It is vital to take good care of your tattoo from the beginning. Failure to look after it in the correct way could result in infection or premature fading.
· Your tattooist will have covered your tattoo at the end of the session, leave this dressing on for no more than 2 hours.
· Once the dressing is removed, gently wash your new tattoo with warm water, a mild soap e.g. Sanex wash and your clean fingertips (non perfumed soaps)
· Pat it dry with a clean paper towel and leave it alone to “breathe” for approx 20 minutes. This allows for excess moisture to evaporate out.
· Once your tattoo is sufficiently dry, apply a thin layer of recommended aftercare cream. (Avoid anything petroleum based e.g. Vaseline as it can clog pores and draw the ink out of the skin causing it to fade).
· You can re wrap your tattoo overnight if needed for the first night (make sure you clean it before and after bed) otherwise only cover the tattoo if you are in a dirty or hazardous environment.
· Tattoos should be washed and new aftercare ointment applied 2 to 3 times a day until healing is completed (usually 7-14 days)
· Avoid soaking the tattoo in water - bath, swimming etc and keep your tattoo completely out of the sun for at least 2 weeks
· As the tattoo heals it will start to itch but it is very important not to scratch the area or pull off the flaking skin. If you damage the fragile skin you are likely to loose the ink from that area.
· Once the peeling is finished, you can apply a mild moisturiser regularly (e.g. Palmers coco butter). You'll notice the skin over the tattoo is shiny, like the skin over a freshly healed scratch or scrape. This skin will be very delicate for 2-3 months.
· Applying moisturiser to your tattoo on a regular basis will make the colors look as bright (or as dark) as intended. Wearing sunscreen with at least SPF15 whenever exposed to the sun will greatly extend the life of your tattoo.
