Regardless of whether your new body art is an arm, back, or foot tattoo, you want to follow the same tattoo care guidelines as outlined below.

After receiving a new tattoo, your artist will apply an ointment, usually A&D, and wrap your tattoo in saran wrap or a medical bandage. This is to keep any foreign materials out of the tattoo. A new tattoo is a wound, an abrasion on the skin, and can be prone to infection proper tattoo care is not followed. So covering it for the first few hours is a normal procedure in most tattooing studios.

Remove the bandage from your new tattoo after at least 4 hours (but no more than 12). You should wait to remove the bandage until you can clean it with mild soap and warm water to remove any dried blood or ink that was left after that tattoo was finished. Do not soak the tattoo. Rinse it well, and pat it dry, then allow it to air-dry for 5-10 minutes before applying ointment. You should continue to wash your new tattoo at least 4 or 5 times a day for the first week.

Bacitracin regularly throughout the day, massaging a very small amount into the skin to keep the tattoo slightly moist, but not smothered blot off any excess. The healing tattoo should never stay submerged in water. This means that short showers are fine, but any kind of baths or swimming is not recommended. Do not re-bandage your tattoo after taking the original bandage off, the skin will need to breathe. Do not use any petroleum based products such as Vaseline – these will suck the ink out of your tattoo and cause it to fade. If you notice small itchy liquid filled bumps appearing after using a certain product, immediately discontinue use, wash the tattoo and let it dry out.

Proper tattoo care requires that you do not wear anything that will rub against your new tattoo. After receiving a foot tattoo make sure you do not wear socks, shoes, or nylons that will rub against it until it is fully healed. You need to plan ahead if your going to receive a foot tattoo on the sole because you should not walk on it until its healed. A foot tattoo may require a touch up, due to the rubbing abuse from walking and wearing shoes prematurely.

You should only apply ointment until your tattoo starts to peel (like a sunburn), which will be anywhere from 3 days to 1 week. When the peeling begins do not pick at it. When the tattoo has fully entered the peeling phase you should stop applying the ointment. The area will become dry and itchy, and a good lotion should help with this. Avoid creams and lotions that contain fragrances, artificial colors and other unnecessary ingredients that can irritate a healing tattoo. If you have applied proper tattoo care you should not develop scabs. If scabs develop, they can remove the color beneath them. It is very important that they are allowed to dry out completely. The scab will eventually fall off on its own. Never pick or pull the scab.

Your new tattoo is an open wound so refrain from actions such as swimming, tanning, removing the bandage early. Be sure to follow these proper tattoo care guidelines to ensure your foot tattoo heals properly. Your foot tattoo will be with you for a lifetime, and it only takes a week or two of your attention to keep it looking good forever.

Redness and sometimes bruising surrounding a new foot tattoo is normal for the first day or two, but if you notice any bumps or increasing redness please contact your local tattoo studio for more information.

Regardless of whether your new body art is an arm, back, or
foot tattoo you’ll want to follow the same tattoo care
guidelines as outlined below.

Technorati Tags: After Tattoo, tattoo aftercare, tattoo care

CONGRATULATIONS! You’ve finally done it. After getting your work of art firmly inked into your tender skin, you are bandaged, given some advice on how to care for your new tattoo, and sent home.But are you sure you have all the right answers? How do you know there isn’t some point or points you haven’t covered and would like to get another opinion on? What is the best advice you can get to really protect your health and preserve the beauty of your new tattoo.

Tattoo after care is a big issue. Here, we will use this as a forum and answer your questions. Read them over and then make your own decisions. What we have eventually come up with concerning the many questions asked is that there is no one answer for everyone. We are all different and have unique needs. So know yourself, and proceed with caution:

Q: When leaving my artist’s shop I was bandaged and told to leave it on for the rest of the day. I wanted to show it to my friends so I took it off for a while and put it back on again. Did I do any damage?

A: Not a good idea. It’s important to avoid infection which can cause you bodily harm as well as damage your tattoo. Keeping air borne bacteria out of the fresh wound (which is what you have) is the purpose of the initial bandage and it should be left on and undisturbed for at least 2-3 hours! When you remove it, be sure your hands have been washed carefully. An antibacterial soap would be a good idea and not necessarily overkill. Be gentle. Use lukewarm water and a mild soap (also antibacterial) such as Provon or Satin, Do not use a washcloth. Use your hand and carefully rinse off any ointments as well as the blood and plasma likely to have accumulated. When the plasma dries it will create scabs. Pat the area completely dry, do not rub, with a CLEAN towel and then apply your choice of an ointment. There are many choices here but avoid any petroleum products such as Vaseline or lanolin. A&D ointment is a good choice. So is Bacitracin. Neosporin is NOT recommended because many people have reported allergic reactions to it when used for this purpose. That can result in tiny red bumps which will take the ink with them when they finally disappear, leaving empty dots where once there was smooth ink.

