What To Wear The Day After And How To Deal With Leaky Ink:
So it’s the day after your tattoo and you have to go to work. What do you do about clothing?
For starters, you’ll definitely want to wear something loose, or something that doesn’t touch your tattoo at all if possible. But if it’s winter and you need to wear sweaters or pants over your tattoo, you can cover it with plastic wrap for the length of your commute, then repeat your wash/dry/Aquaphor routine before letting it air out through the day.
Make sure to wear dark colors in case you have any ink leaking out. You’ll want to occasionally dab at the tattoo with a paper towel to keep it dry, and reapply Aquaphor once or twice throughout the day.
Once you get home, wash/dry/Aquaphor it again and let it air out until bedtime. I tend to wash my new tattoos two to three times a day, so you may choose to wash it again before bed or just reapply a little more Aquaphor.
Keep doing this for the next four to six days, until scabbing begins to form and your tattoo starts peeling. Once your tattoo starts to scab, switch from Aquaphor to Lubriderm unscented lotion, but continue washing it twice a day.
What Can You Use To Let A Tattoo Heal Properly
In order for your tattoo to look its best after healing, its crucial to follow proper aftercare instructions. The first few days are the most critical, and you will likely need to wear bandages for at least a few hours after your appointment.
Your tattoo artist will also recommend washing your wound with plain soap and water. You will want to avoid submerging your skin in water. At this point, you dont need to wear bandages because youll want to let the skin breathe.
While Neosporin isnt a good option, your tattoo artist will still likely recommend another type of healing ointment. One of the most popular products is A+D, a type of ointment that has a contains both petrolatum and lanolin. This is best used during the first day or so after getting your tattoo.
After a few days, youll likely use a fragrance-free moisturizing lotion, such as Eucerin or Lubriderm. Youll want to avoid any products with preservatives or fragrances, as these can affect the healing process and possibly cause side effects.
As your tattoo continues to heal, you will notice scabbing. This is completely normal. Let the scabs fall off naturally scratching or picking at them can cause scarring or color distortions.
If something doesnt look right with your tattoo, first reach out to the artist. Theyll be able to offer specific product recommendations and guide you through the process of dealing with any complications, such as an infection.
How We Researched & Tested
To compile this list, our team of editors and contributors spent hours researching the best products on the market in this category, evaluating their key featureslike ingredients, shade range, or designin addition to reviews from customers and other trusted sources. Our team also incorporated their own personal experiences testing products in their own lives. We then used these insights from our research and testing to assign a star rating from one to five to certain products on the list.
According to our Diversity Pledge, 15% of products in our newly-published market roundups will feature Black-owned and/or Black-founded brands. At the time of publishing, we were not able to find any tattoo lotions from a Black-owned and/or Black-founded business. If you know of one we should consider, please email us at and we will evaluate the product ASAP.
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How Often Should I Exfoliate
Even though exfoliation helps the skin shedding process, doing it too often can compromise your skins moisture barrier, throwing off the natural chemical balance of healthy skin. The last thing you want is sensitive skin. So once or twice a week at most is generally sufficient.
Do I Need Special Tattoo Exfoliant?
Don’t buy into the notion that you need an exfoliant made especially for tattooed skin. Its just a marketing gimmick and will cost you more money any over-the-counter exfoliant will work just fine.
Unknown shoot me a comment if you know.
Best Tattoo Aftercare Lotion By Eucerin
Eucerin Intensive Repair Lotion after a week, the tattooed area will start to form scabs and cause itching. The skin will become dry and flaky, but you must resist scratching it. This repair lotion is made for such cases it mitigates the itching sensation caused by dry, flaky skin. It is recommended to apply it after washing the tattooed area. The lotion is moisturizing and keeps the skin hydrated and radiant.
We really love that it is a very light lotion, so it glides onto the tattoo easily. You dont need to really push or apply pressure to spread the lotion, so it wont catch on flake or pull at your skin.
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Dealing With Tattoo Pain
Your tattoo will likely be sore for anywhere between 3 and 7 days after receiving it. The exact number depends on your aftercare routine and the placement of your tattoo.
To minimize pain and itching, try to reduce friction around the tattoo. This can involve wearing loose clothing that wont restrict or constantly brush against the affected skin.
Be careful when you walk and try not to bump into anything. If your tattoo gets hit or scraped against hard enough, there could be some lasting damage, so the best thing you can do is be especially cautious during the first few weeks of healing.
Choose a lotion with anti-inflammatory ingredients such as Aveeno Sheer Hydration or Oras Herbal Tattoo Salve to get extra relief every time you moisturize.
What Should I Use To Dry My Tattoo
Dont go messing up a job well done by drying your freshly cleansed tattoo with a day-old, musty-ass towel. What you dry your tattoo with matters just as much as what you use to clean it. Use a fresh, clean, chemical-free paper towel.
