The Sun Is Not Your Tattoos Friend
The beach or pool is no place for a new tattoo, especially one on your foot.
REMEMBER: Avoid the sun and the use of sunscreen until your tattoo is healed.
New tattoos will fade quickly if not carefully protected from the sun.
After that, make sure to keep it covered when possible, and when it is not possible to use a good quality sunscreen with high SPF to preserve its color and vibrance.
Another reason the beach or pool is no place for your new tattoo, the water.
While showers are okay, submerging your new ink in water for an extended period of time compromises the integrity of the ink on a fresh piece.
Plunging your brand-new tattoo in a chemically treated pool or saltwater will not only irritate the healing ink, but it will also put you at risk for infection as water can carry many bacteria and microbes that enter through the skin and open wounds.
Keep your showers quick and stay off the beach.
How Are You Suppoed To Take Care Of A Tattoo
Caring for a tattoo Cover the tattoo The artist should apply a thin layer of antibiotic ointment to the tattoo and then cover it with a bandage or plastic wrap. Wash the tattoo gently. The coating can be removed after a few hours. Wait for him to recover. The healing rate will depend on the size of your tattoo and its complexity.
Tattoo Aftercare: Everything You Need To Know
If you thought that enduring the pain of tattooing is all it takes to get an amazing tattoo, then you must have forgotten about the healing and aftercare part. Taking care of a tattoo until it heals is one of the most important steps if you want the tattoo to turn out great and not cause any infections.
So, if youve just received some fresh ink, or youre thinking about getting a tattoo, then the following paragraphs are mandatory for you to read and to remember. So, without further ado, lets show you how you can take care of your new tattoo and keep everything from infecting. But, remember your tattoo will heal as good as the tattoo artist is!
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What Are The Best Tattoo Lotions & Creams Available In 2020
The benefits of this burgeoning world of new tattoo care are many – among them, avoiding irritation and infection. More importantly, these tattoo aftercare products help with healing and preserve the design and colors of your awesome new tat. Whether your ink is fresh, or somewhat “mature” like mine, many of these products claim to refresh and renew your tattoos, to keep them looking their best.
Since people with tattoos love to expose a bit more skin than the average un-inked person, you’ll also need to think about protecting your tats from the sun’s damaging UV rays, and believe it or not, there are even tattoo specific sunscreens.
As you’re healing, avoid spending a lot of time in the water, especially pools and hot tubs that are often laden with unseen bacteria. Your risk of infection is much greater during this important time. Also, find some comfy and loose-fitting clothes that won’t rub or chafe your new tat. That will keep you from agitating already tender skin and making it itchy or causing a rash. And sweating, even if you’re a gym rat, may cause additional issues during the healing phase.
Let’s get started with some tattoo aftercare instructions from an expert:
Avoid Prolonged Sun Exposure
As time goes on, its natural for a tattoo to go through changes, including fading. According to new research, tattoo ink stays suspended in the dermis and is held there by a certain type of white blood cell called a macrophage, explains Lavriv. A fibroblast is another type of cell known to absorb ink particles, so together, the macrophage and fibroblast bind enough ink particles for the tattoo image to stay put and appear on your skin. These cells hang around for years, and eventually, when they die, the ink molecules get reabsorbed by a new macrophage. Your tattoo becomes part of your organism, which involves shedding and change. And just like its important to keep your actual epidermis safe from harsh chemicals and sun exposure, youll need to care for your tattoo by always make sure you wear a sunscreen with an SPF of 35. Remember: prolonged sun exposure is damaging to your skin, and, of course, your art. Resist tanning to keep your tattoo looking fresh.
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What Kind Of Soap Can I Use To Heal A Tattoo
Soap options include the following, which you can buy online: For the first or two days, use an ointment such as A+D Original Ointment or Aquaphor Healing Ointment, or a product recommended by your tattoo artist, to help your tattoo scar tattoo It’s best to use 100 % petroleum products, such as petroleum jelly.
When To See Your Doctor
CORTNEY WHITE / Stocksy
Tattoo infections are rare, but it still helps to know what signs to look out for. If you feel feverish, experience oozing or scabbing at the tattoo site, or have swelling that lasts more than one week it’s time to pay a visit to your doctor. Also, if you feel hard, raised tissue in the tattooed area, or see red lesions, seek help from your doctor.
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What Should I Wear As My Tattoo Heals
It’s a good idea to avoid tight clothing around the tattooed area. Things like waist bands and bra straps can rub and irritate the new tattoo, causing more trauma and stopping it from healing properly. Your tattoo artist will recommend sticking to loose fitting clothes until the tattoo heals completely.
