Specific tattoo ointments are required. Change your bedsheets and use old sheets for sleeping. It's not unusual for some seeping to take place. If your tattoo comes in touch with the sheets then you can ruin your bedsheets, ink is not designed to wash out.
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.
Sleep on a clean surface
To reduce the risk of infection, be sure to sleep on clean sheets or a freshly laundered pillowcase. Avoid sleeping directly on the tattoo, as the friction from the sheets can disrupt the healing process.
Many artists will recommend using a specialized tattoo bandage, and keep it on for the first few nights (up to 3-4). This protects it from bacteria, your sheets, and accidental picking or ripping of the scabs.
If you move around a lot and have the blanket rubbing against your tattoo, it can cause inflammation. Inflammation leads to swelling. This literally distorts the skin and makes healing properly more difficult. Lying flat on your tattoo can also ruin it.
Tight clothes will constantly rub against your tattoo, potentially damaging any new protective layer your skin has grown. This constant rubbing can cause irritation, inflammation, and possible infection if you wear clothes that rub your skin constantly.
Your first night sleeping, your artist might recommend you re-wrap the tattoo with plastic wrap (like Saran Wrap) to sleep without the tattoo sticking to your sheets. This is generally for larger or solid-color tattoos. If your artist did not recommend re-wrapping, just let the tattoo stay exposed to air overnight.
Your tattoo will ooze and bleed for a few days after you get it. Avoid sleeping on the tattoo at this point since it needs air circulation. Once the new layer of skin has formed over your tattoo, usually after 4 to 7 days, you can begin to sleep on it.
In conclusion, you can shower after getting a tattoo, but don't submerge the tattoo in water for any prolonged period of time. Follow the instructions your tattoo artist gives you, and if you're bandaged with Saniderm, you can keep the covering on your tattoo while you shower because it is waterproof.
Summary. Wrapping is an indispensable and major step in the healing of your fresh tattoo. To protect from infections in the area with the pattern, it is imperative to wear the wrapper for 2-4 hours if you use a simple cling wrap (plastic foil), and 3-5 days if it is a protective tattoo film.
The body's natural response to pain is to release endorphins, which can provide temporary pain relief. However, endorphins can also cause feelings of tiredness and drowsiness, which can make you feel even more fatigued after the tattoo process.
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.
Once you've removed the wrapping on your fresh tattoo, keep it off! It's time to let the healing process begin and let your tattoo breathe. If you rewrap it, you'll be trapping in moisture, which leads to bacteria growth, which leads to infection.
If your artist sent you home with adhesive wrap, you can leave that on the tattoo overnight and it should protect both the ink of your new tattoo and your bed sheets. Relieving extra worry about getting residue or ointment on your sheets makes for a better night's sleep…and that is the ultimate goal!
Only Touch Your Tattoo with Clean Hands
Always wash your hands before you touch your tattoo. And avoid allowing anyone else to touch your tattoo.
Yes, you can (and should!) shower with a new tattoo, but there are a few things to remember. "Use lukewarm water and do not directly soak the tattoo for too long," Smith notes. "You should also avoid scrubbing your tattoo or using harsh soaps as that can irritate healing skin."
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.
It's generally recommended that you wait at least 48 hours after your new tattoo before you start drinking alcohol again.
Don't wrap it, tattoos need to breathe to heal just like any other wound. Constant Saran Wrap can lead to loss of ink and infection. Simple cotton layer against it should be fine, just keep checking on it to make sure it isn't dry. You should only leave the cling wrap on for the first few hours.
"During the healing process, you should moisturize your tattoo three to six times a day," Ladna says. "Keeping your tattoo hydrated during the initial days is especially critical. If your tattoo becomes too dry, the healing may actually take longer, and you may risk losing color saturation."
First, they disinfect the area using an antibacterial cleanser or mild soap. Once the skin is entirely sterile, well-protected from germs and bacteria and dry, the artist will wrap the area with professional tattoo bandage (recommended) or simply plastic foil.
Wrapping a fresh tattoo is essential to help the initial healing while providing protection from environmental contaminants like dirt, germs or anything else that should not go near an open wound.
Your first piece of Saniderm applied by the artist must be worn for 24 hours, do not remove it early. You will have irritation, redness, bleeding, seeping, and ink collect under the bandage.
Once you're sure you've found a professional tattoo artist, the next best way to prevent blowout is to follow aftercare directions closely and pay attention to your ink during the healing process. Make sure you're cleaning your tattoo twice a day and keeping it moist until it's fully healed, at least two weeks.