TATTOO AFTERCARE: ULTIMATE GUIDE
Tattoos are an art form that is almost as old as civilization itself. They've been part of our culture for thousands of years, from ancient times to today. While they may have once been used as a form of punishment or tribal identification, they're now seen as a way to express yourself through body art—and they can be beautiful! But even beautiful things need care and attention if you want them to last forever. To get the most out of your tattoo and keep it looking good for years to come, read on:
TATTOO AFTERCARE MATTERS! LET US TELL YOU WHY…
While you might be super tempted to skip some of the tattoo aftercare steps or look for ways to speed up the tattoo healing process, it’s important to understand why thorough aftercare is needed and why parts of it simply cannot be rushed.
We have listed down some of the reasons why taking care of a tattoo is super essential:
Let us understand what Tattooing really is. Tattooing is similar to a medical procedure; as the very process consists of a needle being inserted repeatedly into your skin. So, naturally, like every medical procedure tattooing also requires AFTERCARE.
Tattoo aftercare prevents skin complications and health issues.
Tattoo aftercare also promotes faster healing and lowers the chances of infection.
Not following aftercare instructions could turn your tattoo experience into a nightmare. Not only will an infected tattoo be painful, it will also damage the tattoo design, and don’t forget the thousands of rupees that you just invested in your new tattoo will go to waste!
THINGS YOU NEED TO HAVE BEFORE YOU FOLLOW BASIC TATTOO AFTERCARE:
✓ Beespoke Tattoo Aftercare (Cream + Soap)
✓ Fresh paper towels/ Clean cloth
✓ Clean water supply (Luke warm or Cold)
✓ Patience
DAY TO DAY TATTOO AFTERCARE
Day 1: Right after the tattoo
Your artist must have wrapped your fresh new badass tattoo with cellophane wrap right now. The wrap is there to protect your tattoo from dirt and bacteria, and it should be left on for up to 3 hours before you remove it.
Wash your hands with soap before removing the wrap: Washing your hands beforehand will help prevent your tattoo from getting infected when you go to touch it. Now carefully pull the cellophane wrap so you don’t damage your new tattoo.
Wash your tattoo with cold water and soap: Wash your tattoo under running water (or have a cold shower if you’ve spent all day at the studio). Make foam out of any mild soap or our anti-microbial BEESPOKE SOAP to gently clean the tattoo with your fingers. (Don’t touch the soap bar directly to your tattoo) Just make sure to remove all traces of blood, plasma or leaked ink.
Air dry the tattoo or pat it dry: You can either let your tattoo air dry or pat it dry with a paper towel. Avoid rubbing the tattoo with the paper towel from this moment on. The artist already did that a gazillion times while tattooing you. (We know that look on your face right now. Haha)
Apply an antimicrobial cream or ointment:
Once your tattoo is fully dry, sparingly apply any antimicrobial ointment or our all-natural BEESPOKE CREAM. I kid you not, but this cream smells realllllllyyyy goooooood and tattoos heal faster.
Make sure to apply a very thin layer and massage it gently until it’s absorbed by your skin.
Please note:
Avoid using petroleum-based products as these are too heavy and may clog your pores and prevent your skin from breathing.
Once your tattoo is clean and moisturised, avoid re-wrapping it! Cool?
Days 2-3
As your skin heals, you’ll notice thin scabs starting to form. Your tattoo will look dull or cloudy right now, so don’t worry at all.
Wash and moisturise your tattoo daily: Wash your tattoo with BEESPOKE SOAP twice a day, and sparingly apply our Bee Propolis-filled CREAM once in the morning and at night, preferably an hour before you hit the bed.
Don’t panic when this happens: While your tattoo is healing, it will leave some ink residue. The blood and plasma rise to the surface as your body begins its healing process and will get mixed up with the excess ink that happens to be sitting in the upper layers of skin and naturally flushes out. This is normal!
Days 4-6
Don’t pick the scabs: This is the critical part of the tattoo. The redness will start to fade slowly. You can now stop washing the tattoo as the scabs will continue forming all over your tattoo during this period. Somehow prevent the urge to pick them, after all we do not need blurred line or any harm to the tattoo.
It is normal for water to drip over your tattoo while having a shower, gently dap with a clean cloth or paper towel.
Continue usage of CREAM: You can continue applying Beespoke Tattoo Cream sparingly once a day if you feel your tattoo is too dry.
Weeks 1-2
Peeling of scabs: This is the moment- the scabs that have formed over your tattoo start to peel off. Please don’t pick on them and help the process no matter how tempting it may be.
Resist the scratch: Honestly, how can one resist an itch right? But come on, we are so close to a perfectly healed tattoo. Apply a teeny bit of the Beespoke CREAM and rub it gently ONLY on the areas that feel itchy.