Keep Your Tattoo Clean
- Youll need to ensure that your tattoo is kept as clean as possible. Theres no way around it, a fresh tattoo is an open wound and you need to bear that in mind when looking after it. Whilst we take responsibility for the piece of art, tattoo aftercare is 100% your responsibility and cleanliness matters. We recommend short showers until your skin has fully healed.
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How Long Should I Wait To Work Out After Getting A New Tattoo
If you recently got a new tattoo and wonder how long you need to wait after a new tattoo before going to the gym to work out, the answer is 48 hours 72 hours. Working out and lifting weights after getting a new tattoo isn’t the best idea because you can sweat, leading to infection on a new tattoo. It doesn’t matter what part of the body your tattoo is on! If you are working out after a tattoo on the bicep or working out after getting a tattoo on your forearm, or leg, anywhere wait it out to avoid potential infection!
Week : Day 15 Final Stages Of Healing
At this point, your tattoo should have mostly healed with very minimal flaking and peeling still present .
There should no longer be any soreness or redness, though some people might still experience some it all depends on how fast you heal! If you are, however, concerned with how slowly your tattoo is healing, get it checked with your artist or a dermatologist.
Any bruised parts should also be healing over at this point. If you want to be sure, try a simple bruise test when you run your hand gently over the area, you should not be able to differentiate the inked parts of your skin from the parts that havent been tattooed. There might still be some mild bruising if the area was worked on more.
Your tattoo will most likely still be a bit dull and scaly, but thats going to end soon!
Keep cleansing and moisturizing youre almost there!
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How To Replace The Cling Film On Your New Tattoo
You might see that under the cling film, theres a build-up of plasma and ink , but dont worry. This is completely normal, and its a sign that your tattoo is starting to heal. It will also mean that its time to change the cling film. To do this simply
If you notice a small rash appear surrounding the tattoo, its usually from the cling film but feel free to contact the studio to ensure that everything is as it should be.
Top tip: Heading on holiday or somewhere warm? We advise you to book holidays once the healing is completed, as tattoo aftercare is even more important in warmer climates. Should this be unavoidable, you should try to keep the tattoo out of direct sunlight and change the cling film more frequently to allow your skin to breathe.
How To Fix A Bubbling Tattoo
Tattoo bubbling is a very common issue that is being faced by people. One of the main reasons for bubbling your tattoo is over-saturation. This is the reason why you need to make sure that you avoid exposure to water for the first six months to get your tattoo safe. By following the instructions properly the tattoo aftercare can be properly done which will keep away from the bubbling of your tattoo. However, if these Tattoo Aftercare Productsare used then you will be able to keep away from the bubbling effect. It is also necessary to keep an eye on the tattoo. Though bubbling doesn’t necessarily mean infection if any irritation or swelling persists then it is suggested to consult a doctor. Heres a guide on How To Fix a Bubbling Tattoo.
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What Are The Stages Of Healing A Tattoo
It takes three to four weeks for the tattoo to heal completely. However, healing tattoos is not the same for everyone. It also depends on the part of the body being inked. There are basically three stages of tattoo healing. The first stage begins shortly after leaving the tattoo parlor with fresh ink.
How Do I Know If My Tattoo Is Completely Healed
With proper care and handling, you can expect your tattoo to be fully healed by 4 weeks in most cases. Within the first week, you will notice that it is less vibrant, not as tender to the touch, and has slight scabbing. These are all good signs that your tattoo is healing correctly. By the end of week 2, all signs of swelling, redness, and irritation should be resolved. Keep in mind that you should still practice the proper cleaning/washing followed by cream until the entire 4 weeks are up. Even if your tattoo appears to be fully healed on the surface, you are still susceptible to infection in the early weeks, as looks can be deceiving.
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Gently Wash The Tattoo
After a few hours, you can remove the covering.
First wash your hands with water and soap. Then gently wash the tattoo with warm water and fragrance-free soap. Pat your skin dry with a soft cloth.
Apply a small amount of fragrance-free and alcohol-free moisturizer to the tattoo. You can keep the covering off at this point to let your skin breathe.
DID YOU KNOW?
How quickly you heal depends on the size of your tattoo and how intricate it is. Bigger tattoos will stay red and swollen longer because they cause more trauma to your skin.
Things Must Avoid Preventing The Damage Of Your Tattoo
- Dont scratch, slap, pick, peel irritate or rub your tattoo
- Avoid shower, soaking, swimming for a couple of days.
- At least for 2 to 3 weeks dont expose your tattoo in front of sunlight.
