Tattoo Care and Healing Time
Created | Updated Jan 28, 2002
A tattoo is basically a drawing done on skin with what looks like a small, mechanical exacto knife. After the tattoo is finished, you will have an open skin wound which, depending on what you got done, and where, can be quite large. Because of this, proper care should be taken in the healing process, otherwise infections and color loss can actually occur.
First, a bandage should be applied by the tattoo artist. It usually consists of plastic wrap applied over the area, which should have a coat of Vaseline or Neosporine on it. Neosporine is better, because it has antibacterial reagents in it. Keep the bandage on for 4-6 hours, and then wash the tattooed area in the shower with soap and warm water.
Get yourself a big tube of Neosporine. Until the cut closes and begins to scab, infection is still possible. I recommend Neosporine for the first four days. Keep the tattoo as moist as possible, applying Neosporine as often as needed. Also, keep the tattoo out of the sun, and do not go swimming in the ocean or a swimming pool for at least two weeks. Salt water and chlorine can cause ink discolorations or loss of color to the tattoo.
After four days of applying Neosporine, the cut should be closed, and the scabbing process should have already begun. At this point you can switch to applying skin lotion to the tattoo. It is important to keep the scab moist, as a dry scab can crack and start bleeding. The scab will also itch like crazy, but whatever you do, DON'T scratch it. Depending on the location of your tattoo, you can alleviate the itching by slapping the area lightly. Make sure you are alone though, so that other people won't think there is something wrong with you when they see you hitting yourself. Also, don't whack too hard, as there is no point in traumatizing your skin any more than it already has been. Keep in mind, that you have just paid for a piece of artwork that will be with you forever, and a few weeks of simple care will insure that it looks good to begin with. Continue applying lotion for the next ten days. Your tattoo should be fully healed in two weeks.
On a side note, people often ask me what they should get. I always tell them the same thing. Even if you can't draw a stick-man, you should design the tattoo yourself. That way it is much more personal. Most important though, is that you get something that isn't going to change with time, on a body part that isn't going to change with time. For example, I have a portrait of my Grandfather, who died in 1995, tattooed on my right shoulder. Having the tattoo makes me think about him often in such a way that I am really happy that I got it done.
First, a bandage should be applied by the tattoo artist. It usually consists of plastic wrap applied over the area, which should have a coat of Vaseline or Neosporine on it. Neosporine is better, because it has antibacterial reagents in it. Keep the bandage on for 4-6 hours, and then wash the tattooed area in the shower with soap and warm water.
Get yourself a big tube of Neosporine. Until the cut closes and begins to scab, infection is still possible. I recommend Neosporine for the first four days. Keep the tattoo as moist as possible, applying Neosporine as often as needed. Also, keep the tattoo out of the sun, and do not go swimming in the ocean or a swimming pool for at least two weeks. Salt water and chlorine can cause ink discolorations or loss of color to the tattoo.
After four days of applying Neosporine, the cut should be closed, and the scabbing process should have already begun. At this point you can switch to applying skin lotion to the tattoo. It is important to keep the scab moist, as a dry scab can crack and start bleeding. The scab will also itch like crazy, but whatever you do, DON'T scratch it. Depending on the location of your tattoo, you can alleviate the itching by slapping the area lightly. Make sure you are alone though, so that other people won't think there is something wrong with you when they see you hitting yourself. Also, don't whack too hard, as there is no point in traumatizing your skin any more than it already has been. Keep in mind, that you have just paid for a piece of artwork that will be with you forever, and a few weeks of simple care will insure that it looks good to begin with. Continue applying lotion for the next ten days. Your tattoo should be fully healed in two weeks.
On a side note, people often ask me what they should get. I always tell them the same thing. Even if you can't draw a stick-man, you should design the tattoo yourself. That way it is much more personal. Most important though, is that you get something that isn't going to change with time, on a body part that isn't going to change with time. For example, I have a portrait of my Grandfather, who died in 1995, tattooed on my right shoulder. Having the tattoo makes me think about him often in such a way that I am really happy that I got it done.
