aftercare lotion.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
One form of these powerful inflammation fighters is found in fatty fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel, sardines, tuna, striped bass and anchovies. You can get the benefit from eating the fish or by taking fish oil supplements.
Not sure which pain reliever to take? Ibuprofen – more commonly known as Advil or Motrin – is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, or NSAID, which means it helps reduce inflammation and swelling at the source of an injury. Acetaminophen cannot do that.
Always check the label. The usual dose for adults is one or two 200mg tablets or capsules 3 times a day. In some cases, your doctor may prescribe a higher dose of up to 600mg to take 4 times a day if needed. This should only happen under supervision of a doctor.