If we are going reusable, get a thoroughly washed and sanitized old t-shirt or thin towel. Something that bacteria isnt hiding in and that isnt scratchy or abrasive.
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Do You Have To Follow Tattoo Aftercare
If you want your tattoo to remain vivid in color, with crisp detail, and healthy skin, then yes, you must follow tattoo aftercare instructions.
Quite possibly, the worst tattoo aftercare is none at all. You must clean, dry, moisturize, and protect your new tattoo several times every day for a few weeks until it heals.
Even up to a month after your appointment, its still important to follow some basic aftercare steps. It is unlikely that youll get an infection at this point, but you still want to keep the area clean.
Youll also still want to avoid too much direct sun and be careful with the area. It can seem like the tattoo aftercare process takes forever, but youll soon be through it. A tattoo is a lifetime investment, so its worth doing everything possible to follow the recommended tattoo aftercare day by day. HUSHs products especially the CBD foaming soap are a great way to help your tattoo heal well.
Top 10 Best Lotions For Tattoos 2022
Why we like it:
Editors Rating:
- Lotion Type: Ointment
- Active Ingredients: Petroleum Jelly
Aquaphor is one of the most recommended lotions for moisturizing a tattoo. While it is an ointment, it provides a semi-occlusive barrier, meaning the lotion forms a protective barrier over the skin, but will still allow for oxygen to reach the wound. This is great for anyone who wants extra protection over their tattoo that will still let the skin heal normally.
This product is both fragrance and coloring free, and it can be safely used anywhere on the face and body. It makes a great choice for when you have tattoos in delicate areas, or if you have sensitive skin that may react to dyes and perfumes.
Because it is an ointment, Aquaphor may not be the best choice for long-term use. It is great for the first few weeks of tattoo healing, but for prolonged use it might be too heavy. A lightweight lotion such as Aveeno Sheer Hydration could be a better option if you plan on using your lotion long-term.
Pros
- Can be used anywhere on the face and body
- Fragrance and coloring free
Why we like it:
Editors Rating:
- Lotion Type: Cream
- Active Ingredients: Shea Butter, Coconut Oil, Vitamin E
It does take a little while for this product to absorb into the skin. You dont want to rub it into your skin too hard, so you may end up waiting several minutes to half an hour for it to fully absorb. If you want an equally moisturizing lotion that will sink in faster, look at After Inked Tattoo Moisturizer.
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What To Put On A New Tattoo: The Ultimate Guide
Frankly, theres a lot of garbage in the tattoo aftercare market. And there are a lot of catchy buzzwords and fascinating ingredients that make making a decision harder than running a marathon.
You are probably exhausted from tattoo care options, and we are here to cure that option-induced headache. Get ready to give your brain some respite from the constant influx of maybe-true-maybe-not info.
Your new tattoo is a healing wound, so you want to tread carefully when deciding what products to put on it. HUSH will walk you through all the best tattoo products you may need to use and what you should be looking out for in each of them.
Between washing, drying, moisturizing, bandaging, protecting, and making your art look its bestthere are a lot of decisions to make in the healing process. Lets find some solid options.
Ability To Improve Appearance
Once a tattoo reaches a certain point in the healing process, it will begin to peel. This peeling can look very unsightly as large chunks of skin pull away and dangle down from wherever your healing tattoo is situated on your body.
Although you should never pull loose skin away from a tattoo, applying lotion can help to mask the peeling skin as its slightly damp texture will help to fold down the loose ends and keep it pinned tight against your body, helping it to look less ugly.
Important Tattoo Aftercare Steps You Must Ensure You Take
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How Long Does It Take A Tattoo To Heal
So how long does it take a tattoo to fully heal? The outer layer of your skin should heal within 2-3 weeks. However, the skin underneath can actually take up to 6 months to fully heal. The healing process occurs in stages and can vary for different people. Applying the above Do’s and Don’ts of tattoo aftercare can help the process.
Keep It Clean But Not Soaked
A fresh tattoo is effectively a wound, so it’s important to keep it clean in order to avoid infection. “It will need to be cleaned regularly, particularly in the first 24-48 hours”, says Hayley. When you take the wrap off, clean the tattoo with an antibacterial, fragrance free soap, or warm water, pat your skin dry, then apply a thin layer of fragrance-free, antibacterial moisturiser over the top. Make sure you’ve cleaned your hands first. You can get your tattoo wet with short showers, but ‘it shouldn’t be submerged or soaked’, for instance, in the bath or swimming, for at least two to three weeks.
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Uv Rays Mini Crash Course
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Prematurely ages your skin, causes wrinkles and a loss in skin elasticity, dark spots |
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This is the guy that gives you a sunburn |
The general consensus is that both UVB and UVA rays contributes to skin cancer, they alter the DNA of your skin on a cellular level and causes cell mutations, and ultimately, skin cancer.
