1. Keep it wrapped. The first night's sleep after getting a new tattoo is always the hardest because the tattoo is probably still leaking blood, plasma and ink. If your tattoo artist placed a transparent, adhesive bandage over your tattoo, the best thing to do is to keep it on for as long as they recommended.
You should remove any covering the tattoo artist has applied after getting your new tattoo before going to bed. Wash with mild soap (I use Ivory) and apply A&D ointment before bed. Don't cover it unless it's seeping plasma or ink the first night then just use a cotton bandana.
Carefully wash your tattoo area three times a day with soap and water, and gently pat it dry. Keep applying a moisturizer or ointment after you clean your tattoo to keep it moist. After 5 days, you can switch from an antibiotic ointment to a gentle fragrance-free body lotion.
First 24 hours
After you receive your tattoo, your tattoo artist should apply a thin layer of ointment to the area and cover your tattoo with a bandage. Your tattoo artist should also send you home with instructions for caring for your body art. You'll typically need to keep it covered for at least 24 hours.
Aquaphor is fine for the first few days. But apply it MINIMALLY. If the tattoo is shiny at all you are using too much. Then switch to normal white lotion after a few days. If you use Saniderm you should just skip the aquaphor all together.
Both Paul and Shuliar recommend Aquaphor healing ointment for tattoo aftercare because it's unscented and designed to create a protective healing barrier while allowing oxygen to pass through.
It's generally recommended to wait at least 24 hours before jumping into the shower. This initial waiting period gives your skin time to begin healing. When you do shower, try to minimize direct contact with the tattooed area and limit its exposure to water.
Wrap the tattoo after the first night (wearing breathable clothes over it is fine as long as they are not causing friction. (Keeping tattoos wrapped in plastic or bandages will stop air from getting to the tattoo, slow healing, and make gross stuff grow in there.)
Stage Two (Days 7-14) – Itching and flaking begins, and this continues until layers of dead skin and scabs have fallen off. 3. Stage Three (Days 15-30) – Tattoo looks fully healed but may look slightly cloudy for a few weeks. Deeper layers of skin are still repairing, so continue to look after your tattoo.
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After you leave the studio you will have been cleaned and bandaged; remove the bandage after 3-4 hours. Don't remove the bandage until you can properly clean the tattoo with mild soap and warm water.
Sleeping directly on the new tattoo
Pressure can cause irritation and disrupt the healing process.
Tattoo flu is essentially your body's reaction to the trauma of getting tattooed, resulting in symptoms like fatigue, chills, and even slight fever. This can be alarming for those new to tattoos, leaving them to wonder if something has gone wrong.
What NOT to do? DON'T re-bandage your tattoo, rub, scratch or pick at your new tattoo. DON'T apply alcohol, Neosporin, Vaseline, or petroleum jelly (they can trap dirt and germs and cause infection). DON'T apply a heavy coat of lotion (remember the skin must breathe in order to heal).
While a new tattoo can push out ink, along with blood and plasma, it typically does no harm and doesn't lead to a tattoo blowout. This leaking typically lasts no more than 48 hours. However, bruising from a new tattoo can make it look a little blurred or smudged as it goes through the healing process.
Don't come in sick, drunk, or hungover
It's also best not to drink alcohol at least 24 hours prior to your appointment. Alcohol thins the blood, which can lead to excess bleeding. This can affect your tattoo artist's visibility while inking, as well as compromise the healing process and final result.
Rinse the tattoo gently until the skin is clean. Pat dry with a clean towel or paper towel then allow to fully air dry for a minimum of 10 minutes. DO NOT SCRUB. Once the tattoo is dry, apply a very small amount of Aquaphor or Bacitracin.
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.
Don't worry, this is completely natural. It happens because the old skin, damaged during the tattooing process, forms a thin layer over your tattoo and masks its true appearance. In time this old skin will naturally exfoliate itself, revealing your tattoo underneath in all its vibrant glory.
Tattoos are essentially open wounds, and exposing them to water too soon can lead to bacterial infections, skin irritation, and even damage to the tattoo design. Therefore, tattoo artists recommend waiting at least 2-4 weeks before submerging your new ink in swimming pools, hot tubs, or open water.