- Avoid wearing jewelry, abrasive materials or shoes that could rub your tattoo.
- Wash your gym equipment before using them.
- Dont use Vaseline on your tattoo place, because for using Vaseline air cannot enter into the areas of your tattoo. Therefore tattoo area cannot receive adequate oxygen, which may cause tattoo infection and which could delay the time of the tattoo healing process. Vaseline is only useful during having a shower with a tattoo because at that time it helps to protect your tattoo from the water.
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How To Protect Your Tattoo From The Sun
Learning how to protect your tattoo from the sun is essential for proper recovery of a new tattoo. A fresh tattoo being exposed to the sun will make your skin get dry, and as explained in this article its essential to keep a fresh tattoo fueled with nutrients and properly moisturized! Besides, the UV rays coming out of the sun will further damage the freshly tattooed area of your skin. Its highly recommended to stay out of the sun for at least 1 week, but if you must be in the sun – One of the best ways to protect your skin from the sun is by applying Tattoo Sunscreen. This will protect the skin from UV rays and will also help you to keep your skin moisturized.
Foot Tattoo Care: 8 Things You Need To Know
There is often a lot of time and energy spent on planning a tattoo. First things first, you need to know what you are getting, then finding an artist or a shop.
If you are considering a tattoo, the foot is a great place to start, but you have to be sure to practice the proper foot tattoo aftercare.
Most people think they are finished once they get out of the shop however, tattoo aftercare is just as important as planning the tattoo itself.
To make it easy and clear, we have created a comprehensive list of everything you need to know about foot tattoo aftercare. This is the most crucial part of the entire process as it ensures that the tattoo heals properly, maintains its good looks, and it’s safe from infection.
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What Exactly Is Aftercare
Tattoo aftercare usually involves certain standard procedures including cleansing and moisturizing and refraining from activities like exercising and swimming .
Some artists might have a few procedures specific to your tattoo, such as dry healing for larger tattoos, which involves keeping the tattoo totally dry except for when you wash it.
Be sure to check in with your artist and ask for their recommended aftercare steps before you leave the studio!
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Drink Plenty Of Water
Your immune system needs proper hydration in order to work efficiently, but water can help to speed up the tattoo removal process in a wide variety of ways. It increases your kidney function, allowing them to flush out toxins such as broken-down ink more quickly. It also helps in the production of lymph, which is what carries your white blood cells through the body, allowing them to break down foreign bodies and remove toxins from your blood. In addition, water helps to keep your skin in good condition. Skin, like all the other organs in the body, needs proper hydration in order to keep it functioning at its best. The better condition your skin is in, the more efficiently it will respond to the laser treatment.
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What About Fake Tan
Again, this is not recommended, as you could be coming back time and time again for multiple sessions when only half a dozen are actually required. Although we want to remove tattoos quickly and effectively, our main concern is your health and well-being. This is more difficult if your skin has absorbed products containing toxins.
Some fake tans contain activators that can react with laser treatment and lead to skin pigmentation. Therefore, do not use fake tan products for at least 2 weeks before or after treatment.
We are here to help, so please contact us if you have any questions!
Tattoo Aftercare Guide: How To Care For Your New Tattoo
OHLAMOUR STUDIO / Stocksy
The world of tattooing is an intricate realm. What most people dont realize is that its a space where art, health, body strength, technique, etching, shading, and beauty are all on a level playing field. Here at Byrdie HQ, we love a fresh tattoo just as much as the next person, but we know that proper tattoo aftercare is crucial, if you want your new ink to last. Whether it’s your first or your 20th, we’ve rounded up the best short- and long-term tips that’ll help keep your tattoo care game in tip-top shapefrom how to clean it to signs it’s time to visit your doctor.
Below, we spoke to two experts on how to take care of a tattoo.
Meet the Expert
- Anka Lavriv is a Montana-based tattoo artist and the co-owner of Black Iris Tattoo.
- Tuki Carter is a rapper and tattoo artist.
Alison Czinkota/Byrdie
According to Lavriv, tattooing puts a strain on your immune system, and internal preparation is just as important as external aftercare. A tattoo is an invasive cosmetic procedure, and your immune and lymphatic system will be working hard on healing a fresh tattoo, so partying and anything excessive is not recommended,” she says. In other words: take it easy.
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Can You Exercise After Getting A Tattoo Removed
While the link between tattoo removal and exercise isn’t immediately clear, exercise boosts your immune system by stimulating cells in your body to attack foreign objects, including contaminated tattoo ink. Going to the gym several times a week or even walking for half an hour a day can speed up the healing process.