Up! The next time you get a tattoo, don't be surprised if your artist puts cling wrap or plastic wrap over the area before inking it. This common practice serves two important purposes: protecting you from infection and keeping the area clean.
A tattoo wrap protects the piece of art from bacteria seeping into the skin while the wound is still fresh. Because a new tattoo is an open wound, it's a sensitive area that's prone to germs and bacteria entering it.
If you must bandage your tattoo, use clean, non-stick gauze pads. It is best to leave the tattoo open to the air because the constant friction of a bandage may cause healing problems. Only bandage if necessary! - DO NOT use Vaseline, A+D ointment, Neosporin or petroleum jelly.
Blood can splatter and contaminate the cable. If it dries on the cable it is hard to get off so better to wrap it. The wrap is easy to change between clients. Tattoo artists are in debate about whether or not to bag their machine.
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. We know that many questions may arise during this process, which is why we laid out all of the necessary answers below.
If your artist did not recommend re-wrapping, just let the tattoo stay exposed to air overnight. Every day from then on, you will wash the tattoo in the morning and at night, and apply lotion 3 times a day or so, or whenever the tattoo feels dry or tight. Always wash your hands before touching the tattoo.
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.
Your tattoo will still be weeping some ink/blood/other fluid for the first day or so. This discharge can get stuck under the bandage and cause it to look blurry or even like there is a thick colored film over the entire area. This is ok!
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. After the wrap has been on for a few hours, you will start to see blood and plasma underneath.
Essentially, your new tattoo may turn into a petri-dish for bacterial growth (yuck). "It is not advised for people to use saran wrap due to it not offering long-term protection, or more so, complete protection from water or bacteria that could get underneath the wrap and cause infections," says Miguel.
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.
Continue to wash, dry and rewrap your tattoo 3 times a day for 48/72 hours as directed by your artist. Do not apply any cream under the cling film. After the 48/72 hour cling film stage, apply a gentle moisturiser or designated tattoo balm until your tattoo has healed.
If you can, you should try to avoid sleeping directly on the tattoo. For instance, if you have a tattoo on your back, try to sleep on your front and let the tattoo breathe. A lot of tattoo artists recommend sleeping with the wrap that was put on.
Keep it brief: Limit your showers to 5-10 minutes to avoid prolonged exposure to water, which can soften scabs and damage the healing tattoo. Lukewarm water: Use lukewarm water instead of hot water, as hot water can increase blood flow to the tattooed area and cause bleeding.
Tattoo size and details
Small tattoos can change more with time, especially those with many details. The ink in the skin remains in liquid form, and the ink molecules are encapsulated in cells called macrophages. With age, skin becomes looser and so are the tattoos. Ink moves and spreads.
Otherwise you may face an awkward conversation when you show up with numbing cream that your artist didn't know about. And if you're wondering if they can tell whether you used it or not, they can. Many creams have odors and they'll be able to feel the texture difference on your skin.
Numbing creams are applied directly to the skin area you want to numb. They work by first blocking the nerve endings in that area of your skin so they can't send pain signals to the brain. Once the cream absorbs into your skin, it works as an anesthetic to numb the area where you're getting a tattoo.
Yes, it's okay to use numbing cream for your next tattoo - it won't affect your new ink. Just make sure to consult with your artist & dermatologist and apply at least 60-90 minutes before your session. It won't affect the color, design, or the healing process of your tattoo.
If your artist bandaged your tattoo with a clear adhesive film like SANIDERM or TEGADERM, you can leave the film for up to 3 days. There may be a lot of fluid that builds up in the film and that's okay as long as nothing leaks in or out of the film.
If you've recently gotten a tattoo, but it appears blurry and smudged during and after the healing process, you may be experiencing tattoo blowout. “A blowout is when a tattoo expands below the skin layer when it hits fat [and] veins or when scarring occurs,” says Crys.
The outer layers of your skin will heal in about two to four weeks, while the deeper layers where the ink sits will take about 4 months to heal.
What NOT to do? DON'T re-bandage your tattoo, rub, scratch or pick at your new tattoo. DON'T apply alcohol, Neosporin, Vaseline, or petroleum jelly (they can trap dirt and germs and cause infection).