If you see any type of prolonged redness or swelling, contact your artist right away. We would suggest you to avoid going out in the sunlight in the first 24 - 72 hours. This is the time when your tattoo needs to rest and not come into contact with continuous heat or water.
You can shower 3-4 hours after getting a tattoo, if you have a Saniderm bandage on, however, if you have a plastic wrap wait 24 hours to unwrap your tattoo and shower. In either case, shower in cold or lukewarm water and avoid prolonged soaking or submerging your tattoo in water for 3-4 weeks.
Cleaning and excess water exposure
So never submerge a fresh tattoo underwater. Also, avoid excessive water exposure while showering. Our skin is like a sponge and it will absorb the water, which can damage the tattoo. When it comes to cleaning your new tattoo, make sure you do this several times a day.
The first wash
After usually no less than 5 hours, it is safe to remove the bandage and wash the tattoo.
It's recommended you wait at least 24 hours before showering after getting a new tattoo. This allows the tattooed area to begin the healing process and reduces the risk of infection. Showering too soon after getting a tattoo may expose the open wound to bacteria and increase the chances of complications.
Knowing how long and when you should cover your tattoo plays a large role in effective aftercare. So, how long should I have my tattoo wrapped? Keep your tattoo wrapped for 2-4 hours after leaving the tattoo shop. If using protective tattoo film instead of plastic foil, keep the wrap on for 3-4 days.
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.
After the first day, the tattooed area may appear red, swollen, or even bleed a little. This is completely normal.
Avoid swimming—whether in a pool, lake, or the ocean—and submerging your tattoo in a bath or hot tub for two to three weeks, as doing so may cause serious damage. "With hot tubs, pools, or the ocean, it's important to wait until the tattoo is completely healed," Dr. Mikailov points out.
If your clothes stick to the tattoo, not only will you undo any healing, but you can cause damage to the overall end result once it has healed. It's best to wait until you have established scabs or the area is no longer moist. The other reason is that you will also possibly ruin some good clothes.
The tattooed area may even appear to be red and swollen. Nothing to worry about here as well. In the next few days, both these signs of getting tattooed are going to go away. If you see any type of prolonged redness or swelling, contact your artist right away.
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.
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.
A medium sized tattoo the size of your palm or hand could take from around 2-3 hours to more than 5 hours to tattoo. This once again depends on the complexity of the design, colors, and body placement. Tattoos that are about the size of your palm are a little bigger and take more time.
The world's longest tattoo session goes to Alessandro Bonacorsi for completing 28 tattoos over a span of 57 hours, 25 minutes, and 30 seconds. Alessandro has set this record four times, and keeps coming back to beat it every time someone else surpasses it.
In the immediate aftermath, and for the next few days, the site of a new tattoo can feel stingy and sore, maybe a bit like sunburn or a light graze. Slight inflammation and soreness is normal for skin that has been broken and needs to heal.
Basically treat this sickness as if it is a regular flu. Your symptoms should pass in a day or two as your body's immune system calms down and gets to the proper work of healing the actual tattoo on your skin.
Over-moisturising can lead to inflamed tattoos and potentially infection. Excess moisture can clog your skin's pores which prevents it from breathing, something that's important for your skin to heal. This can lead to breakouts on the skin that can damage the tattoo.
Can You Drink Caffeine After Getting a Tattoo? Unfortunately, the same applies to after getting tatted. During the healing period, your body is reliant on the blood to clot to help with skin repair. Since caffeine increases blood pressure, you should refrain from caffeine until your tattoo has healed.
Too much alcohol weakens your immune system and your body needs every reserve and healing power for your new tattoo. The many micro-injuries to the skin need to heal as well as possible to achieve a beautiful result. During the healing phase, it's best to hold back on the partying.
A glass of wine won't necessarily ruin your fresh ink with excessive bleeding, but we advise waiting a couple of days to have a drink to celebrate your freshly tattooed skin. Lengthening your healing time can make your tattoo more prone to infection since the scabs can't protect it as quickly.