Your tattoo artist will put a bandage on your new tattoo (usually gauze or plastic wrap). Leave this bandage on for 1-2 hours. When you take the bandage off, the area may look a bit red or perhaps a little bloody. This is perfectly normal and no cause for concern.
2. Gently wash the area with warm water and unscented liquid anti-bacterial soap. The brand does not matter, as long as it is liquid and orange. (When rinsing the tattoo, you can turn the water to cold, this will eliminate some redness and close the pores)
3. Pat the area dry and apply a small amount of Aquaphor.
4. Repeat steps #2 and 3 about 4-5 times a day as needed.
5. Around the 3rd or 4th day, your tattoo will begin to peel. It will look like flakes coming off of the area. This is your tattoo healing and is completely normal. At this point you can switch to an unscented skin lotion such as Lubriderm or Aveeno, in place of the Aquaphor.
6. In 10-14 days your tattoo will be completely healed. It may look a bit shiny or cloudy for a few days, as that is just the new skin healing over your tattoo.
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-Extremities and joints (wrist, elbow, inner arm, ankle, neck) can potentially swell for the first few
days. It happens to some people, but will not effect your healing tattoo.
-Showering is obviously ok, but be careful about drying your tattoo when you get out of the shower.
Always pat it dry, never wipe.
-Try to wear loose clothing as much as possible around the area. A healing tattoo being scraped with a
tight sock or bra will take longer to heal.
- DO NOT GO TANNING. Sunlight or UV light will utterly destroy a fresh tattoo.
-No ponds, lakes, rivers, pools etc. for at least the first week.