Tattoo care: how to keep tattooed skin happy and healthy
Every tattoo tells a story. But, to keep your tattoo looking great for the rest of your life, it’s important to adopt proper tattoo care techniques to ensure it heals correctly.
While you might want to rip off the plastic wrap immediately and show your latest artwork off to your friends, you need to remember that every new tattoo is an open wound, so your skin needs all the help it can get to heal properly.
With this in mind, we thought we’d lend a hand. We’ve put together this helpful tattoo care guide to help you learn how to take proper care of your new tattoo.
However, it’s important to note that you should always follow the advice of your tattoo artist and, if you experience any complications or concerns, always seek medical advice.
Why is proper tattoo care important?
Taking care of your tattoo is vital for preserving its appearance, ensuring it heals properly and reducing any risk of associated complications. It can also help maintain its colours and lines and prevent fading or distortion.
However, despite the growing global popularity of tattoos, there’s been a lack of official guidelines relating to tattoo care until relatively recently. In fact, it was only back in 2020 that the European Committee for Standardization (CEN, French: Comité Européen de Normalisation) first released an official standard outlining how to look after fresh tattoos correctly.
But, this had been a long time coming, especially with various researchers and governing bodies highlighting that a lack of proper tattoo care can cause infection – something that can be easily avoided through good general hygiene.
How to wash and clean a new tattoo
Now we know why taking care of your tattoo is important, how do you actually go about it?
Well, proper cleaning is the key first step.
When you first leave the tattoo parlour, your tattooist will likely cover your tattooed area with either non-stick gauze (also known as a second skin), a sterile, non-adhesive dressing or a clean plastic film wrap, before securing it with hypoallergenic tape.
Different tattooists tend to offer varying advice about when and how you should clean your tattoo after you get home.
Generally, you can remove the wrapping after a few hours once you're home, as long as you're able to immediately clean the fresh tattoo with lukewarm, soapy water. However, it's important to follow your specific tattoo artist's instructions, as they will know what’s best for your tattoo.
Make sure you wash your hands in warm water and liquid soap before you touch your tattoo as well, and ensure your hands are completely dry by using a clean cloth or paper towel. This should help to remove most germs and prevent them from being transferred to the affected area.
Once your hands are clean and dry, gently clean your tattoo by using lukewarm water and mild, unscented antibacterial soap to help remove any blood, plasma or ink residue from the surface. You’ll need to pat (not rub) the area dry using a clean, soft cloth.
How to protect a new tattoo
Once your bandage has been removed and your tattoo is clean and dry, it’s important to protect it properly.
To do this effectively, you should apply a thin layer of specific tattoo care ointment two or three times a day for the first two to three days, after cleaning your tattoo. Continue this routine until the crust that often forms around new tattoos has completely disappeared.
Many people believe that the healing process is over at this point. However, tattoos generally take two to four weeks to heal on the surface – and even longer depending on factors such as the size of your tattoo and whether you have a medical condition. In fact, it can take up to six months for the skin underneath the tattoo to heal fully.
How to avoid infections from a new tattoo
Maintaining a good level of hygiene around your tattoo is essential during the healing period, as it may help lower the risk of infection and scarring.
It’s also important to recognise the signs of an infection in case you need to seek medical advice. Here’s what to look out for:
- Swelling and redness that increases around the wound
- A severe burning and throbbing sensation around the tattoo site
- Increased feelings of tenderness and pain to the touch
- An unusual, smelly discharge that’s typically yellow or green
If you notice any of these signs, speak to your doctor as soon as possible, as they may need to prescribe you a course of antibiotics.
Is it safe to work out after getting a new tattoo?
While there’s no hard and fast rule to how soon you can exercise after getting a new tattoo, there are a few good reasons why you should put a temporary pause on your workout regime.
Firstly, performing physical activity can cause excessive sweating and friction, which may irritate your tattoo and affect how well it heals. Secondly, tight gym clothes are designed to come into close contact with your skin which, again, may irritate your tattoo as you work out and impact its ability to heal.
And, finally, gym equipment is often a hotspot for germs (especially in indoor environments) which could increase your risk of infection.
It’s also important to note that it can take varying lengths of time for your tattoo to fully heal. So, you should speak to your tattooist for tailored advice on how long you should rest before exercising again. You should also do this every time you get a new tattoo, as the advice could change depending on its size and location.
Tattoo care: our top tips
As well as cleaning your tattoo properly, there’s a wide variety of other things you can do to lower your risk of infection and aid healing.
Here are some of the key dos and don’ts for your first few weeks with a new tattoo.
Do:
1. Follow your tattoo artist’s advice
As we’ve discussed already, understanding how to help your tattoo heal properly is crucial to keeping it looking good for years to come. So to support this process, you should:
- Consult your tattoo artist on how to care for your new tattoo, as they may have specific recommendations based on the size and type of tattoo you’ve received.
- Ask them for specific advice on which products they’d recommend using and how often you should be applying them while your tattoo is healing.
If your tattoo scabs over while it's healing, this is perfectly normal. Just make sure you don't pick or scratch at the scabs as this could lead to an infection.
2. Support your body’s overall health and wellbeing
As well as looking after your tattoo, you need to look after your health, so that your body can heal properly.
After all, good nutrition is linked to proper wound healing, so in the weeks after getting your tattoo, you should make sure you’re eating a healthy, balanced diet and drinking enough liquid.
Getting enough sleep may also help give your body the rest it needs to recover and heal properly.
Don't:
1. Get your tattoo wet
While a quick rinse in the shower is okay, avoid taking a bath while your tattoo is still healing. it’s important to keep your tattoo from being submerged under water for a minimum of two weeks.
You should also avoid swimming and hot tubs, as there could be bacteria in the water that may increase your infection risk. Not only that, but the chlorine that’s often added to swimming pools may dry out your skin and cause it to burn or itch as well, so keep that swimsuit locked away for now!
2. Sunbathe with your tattoo exposed
Ultraviolet (UV) rays from sunlight can damage your tattoo, both while it’s healing and when it’s healed. In fact, sun-induced reactions are typically reported in 20% of people with tattoos, leading to issues like swelling and itching.
Stay out of the sun and avoid sunbathing or using suncream during the initial healing period (usually the first three weeks). You should also wear protective or loose-fitting clothes to ensure the tattoo is well covered.
Once your tattoo is healed, use a broad-spectrum (UVA and UVB) suncream with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30 whenever you’re out in the sun, reapplying every two hours or after swimming or sweating.
Which creams can help with tattoo care?
There are a wide variety of tattoo creams available to look after your tattoo.
Bepanthen® Tattoo Intense Care Ointment is specifically designed to help keep your tattooed skin soft and supple by protecting it with a transparent, breathable layer.
It contains provitamin B5 (known as panthenol) to support your skin’s natural regeneration process and is free from any preservatives, fragrances and colourants. So, it’s an ideal choice for keeping your tattoo moisturised and hydrated as it heals.
For further advice on which cream you should use to help with your recovery, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or tattooist. They’ll be able to provide you with tailored support to ensure your skin recovers properly and stays in good condition for years to come.