Weeks 2-4
Almost there: Your tattoo might still look a little dull or dry. Your skin lotion or our Aftercare Cream will continue to be your BFF. Keep hydrating yourself until your skin is fully healed and supple again.
WHAT NOT TO DO AFTER GETTING A TATTOO
Avoid scratching your tattoo or picking the scabs: No matter how itchy your tattoo gets, always ALWAYS let the scabs fall on its own. Do not, at any cost, speed up the process by picking or scratching at the scabs. This will cause the scabs to fall off too soon leaving light spots or holes on the tattoo.
Keep your tattoo out of direct sunlight: Think of the sun as an enemy of a fresh, healing tattoo. The harsh rays of the sun cause your skin to blister and lighten some of the colours in your tattoo, which is why it is best to keep your tattoo covered for at least 3-4 weeks until the initial healing is complete.
No pools, beaches or bathtubs: Avoid soaking your tattoo at all costs until your tattoo is fully healed. Exposing your tattoo to a lot of water can be quite damaging and will affect the appearance of your tattoo. If the water is contaminated with bacteria, chemicals, or even dirt, it can infect your tattoo.
Wear clean and loose-fitting clothes: It’s best to avoid wearing tight or restrictive clothing over a new tattoo. As your tattoo heals, it will seep plasma and excess ink which may cause the clothing to stick to the tattoo. The clothing will then be very painful to remove and could rip off any freshly formed scabs, leaving you no choice but to touch up your tattoo again.
If your clothing does stick to your tattoo, do not pull! Wet the area with water first. This should loosen the clothing so it can be removed without damaging the tattoo.
Wait! Your tattoo needs to heal before you hit the gym again: If the tattooed area is forced to move around too much during physical activity, it will cause the skin to crack and become irritated, prolonging the healing process.
If you work in a job that involves physical activity, such as dance or any field work, you may want to consider taking a few days off so it has time to heal before you return to work.
HOW TO SHOWER WITH YOUR NEW TATTOO
You might be washing your tattoo separately and carefully, but you still need to wash the rest of your body! To do this, you can take a shower, but you must follow these steps.
You don’t have to cover the tattoo, but you should avoid directing the water spray directly onto the tattoo. If possible, keep the pressure of the water as low as possible.
Have a bucket bath! If you’re in India, you know it’s faster, it saves a lot of water, and its better for the environment and for your new tattoo.
It’s advisable to shower with lukewarm or cold water, it will be quite soothing for your tattoo. A hot water bath will open up your pores, leading to more oozing and probably an infection.
Shower as quickly as possible. Don’t linger, and don’t let your tattoo soak in water.
Avoid using your body towel to dry your tattoo. Instead, use your regular towel for your body, then use a paper towel on your tattoo. This will avoid spreading bacteria and infections around.
WHAT TO DO IF YOUR TATTOO GETS INFECTED
Yes! Infections on tattoos suck. They’re either too scabby, ooze a lot of plasma, or could even smell a little. If you think that your tattoo is infected, then get yourself checked by a Doc immediately. Contact your artist or the studio for recommendations but know that we cannot solve an infection ourselves Mostly, you will have to go through a course of antibiotics or a medical-grade antibacterial cream to take the infection away. Unfortunately, an infection on a tattoo could damage or alter the tattoo design and would require a touch up session to correct anything that went wrong.
Also, try not to direct any anger at your tattoo artist or the studio unless there have been multiple cases of customers with infections from the same studio. A tattoo studio is a controlled environment so it's highly unlikely that the infection came from the studio itself. It’s far more likely that you picked up the infection whilst travelling, visting places or even at home.
8 FOODS TO CONSUME DURING YOUR TATTOO HEALING PROCESS
While nursing a brand new tattoo, focusing on nutrition can help you through the often painful tattoo healing process. Whether you’re tattooed or not, nutrients and vitamins are necessary; remember, you are what you eat.
FAQS
Is the Tattoo aftercare routine the same for all tattoos?
In short, the answer is no! Tattoo aftercare is different for different tattoo styles. A minimalistic tattoo requires less care compared to a bigger tattoo since small tattoos aren't as damaging to the skin.
Whatever style your tattoo is in, just follow the cleaning and moisturising steps we have listed above; that's all.
What if my tattoo is not peeling?
Everyone’s skin heals differently. You might see the peeling of scabs at a later time, or not many scabs at all. A tattoo not peeling is not a sign of something wrong with your new tattoo.
How long does a tattoo take to heal?
The time it takes for a tattoo to heal completely depends on the size of the tattoo and how well you look after it. On average, you can expect your tattoo to heal within two to three weeks. Just follow the instructions mentioned above for your tattoo to heal entirely and look fabulous.
Will I need a touch up after my tattoo has healed?
If you do lose ink in your tattoo done by us, we should retouch it for free. You can visit us after about 6 weeks if you need touch-ups on any area of the tattoo.