Q: After removing the initial bandage, how long should I keep a fresh one on? What other lotions should I apply after a few days?

A: You don’t. Leave the tattoo open to the air with no covering once the original is removed. You must carefully wash it at least two times a day for the first week or so and apply ointment to it about 6 times a day to keep the skin from drying. Keeping it moist will reduce the amount of peeling and reduce scabs and thus reduce color fade. And remember to always keep your hands CLEAN when doing this. After 3 or 4 days you should switch from the ointment to a moisturizing lotion. Be sure it is fragrance and color free to avoid irritating the sensitive skin. Lubriderm and Eucerin are both good choices. There are specialty products out there which also work well. Some of these tattoo after care products are: Tattoo Goo, Ink Fixx, Tat Wax, H2OCEAN FOAM and others. Check out the ingredients of anything you are looking at to be sure it doesn’t contain something you are allergic to.

Q: How can I know if my tat is healing properly. It looks pretty muddy after 5 days and I don’t know if that is normal.

A: Unless you have developed an infection or did anything which has not been recommended (over-exposing it to sun, letting it scab excessively, covering it with a petroleum product, poor hygiene, scrubbing with a washcloth, etc.) it should be doing fine. You can always check with your artist to be sure, but a normal tattoo goes through healing stages. You will be oozing plasma and there will also be some “bleeding” of the fresh ink. When the process is complete, usually in 10 days or so, you will see the tattoo colors in their new bright beauty.

Q: What are some other tattoo after care suggestions you can make which I can add to these already mentioned?

A:

• You can shower with your tattoo. Getting it wet is OK, just don’t soak it. Hot tubs, baths and even swimming are not recommended.
• You will see peeling and some scabbing develop after a few days. If there is too much, that could indicate a poorly created tattoo, but a small amount is occasionally normal. Use warm and moist compreses for about 5 m inutes a couple of times a day to make them soft, and they will eventually fall of by themselves. Do not apply ointments to a scab. Let it get dry.
• You will likely want to scratch. Don’t! A tattoo is a wound and when it heals it will itch. Slap it, don’t scratch it!If it is peeling, you can put some lotion on it and if it scabbing, let it be.
• When you go out in the sun always protect it from the UV rays. Be sure to keep it covered with at least an SPF30 protectant. This will be true for as long as you want to keep it,

And that just about covers most basic questions on tattoo after care. Respect your tattoo as you respect yourself. You’re one and the same from now on. Enjoy!

We finally get our first tattoo and we are ready to leave
the shop with a bandage (or saran wrap) and a few words of
instruction, maybe. But what are the real important
considerations we need to have and what are the best
decisions we can make? This article, presented in Q&A
format, addresses the most common issues and provides sound
advice on how to preserve your new body art, as well as your
health.

Technorati Tags: After Tattoo, tattoo aftercare, tattoo care

Getting a tattoo means a lot of preparation physically and psychologically. You have survived the process of preparing your body, enduring the pains and carefully selecting the best tattoo that would express who you are and it is only reasonable to know the proper tattoo care to maintain a beautiful tattoo.

If you do not know the proper tattoo care, your beautifully done tattoo will fade and will be ruined in time. Here are some tips on the proper tattoo care to preserve the radiance and beauty of your tattoo.

Follow instructions. After getting a tattoo, artists or tattoo parlors have standard proper tattoo care instructions for you to follow and you have to do it. Do not ignore their instructions and ask them if you have concerns besides they are the experts and they know what is best for you and your tattoo.

Bandage removal. Proper tattoo care includes proper bandage removal. Leave the bandage for at least 3-4 hours. Wash your hands and remove the bandage carefully letting it to breathe and dry naturally. Do not in any case re-bandage your tattoo.

Washing your tattoo. Cleaning is an important part of proper tattoo care. Carefully let warm water run over your tattoo as you gently hand wash it with mild soap. Do not scrub it. Pat it dry with clean towel. If in the next few days it begins to get flaky, do not scrub it and let it peel on its own.

