After Care | INKISM

Think of your tattoo as having a warranty; if you don’t follow the artist’s instructions, you might void the warranty, and he or she won’t give you free touch-ups.
Remember: tattoo artists want your tattoo to heal correctly and look good just as much as you do, so they won’t give you any poor advice.

Do not leave the bandage/plastic wrap on for more than six hours. These keep in the heat and as the tattoo is weeping it can start to cause bacteria build up, leading to infection.
In reality, the amount of time will vary according to the size and placement of the tattoo, along with the level of tattoo seepage and the type of bandage used. In most cases, it is best to follow the advice of your tattoo artist, but you should also use your judgement and common sense.
To remove the bandage, soak it with warm water to prevent it from sticking to your skin. It should come off easily once wet. Discard the used bandage.

Do not hold the tattoo directly under the water. Wash it indirectly by splashing the water over the tattoo with your hands. The stream of water from the faucet may be too harsh on your new tattoo.
If your new tattoo is covering a large area of skin, it may be easiest to wash the tattoo in the shower.

You should allow your tattoo to breathe like this after each time you wash it or get it wet.

Bepanthen (commonly used on baby’s nappy rash) is a good ointment to put on to help heal and stop itching of your tattoo.
You should continue applying the ointment after each time you wash the tattoo, at least twice a day, for 3 to 5 days or until the tattoo starts to peel. When it does you can switch to a regular, fragrance-free lotion. Don’t use petroleum-based products, such as Vaseline, as these are too heavy and may clog the pores, causing breakouts on the tattoo. They also draw the ink from the tattoo to the surface of the skin, causing the tattoo to fade before it’s even fully healed.

Products containing grapeseed oil, shea butter, calendula, and helichrysum are beneficial to the skin in genera, and may help speed the healing process.
The best ointment to use on your tattoo is Aquaphor.

Don’t shave the tattoo until it’s fully healed. If you shave around it, don’t let the shaving cream or hair irritate or infect the tattoo. Dry, scabbing or peeling skin can become very itchy, but scratching at your tattoo may also cause scabs to fall off. You can relieve itching by slapping the tattoo with the flat of your hand, or by rubbing in a little lotion.

Do not cover the tattoo after the initial cover is applied by the artist after you had the tattoo done. Tattoos need air to heal, and plastic wrap or gauze will only suffocate the tattoo and prolong healing. When sleeping at night, simply avoid laying on the tattoo, and if you are worried about ink coming off lay a towel down underneath you to prevent the tattoo from becoming stuck to your bed-sheets.
You will still need to protect your tattoo by wearing a minimum of SPF 30. This will prevent your tattoo from fading in the sun, keeping the colors true for longer.

Using a cold gel pack is always a good alternative to the traditional ice pack.
Cold can help get rid of the itch. Gently rest an ice pack on the tattoo.
Swelling may occur with new tattoos on your feet, ankles or calves, especially if you have been standing for long periods of time. If this happens, you can reduce swelling by taking an Ibuprofen, applying an ice pack to the swollen area, and elevating your feet and legs.

Running an itchy tattoo under hot water for a minute will provide about 3-4 hours of comfort, allowing you to fall asleep without the irritation keeping you up at night.
Don’t wash your new tattoo with hot water. Hot water opens up skin pores and will likely hurt your sensitive skin. It will be completely safe to resume these activities once your tattoo is healed, but for now you should stick to rinsing your tattoo in the sink or shower.
Do not Soak tattoo in water during healing period.

After healing process is done still apply tattoo goo periodically especially if you have a coloured tattoo to enhance and protect the colour.
Avoid fluffy clothing as the fluff can get into your scabs and cause infection. If your clothing does stick to your tattoo, do not pull! First wet the area with water, which should loosen the clothing to where it can be removed without damaging your tattoo.
In addition, tight clothing will prevent enough oxygen from getting to your tattoo, and oxygen is essential for the healing process.

Avoid using saunas and steam rooms while your tattoo is healing, as the moisture may draw pigment from the skin.

Wrap the tattoo for the first 3 nights before you sleep- dirt fluff and bacteria can enter tattoos if they are unprotected during sleep. They can air out during the day.
If you’re involved in a self-defense class like karate or kickboxing, you may want to warn your classmates so they can avoid hitting you in the wrong place.
Do not workout in gym at least first 7 days after getting tattoo.

The initial healing of the tattoo will take up to two weeks. During this time, you can expect the tattoo to start peeling or flaking, in a similar way to sunburn. Some coloured skin may come away as the tattoo peels, but this is entirely normal.
After the skin peels, your tattoo will look glassy and feel tight. It may also have cloudy or white patches of skin that you will be tempted to peel off, but try to resist. This is referred to as “onion skin” and will fall off by itself within a couple of weeks.
Bactine spray helps wonders with a sore itchy tattoo!!
Even after your tattoo has healed, it may feel a little bumpy. This is because the ink still needs to “settle”. This usually takes about four weeks.
Disease, infection and viruses may spread through the tattoo process when a dirty(or used) needle is used. This is why it is important to find a trustful and reputable shop. Remember, you will get what you pay for.
Do not use products like Neosporin. They are not for puncture wounds (and remember, your tattoo is just thousands of little puncture wounds). This will cause the skin under and around your tattoo to heal too quickly.