Tattoos - choices and aftercare

Realize some things BEFORE you get a tattoo:
What do you want   /   Where do you want it
"Black & Grey" or Color piece
How big do you want it
do you want to get it in one sitting, or multiple visits with healing time in between (for large pieces)
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find  a reputable artist
trust your artist   /   trust the venue (sterile, etc)
pick a date (or dates depending if it's not one sitting)
be aware of full cost before you agree to getting the tattoo
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You cannot get laser hair removal on tattoos, so get it done before you get your tat
Do not show up drunk for your tattoo
Make sure you are healthy on the day of receiving your new tat.

What to expect:
TIP YOUR ARTIST
Pain, redness, swelling
itchiness, sensitivity to touch
compliments as well as prejudice



Ok, now that's out of the way...
I'll go over how to take care of your new tattoo without spending a fortune on   Tattoo Goo   /   Ink Fixx   /   H2Ocean   /   Tattoo Lube   /   Lapeau-Ink   /   After Inked   /   TAT (Totally Awesome Tattoo)   /   Heaven & Hell   /   or whatever the hell else the parlor wants to sell to you.

You JUST got your tat? Here's what you need to do:
If wrapped in anything other than a bandage, TAKE IT OFF. If you have a bandage, keep it on for about two hours, but no more. The bleeding should have stopped by then. If you're having a bad-luck day and the gauze is stuck to your tattoo, run some cold water over the bandage until you can remove it.
Wash the tattoo to remove the plasma, which dries on the skin and creates scabs :( and no one wants your sexiness factor to go down from ugly scabs. Use liquid antibacterial or antimicrobial soap - liquid Neutrogena cleanser is GREAT. Also, use your hands! Wash cloths et al will be too harsh. You have a wound. Be as gentle as possible. Lukewarm water won't irritate the skin. Do not apply alcohol. You'll just cry like a little girl AND run the ink from your tat.
With a clean towel, pat it dry. Completely. No paper towel, unless you're desperate and SURE the fibers of the towel aren't abrasive - Like Viva. Viva is awesome and so freakin soft... but I digress... Where was I? Oh, air-dry for fifteen minutes (which is fun when you have strategically placed tats :P ).
Now it's clean and dry (finally), so we need to moisturize! First, my do-not rant:

• Do not apply Vaseline, lanolin, or ANYthing with petroleum. Petroleum-based products drain the color from your tattoo, plus, they don't do anything to heal it. You'll smell like a old man, too, so... have fun with that.
• Forget about Neosporin no matter how much you swear by it. The new ink now in your skin will likely cause an allergic reaction to the product, even if you're not allergic to the Neosporin yourself. Unless you want a spotted tattoo, then don't listen to me.
• Bacitracin bleeds the color from your tattoo a few days into healing. That, simply put, just makes it difficult to keep your body art clean. Save yourself the trouble.
• Stay away from oils and bees wax because they clog pores (just like petroleum) and your tat needs to breathe in order to heal. Yes, vitamin oils promote skin rejuvenation and suppleness, but they will prolong the oozing plasma cycle which increases the chance for scabbing and ink loss. Oh, and staining your clothes and/or bedsheets aren't really my cup of tea.
• Basically, if the product you use isn't water-based, your clothes will stick to your tat. Try that on for fashion-sense.
• Make sure the lotions you use are fragrance-free. Again, this is a repeat of allergic reactions, clogged pores, and cleanliness.
• Over-application is a big no-no. Thin layers of anything is better, multiple times a day for the first two weeks.
• If you're all into that oil, vitamin, comfrey herb scene..... buy some supplements. Don't put it on your wound. There's too much risk for complications.
• Last, but certainly not least, don't do anything stupid to thin your blood for the next two days, and that's including TODAY. Drinking alcohol or taking aspirin is a bad move right now. [Were you drunk when you GOT your tattoo? Um, well, have fun explaining that one to your friends and family]

I honestly don't like the idea of applying lotion to a BRAND-NEW tattoo the first two days. You have a scar - not just dry skin. Sleep well and drink a lot of water. But if you feel that's too much to ask, Eucerin is OK; it has minimal ingredients so your safety is maximized, but you need to apply it a billion times a day and purchase a new bottle more often than you'll likely be comfortable with. I LOVE Mary Kay Intense Moisturizing Cream. It's fragrance free, VERY hydrating, and doesn't irritate the skin. I think I applied it twice a day (the first four weeks) and I was set. It's a little pricey, but it lasts a LONG time. I'm still using it over a year later. Remember - thin layers go a long way (and won't stain your clothes).
Elevate lower leg/foot tattoos as much as possible the first two or three days.

Things to remember during healing (two/three weeks):

• never soak your tattoo - so no swimming, baths, or anything of that sort
• never expose it to the sun or tanning beds/sprays. You can buy patches to cover it that block out light
• keep the tattoo covered while working around dust or dirt to prevent infection. Cover it when you go to bed, too
• don't pick at it. Yuck, and ow!
• clean it regularly (once or twice a day) with mild soap and use your hands - which are also clean! Pat dry.
• If you have any concerns, go see the artists that did your tattoo. You don't have to be done with them once you get your ink. They're there to help you, too.
• "If the skin itches, slap it. If it is peeling, put lotion on it. And if it is scabbing, just leave it alone."

After it's healed, for the Love of [insert religious/spiritual pronoun, or self if you swing that way], apply SPF 30+ when you go out in the sun. Your tat WILL burn faster than the rest of your skin and it'll fade a hell of a lot faster. In fact, do one better -- most chemical sunscreens just absorb UV rays and don't actually protect your ink work, so buy some UV-reflecting serum or whathaveyou or simply keep it out of the sun. If it's small, chapsticks and lip balms with SPF work just fine.Brief warning: If you love color tattoos and you're one to have/want your work to contain white, yellow, or orange color..... say goodbye ASAP because - in that order - they fade the fastest.