Ointment application. Anti bacterial ointment is necessary for proper tattoo care. Apply anti bacterial ointment after washing for the first 3 days of your tattoo. It is important that you have no allergic reaction on the ointment; if you notice some allergic reactions consult the experts about it. After 3 days you can use the recommended lotion for your tattoo.

Endure the itch. Your tattoo will begin to itch once it started healing, do not scratch it. Scratching it could damage your tattoo. If you really cannot endure the itching, slightly slap the itching part.

Apply sun block. Exposure to sun can cause sun burns and tattoo to fade. Once tattoo is healed and you want to display your new tattoo to the world, do not forget to apply sun block for proper tattoo care to avoid sun burns if you will spend long hours under the sun.

Knowing the proper tattoo care is important to preserve the beauty of your tattoo remember that it is an expression of who you art and you want to show off a beautifully done and maintained tattoo to the world.

Getting a tattoo means a lot of preparation physically and
psychologically. You have survived the process of preparing
your body, enduring the pains and carefully selecting the
best tattoo that would express who you are and it is only
reasonable to know the proper tattoo care to maintain a
beautiful tattoo.

Technorati Tags: After Tattoo, tattoo aftercare, tattoo care

Tattoo aftercare is an important part of the tattooing process. If this step fails to be properly followed, all of the artist’s hard work will have been for not. 8 out of 10 touch-ups are caused by the improper care the tattoo has received once home. From the time you step out of the tattoo shop, it becomes your sole responsibility in the way your new badge of honor looks after it heals.

I can’t stress enough how important it is to follow the guidelines your tattoo artist has given you. If you did not receive a care packet, then I would suggest a follow-up call to your artist on the proper care of your tattoo. A beautiful tattoo can become a complete mess if you skimp on the aftercare.

The following steps are meant to inform, and by no means are to replace the instructions given to you by your artist.

Bandaging- Yes, it may look odd, feel odd, and make you want to pull it off. But, LEAVE IT ALONE! This thin film helps to prevent air-born bacteria from infecting the fresh wound. New tattoos can become a breeding-ground for infection if you remove it too soon. You should leave the bandage on for a minimum of two hours, after which the tattoo should be cleaned up as the body’s natural defenses will cause weeping.

Treating and washing your tattoo- Using luke-warm water, and mild liquid antimicrobial soap (try to stay away from Dial, as it can be too harsh on your skin), to wash away any ointment, plasma, or dry blood from your new tattoo. Do not use anything abrasive, your hand, or a soft paper towel works well. Pat, do not rub the area with a clean towel, or dry paper towel to dry. Apply a thin layer of D&D ointment, Bacitracin ointment, H2Ocean,or the Tattoo Goo which should have been included in your care kit. DO NOT use Neosporin the healing accelerator can cause excess scabbing, and pigment loss.

You should clean your tattoo 2-3 times daily, do not allow your tattoo to completely dry out, as it can cause cracks, and again pigment loss. This routine should be preformed for 5-7 days until the skin is smooth, or the scabs have hardened. After this point in time, you can then use un-scented lotions such as Lubriderm, or Vastaline.

Showering and Bathing- It is alright to shower with your new tattoo, however submerging your tattoo in a bath can cause damage to the wound. Avoid soaking your tattoo for 2-4 weeks.

Swimming and hot tubs- You should avoid the chemicals which are in a swimming pool, and hot tub environment for at least 4-6 weeks after getting your tattoo. You should also avoid swimming in lakes, or ponds as the water can introduce infection to your tattoo.

Scabbing- You will notice that your tattoo has the feel, and look of a snake shedding. There is no cause for alarm with a little scabbing, however excessive scabbing can be indicative of poor tattooing. Keep the tattoo moist with lotion, do not pick, or scratch at your tattoo while this is occurring as it can cause major problems.

The sun- Even when your tattoo is healed, you will always want to protect it from the sun. It can fade, and severely damage a tattoo’s vibrant colors very quickly. I would suggest wearing clothing to protect your new tattoo, if it isn’t an option remember to cover it with an SPF of 30.

Tattoo aftercare is an important part of the tattooing
process. If this step fails to be properly followed, all of
the artist’s hard work will have been for not. 8 out of 10
touch-ups are caused by the improper care the tattoo has
received once home. From the time you step out of the tattoo
shop, it becomes your sole responsibility in the way your
new badge of honor looks after it heals.

