What To Do After Getting A Tattoo?
You just got out of the tattoo studio and you’re excited to show this new body art to your loved ones. Now, you’ll rock this tattoo, maybe even post it on your socials, and you’re done! Are you though? Are you forgetting something? Well, tattoo aftercare!
Tattoo aftercare is just as essential as getting inked by a good artist or at a trusted tattoo studio. Your tattoo will not come out as beautiful or cool as it could if you don’t take care of it. Plus, you could expose it to infections. Your tattoo artist will tell you what needs to be done and you can and should ask them yourselves as well, but just to be safe, your tattoo community has your back!
While there are some things that need to be done for a longer time which come under tattoo aftercare, there are also some things that need to be done on the day of getting inked. The TattooPedia is here to help you with that too. If you just got your tattoo today or are about to get tattooed soon, then here are the things you need to remember for the day you get inked and come back home.
Listen to Your Tattoo Artist
Your tattoo artist will tell you what you need to do for the day you get tattooed, as well as for the rest of your tattoo’s healing duration. Don’t miss out on anything they tell you. It is important that you follow what they say to avoid infections and also to help the tattoo heal faster. So, this point is first and foremost.
Keep the Cling Film on at Night
Your tattoo artist might tell you to keep the cling wrap on for 24 hours or take it off in the next 4 hours or so. They might ask you to rewrap your tattoo to sleep at night. This part is important because your new tattoo is fresh and you are more susceptible to infections. Sleeping with the tattoo wrapped would help avoid that and the tattooed skin won’t stick to the bedsheet. If not rewrap, your artist might ask you to clean the tattoo and just moisturize and sleep. Depending on what your artist says, follow that. Also, avoid lying on your tattoo to avoid putting pressure on it.
Take a Shower
Yes, you can take a shower after getting a tattoo and keeping your tattoo clean is of utmost importance. Not immediately after getting tattooed but if your artist tells you that you can remove your wrap today itself, then they would ask you to clean it with mild water and an antibacterial soap. If you want to shower, you can do that as well. Just remember, don’t scrub on your tattooed area, keep all the fragranced products away and definitely no alcohol-containing products. Antibacterial soaps are ideal.
Moisturize Only as Suggested
Your tattoo will need to stay clean and moisturized in order to avoid dryness, itching, and burning. However, whether you should apply a moisturizer on the same night or not is something that depends on your tattoo. So, follow what your artist tells you. If they say you can take off the cling wrap and wash the tattoo, they’ll tell you if you need to moisturize it too. If they don’t, just ask and you’re good to go!
Avoid Excessive Sweat
We admit this one might seem silly because you might say, “I won’t go on a marathon, don’t worry.” Well, not just a marathon but any activity that could cause you to sweat a lot, avoid it. Sweat is unavoidable but excessive sweat can irritate your new tattoo and make it prone to infections. So, relax today.
Say No to Alcohol Tonight
There’s a rave party planned tonight? Skip it. Party or not, stay away from alcohol for at least 48 hours. Alcohol thins the blood, since you have a new tattoo which is like a fresh wound, blood thinning can cause your tattoo to experience more bleeding. Just like before getting tattooed, don’t drink alcohol after getting tattooed.
Consume Antioxidant-rich Foods
This isn’t a must, but if you consume foods rich in antioxidants and foods which are anti-inflammatory, then that will help in the healing of the tattoo. Foods like rajma, spinach, dark chocolate, berries, nuts & seeds, and every Indian’s favorite healing ingredient, haldi or turmeric are good sources of antioxidants and are anti-inflammatory.
Wrapping Up
We want your tattoo to heal and turn out to be just as you wanted it to. Following these steps for your new tattoo will help you start that healing process properly and not cause any hindrance in the healing. Remember, your tattoo artist knows best, so listen to them. Tattoo aftercare is just as important as getting inked by a professional tattoo artist. Care for your new tattoo properly and your healed tattoo will stand out for a long time!
