Only use CLEAN hands to wash your tattoo. NO washcloths, bath towels, bath sponges or loofahs on fresh tattoo. Once the tattoo is dry apply Aquaphor healing ointment made by Eucerin. Apply a thin layer and rub it in.
Most tattoo artists recommend you wash your tattoo with professional tattoo soap or soap and water 2-3 times a day, at least for the first two weeks.
Paper towels are better than regular towels because there's a smaller risk of infection. Plus, if any of the colored scuds is still on your skin, it won't stain your regular towels. If necessary, you may use clean towels to lightly dab the tattoo dry. Don't wipe or scrub your tattoo—simply pat it.
DO NOT use pre-used washcloths or towels to scrub the area, as they are probably crawling with germs and bacteria. Only use your hands to clean and dry your tattoo for at least the first month.
Make a lather in your hands with soap and warm water. NO washcloths, bath towels, or sponges on a fresh tattoo. Gently clean the tattoo using a circular motion until all ointment and plasma are removed. Rinse the tattoo gently until the skin is clean.
Carefully clean away any blood, plasma, and any added moisture or tattoo ink. The area should remain moist, yet you don't want it overly saturated. Most wipes are more than saturated and will leave the skin moist. You can use the soap and water routine to avoid that.
Among all the questions we get about the washing process of a new tattoo, there's one that stands out from the rest: How often should you wash your new tattoo? Generally, it is recommended that you wash your tattoo around 2-3 times a day until it is completely healed, which can take several months.
You'll want to keep the tattoo wrapped for at least the first night because it will take a while for it to settle down and stop leaking. You don't want an open wound like that touching your bed sheets, getting blood everywhere, or dirt and dust getting into the wound itself.
Make sure you remove all traces of blood, ointment and secretions. Wash until the area feels “squeaky clean”. Do not use a washcloth, loofah, or scrubby on your tattoo while it is healing, use only your clean hands, soap, and water. Pat the tattoo dry with a clean soft cloth or paper towel, do not rub it.
After you are done washing you tattoo and have excited the shower, pat down your tattoo with paper towel. (NEVER use a towel or facecloth or toilet paper or any other piece of clothing, to dry tattoo. They all have fibres that can be wiped into the fresh tattoo that can cause it to get irritated.)
You can try using a thin layer of vaseline on the area & using diluted green soap and a paper towel to wipe of excess ink, the vaseline should help avoid the ink pooling on the skin and make wiping excess ink off easier!
It can be alarming to see chunks of pigment pull away from their permanent placement on your skin, but don't fret—the peeling of tattoos is normal and a sign that your new ink is properly healing. While tattoo peeling can't be prevented, it can be managed if you are diligent about your aftercare routine.
Tattoos are open wounds, so during the first few weeks the skin is still healing. One of the biggest risks when submerging your new tattoo in a bubble bath is infection. Getting your new tattoo too wet can prevent it from healing properly, and it might end up looking patchy.
So what product should you use? You may have heard some rumours that Bepanthen shouldn't be used on new tattoos, but this absolutely isn't the case. Bepanthen is by far one of the most highly recommended tattoo aftercare products and is the go-to ointment for most tattoo artists and studios.
Pressure can cause irritation and disrupt the healing process. Instead, try sleeping on your back or on the side opposite the tattoo!
Use a soft towel to dab the tattoo dry after taking a shower
Rather than that, you should dab it dry or better yet just let it air dry if possible. You may see a little bit of blood coming out from the tattoo, which is fine, just gently clean it.
Drunken behaviour could ruin your new tattoo
You need to be aware of keeping your tattoo clean and dry while it is fresh, so a night out might not be the best option. It's generally recommended that you wait at least 48 hours after your new tattoo before you start drinking alcohol again.
The general rule of thumb is to wait at least 24 hours after getting a tattoo before showering or washing your tattoo. This is because the first 24 hours are critical to the healing process, and any exposure to water can increase the risk of infection.
After a week, the redness and swelling should have subsided. At this point, the skin should begin to scab and flake. The itchiness may persist, but the tattoo should gradually appear more vibrant as it continues to heal.
Wrap the tattoo after the first night (wearing breathable clothes over it is fine as long as they are not causing friction. (Keeping tattoos wrapped in plastic or bandages will stop air from getting to the tattoo, slow healing, and make gross stuff grow in there.)
Can You Over-Moisturise a Tattoo? In a word: yes. It's definitely possible to over-moisturise a tattoo. An over-moisturised tattoo can lead to a whole host of issues, including breakouts, soggy scabs, and even infection.
You should use a dry paper towel. By constantly using moisture you cause the area to saturate, and what happens when there to much saturation? The area will start to reject any more moisture including ink.
Let your tattoo air dry. You can pat the tattoo gently with a clean paper towel, but you must let the tattoo dry, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes after each cleaning. Any extra moisture trapped by immediately covering the tattoo is an invitation for bacteria to multiply.