Tips To Make Your Tattoo Heal Faster
Here are some other tips to follow if you want your tattoo to heal fast. Just remember that even though you can speed up the process a little, you cannot skip any step. You just gotta go through it! If this is your first time getting a tattoo, take it slow and steady.
Its best not to make plans, like a tropical vacation, shortly after getting your tattoo. You never know how long your body will take to heal! Even if youve had a tattoo before, changes to your body overtime as well as the placement of the tattoo can mean that this new ink will take more or less time to heal than the previous ink.
Things that can impact how quickly your tattoo heals includes how much water you drink, your diet, previous skin damage like sunburn, the weather and climate where you live, your age, any other wounds that you are healing, medical conditions, and the placement of the tattoo. With so many variables, its hard to predict exactly when your new ink will be completely healed by.
Tips to speed up tattoo healing and aftercare:
- Avoid prolonged exposure to the sun,
- Avoid working out or doing strenuous work,
- When exposed to the sun, make sure to wear sunscreen ,
- Wear loose clothes over the tattoo,
- Apply a small amount of ointment or lotion putting too much on can suffocate the skin and cause healing issues,
- Stay away from water and swimming pools ,
- Avoid covering the tattoo with sunblock until its healed,
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Wait For The Tattoo To Heal
It may take your tattoo some time to heal, so it is essential you stay calm, take care of your tattoo, and let it heal completely. Many tattoo artists will let you know the estimated time you can expect your tattoo to heal, but the time usually revolves around 6 weeks, depending on the size and type of the tattoo.
For example, colored tattoos take longer to heal than black and white ones, or if theres any trauma to the skin, you can also expect the healing process to take longer. This means that areas that have been heavily shaded or the tattoo artist has gone over repeatedly will take much longer to heal. As a result, certain tattoo styles heal quicker than others.
Heals relatively quickly:
Takes much longer to heal:
- Hyper-realistic designs,
- Portraits and detailed designs,
- Any tattoo that requires a lot of coloring and shading.
You should also know that the tattoo will become itchy and uncomfortable, so you need to control yourself and not scratch it, or peel and pick it!
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My Tattoo Isnt Healing Fast What Should I Do?
If your tattoo is taking much longer to heal than your tattoo artist recommended, dont panic. Everyone is a little different and the timescale for healing will vary from person to person. If you take a long while to heal in general from cuts, scrapes, and bruises, then your tattoo will take longer too.
If in doubt, ask your tattoo artist or reach out to the tattoo forums!
How Should You Take Care Of Tattooed Skin
Your tattoo artist will handle the immediate tattoo aftercare, applying a thin layer of antibiotic ointment and a tattoo wrap or dressing before you leave the shop, says Dr. Yadav. A tattoo wrap serves two functions: It will shield your skin both from bacteria that can cause infection as well as from irritation from clothing, bedding, or other possible irritants in your environment she explains. Youll likely be instructed to leave the tattoo wrap on for about 24 hours. This is when you may also notice swelling and redness, although this may depend on your skin tone, as well as itching, which Dr. Hibler says can be alleviated by placing ice packs over the bandaged tattoo.
Once the tattoo wrap comes off, keeping the area clean and moisturized is the name of the game, but you dont need to get fancy with any kind of special tattoo aftercare products. Heres how to help the healing process go smoothly.
Keeping the area clean is the most important thing you can do to stave off bacterial infection Dr. Hibler suggests washing the area with warm water once to twice per day for the first few days, then daily for about two to three weeks. Any type of mild cleanser is a good choice here, notes Dr. Yadav, who likes Cetaphil Gentle Daily Cleanser look for gentle or mild on the label. Dr. Love says an antibacterial soap, like Dial Antibacterial Liquid Hand Soap , also works well.
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Why New Tattoo Aftercare Is So Important
You might be tempted to skip some of the aftercare steps or look for ways to speed up the healing process. While there are legitimate ways to help your tattoo heal quickly its important to understand why thorough aftercare is needed and why parts of it simply cannot be rushed.
This video shows a tattoo healing naturally. Shes cleaning it regularly, using all the right products, and the tattoo is still oozy at the beginning and scabs over later. This is completely natural. But if you dont follow aftercare steps, it can quickly turn into a nightmare.
Not only will an infected tattoo be painful, but it will also damage the tattoo design. If youve spent thousands of dollars on your new ink, thats a huge issue!
So, make sure that you always follow correct aftercare steps and dont skip the washing or moisturizing. Its also important to not pick at the tattoo.
Here are some other reasons why taking care of the tattoo is essential.
Our guide, and Google in general, are your friend. Dont ever hesitate to ask for advice! Search is it normal when if you are ever unsure about your healing tattoo and the correct way to care for it. You can also ask questions on forums, such as:
If you need step by step instructions, scroll back up to our day-by-day account of the tattoo aftercare you should be performing. If you need a little extra advice, here are some more detailed tips that weve learnt from the worlds most professional tattoo artists.