The instructions given for the care of a new tattoo are often over-complicated and because of that, it can feel a little confusing and sometimes even maybe a little stressful.
The truth is that tattoo aftercare is actually extremely simple and can be hammered down into a short and simple routine that is functional for almost everyone. You don’t need any fancy products or exotic creams, and the few things you DO need you probably already have at home or can purchase at any grocery store or pharmacy for just a few dollars. Here’s what I recommend:
Dial Gold Antibacterial Hand Soap (Or any liquid antibacterial hand soap, preferably non-scented. Avoid bar soaps.)
Lubriderm (Or any non-scented water-based lotion, like Aveeno Light for example.)
Warm Water
Paper Towels
You will be sent home in a bandage that you will remove by yourself after a small period of time. Adhesive bandages like Saniderm or Second Skin should be removed in about 48-72 hours. This is less time than the boxes often state, but it’s what I have found to work well. Other bandages, such as plastic wrap, should be removed within 3-4 hours typically, although I occasionally will recommend leaving it on overnight. Whatever kind you have, take the bandage off in the shower. The warm water will loosen the adhesives that are securing your bandage and save you some pain and maybe a few hairs. It also opens your pores, which is good for the healing your new tattoo, especially in the first few days. Trust me on this one.
Wash your hands first, then get a foamy lather of soap on your hands and wash the tattoo. Don’t beat it up, but ensure you get off any dried fluids or remaining sticky stuff. Don’t be afraid to touch it, it’s much easier to just dive in and get the job done.
Once the tattoo is clean, go ahead and give it a rinse. You can let it air dry or use a paper towel to pat it dry. It probably wouldn’t be the end of the world if you used a cloth towel, but in general disposables tend to be cleaner, and thus better for use on an open wound, like a tattoo.
Gently rub in a small amount of lotion. You probably need only about a third of the amount you think you do. You want enough only to leave a slightly tacky surface, don’t leave on globs of lotion. Over-moisturizing a fresh tattoo is worse than it getting a little dry! As a small note, I generally recommend against products like Aquaphor, A+D ointment, or whatever $40 tattoo salve Wal-Mart is selling. They are simply too easy to over-apply in my experience without providing more than an incremental difference in heal quality.
Then simply repeat that process of washing, drying, and moisturizing a couple of times a day or as needed (like after exercise) until the tattoo is healed, which is typically a period of somewhere between 2 to 4 weeks.
There are a few things you want to avoid while healing your new tattoo. I won’t go into the specifics on why you want to avoid these things here, although you are welcome to contact me if you would like clarification. Don’t expose your tattoo to direct sunlight for more than a few minutes while it’s healing. This is one of the quickest ways to fade or damage a new tattoo, and definitely the easiest to do on accident. Loose hoodies, sweatshirts, or Netflix marathons are great for this. You also want to avoid submerging your tattoo entirely under water (or any other liquid, you weirdo). These two things mean that yes, the beach is a bad idea right after getting tattooed. Running water over a tattoo in a shower is fine, dunking it in the pool is not.
Your tattoo may develop scabs, peel like a sunburn, and/or itch during the healing period. It is best not to pick these scabs or scratch at the itching. Instead, let any skin that is going to come off fall off naturally, and you can lightly pat the area when it itches. Often, but not always, itching is a sign of dry skin and can be further remedied by applying a little more lotion.
As a final note, I really recommend against putting anything on your tattoo that is not one of the items I mentioned above while it is healing. Things like raw aloe or cocoa butter are awesome and smell great, but they are simply not ideal for healing a tattoo. It also really helps with identifying any potential problems or strangeness with healing to limit the amount of variables involved in the process. Hope this all helps!