Technorati Tags: After Tattoo, tattoo aftercare, tattoo care

A tattoo is a lifelong investment and one that you want to take care of. You need to choose a tattoo artist that has credentials. Next you have to decide on the design of the tattoo and where you want it. The biggest thing to remember is you are going to bear this tattoo for the rest of your life so pick wisely on location as well as design.

Preparation prior to getting a new tattoo is critical. Make sure that the tools your tattoo artist uses are sterilized or brand new. Good artists will clean and apply antiseptic ointment as they create your new tattoo. The quality of a tattoo depends heavily on the proper care received after receiving it. The best artists talk to you about the care of your new tattoo and provide you a list of things to do, and not to do.

You want to keep the tattoo clean. The most effective way to do this is with gauze strips and medical tape. You should never get the tattoo wet immediately after receiving it. You want it to dry the first couple day while cleaning it every few hours. Before you attempt to touch or clean the tattoo make sure you wash your hands in anti bacterial soap. The cleaner your hands, the less you have to worry about infection. The best ointment to use for a new tattoo is A&D ointment. A&D’s job it to keep your new tattoo clean and shiny. Be gentle when you apply the ointment because you could disturb the healing process.

After 4 or 5 days you can stop using the ointment and use unscented body lotion to continue the healing process. After using the unscented lotion for 3 or 4 days you can discontinue. Sometimes scabs appear that are very itchy and irritating. Be aware that picking or scratching of these scabs can permanently damage the artwork. The best thing to do is leave it alone and let it run its course. Remember your new tattoo is going to be with you forever so take the time to take care of it.

A tattoo is a lifelong investment and one that you want to
take care of. You need to choose a tattoo artist that has
credentials. Next you have to decide on the design of the
tattoo and where you want it.

Technorati Tags: After Tattoo, tattoo aftercare, tattoo care

Tattoo regret is HUGE. And it will continue to grow even more in the coming years as there is so much ink out there and people will start regretting their tattoo decisions.

I’m hearing this all the time already: "My tattoo is so lame! How do I get rid of it"?

You do have a few options. Lets’ check them out:

1. Laser removal. This can do a decent job, though it’s not always totally removed and many times you can see ink remnants remaining. Look at photos of Angeline Jolie and you will see some faded ink that she had removed, yet you can still make some of it out. Laser removal can also be very expensive.

2. Tattoo Removal Creams. These have had mixed results with people. Some people haven’t had success, while others were very impressed with the removal ability. These may improve over the years as well. They are a more inexpensive route than laser, and can be a good option to try first anyway before investing in laser.

3. Tattoo Cover Up. This usually is the best option, even if you are not interested in getting another tattoo, there are now so many different design options that you’ll likely find a higher quality, classier design that you like to cover up with. Think about it: What is going to look better – a smeared, faded, skin rash like mess from the results of laser or cream removal, or a high quality artistic, intricate, classy fresh new design? Many people make the mistake of not even considering cover up as a removal option but it is something to think about as a new design can look a lot better than a laser removed smeared up skin splotch.

Tattoo regret is HUGE. And it will continue to grow even
more in the coming years as there is so much ink out there
and people will start regretting their tattoo decisions.

Technorati Tags: After Tattoo, tattoo aftercare, tattoo care

When I first got mine it was painful! I had gotten a really cool tribal cross I found on a website. I could not believe it at first I felt a little pinch but when but when the tattoo artist got comfortable it felt like I was being stung multiple times by bumble bees!

Tattoos that are new can scratch and damage so it is up to you to take care of it. A&D ointment helps your tattoo remain the way it is without harming your tattoo there are other ointments out there but a&d ointment is suggested because it is one of the best that is after you remove the bandage and washed your tattoo lightly with soap. After a few days apply regular skin lotion that does not have dye, perfume, lanolin, Vitamin E, aloe or alcohol in it.

If it is your first time getting a tattoo you should think long and hard about what you are going to get because it is going to be permanent like I said. Getting a tattoo is cool but it comes with a price and that is pain. I think getting tattoos are great and they look really cool! Tattoos can be really painful so if you are not up for the pain do not bother getting one. The things you can not do when you get your tattoo is swimming,stay away from the sun and be sure to put some type of ointment on it.

The Tattoo process usually lasts for about two weeks so for the time being wear loose clothing for this will speed up the healing process.

Getting your first tattoo? Here is my first experience when
I got mine. Read this article to learn more about to expect
before getting your first tattoo.

Technorati Tags: After Tattoo, tattoo aftercare, tattoo care