Now that you've sat through a few hours' worth of somewhat painful needle punctures, you probably want to ensure that your new Ink looks good for years to come. After care, especially within the healing stage is a very important part of maintaining the overall health and vibrancy of your tattoo. Below are some guidelines on how to take care of that new tattoo.Keep the Bandage On - If this is your first tattoo, I know you're going to want to start showing it off to your friends right away but refrain if you can. Its best to keep your tattoo covered for at least 2 to 5 hours. At the end of the day, your new artwork is an open wound and can be common breeding ground for airborne bacteria and infections.
Wash Your Tattoo - Once you remove the bandage, wash the area thoroughly with warm water using a foam soup or other antibacterial soup. H2Ocean has a great line of aftercare products available. Be careful not to use anything abrasive, it's better to simply use your fingers. Once washed, pat the area firmly with a paper towel. It's very important you do not rub your new tattoo.
Treat with Ointment - Once the tattoo is completely dry, apply ointment such as H2Ocean Cream to keep the area from drying out. Ointments that are A&D vitamin enriched are best but something like Bacitracin will work as well. Stay away from using Neosporin; while this is generally a miracle ointment, it's not good for tattoos.
Continue Washing & Cleaning - For about 7 to 10 days or until your wound is fully healed, it's important that you wash and treat your new tattoo about 4 times a day.
Protect Your Tat from the Sun - It's important to shield your new tattoo from the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays. Not only is the sun bad on your skin but it can fade and damage your tattoo. Consider wearing a tattoo cover up sleeve made with UPF+ certified fabric. If that's not your thing, applying sun block to your tattoo will help keep it vibrant for years to come.
Things to Avoid - Bathing of course is fine, but you want to stay away from submerging your tattoo in a bath, hot tub or swimming pool for at least 2-3 weeks. Also don't be alarmed if after a few days your tattoo starts scabbing, this is "ok". Try applying moist compresses to them, whatever you do, avoid picking at them.
At the end of the tattoo, your tattoo is an investment and you want to protect that investment. If you have any questions or concerns around the after care of your tattoo, you can always call your tattoo artist for advice.