Tattoo Aftercare - Take a look to see Tough and Timeless Tattoo's Recommendations

So you’ve just gotten your brand new tattoo and you are stoked!

Now what?

How do we make sure it stays looking as good as possible while protecting our systems from infection or unnecessary trauma?

All tattoos will “settle in” as they heal and will have some minor changes in appearance. No aftercare regimen will change this, but a good aftercare regimen can help to ensure your new ink will look the best it can after healing and for years to come.

Normal changes to a healed tattoo include a bit of subduing to the vibrancy of the color. Blue will still be blue and red will still be red but they likely won’t feel quite as “bright” as the day it was done. Cool colors, in the lighter range will experience this most (light blues and purples), due to the warm tone of human skin visually blending with the cool color. Black and gray tattoos are more predictable from a color standpoint (duh), but much less reliable from a value standpoint. In this scenario, value refers to how light or dark an area appears. Black and gray tattoos will become lighter in value through the healing process. For this reason, when they are fresh, they may appear darker than you would have imagined or hoped for. Have faith, patience and trust in your artist to have applied the appropriate values even if, at first, it seems too dark.

Now that we know the changes that are expected to occur, let’s talk about doing our part to minimize or prevent the less expected or desired changes.

•Sun exposure will fade and ultimately, ruin a fresh tattoo. For three weeks after receiving a tattoo, do everything you can to keep it out of direct sun. While we shouldn’t use sunscreen on a still healing tattoo, loose fitting clothing (especially uv protection clothing) is very effective in preventing such excessive fading in the weeks after your tattoo. Once it is fully healed, sunscreen, SPF 30 or better, can protect your tattoos and keep them vibrant for decades to come.

During the healing process, about three weeks, it is also best to avoid submerging your tattoo in any way. Running water, (sink, shower), is great to wash your tattoo. However, still or standing water that doesn’t contain chlorine, (dish water, bathtub, pool, hot tub), is a place for bacteria to thrive and can lead to infection. Chlorine can “dissolve” or fade the ink in your fresh tattoo while it is still and open wound.

The third thing we need to avoid to ensure a successful heal, is abrasion. Picking, scratching, and slapping are not good for your new tattoo and can lead to damage, ink loss or even infection. Our fingernails can easily transmit infectious bacteria to the tattoo leading to infection. even clothing rubbing on the tattoo (in the first two weeks) can lead to some significant complications.

Now that we know all of the things we can’t do, what should we do?

At the end of your session, your new tattoo will be bandaged. There are a few options here but I typically use one of two approaches. First, and my preferred method is very simple. A non adhesive bandage is secured over the fresh work and is left on for 2 - 4 hours. Alternatively, a second skin product, which is a clear adhesive covering is placed over the area and left for 24 hours. Once the second skin is removed, another one can be applied for up to 3 more days. If you do not add a second application of “second skin”, you will begin treating the tattoo exactly the same as you would with the non adhesive bandage option. If we have chosen the non adhesive bandage or just one application of “second skin”, you will want to wash your tattoo immediately after removing the bandage. Note: you must first wash and rise your hands throughly before getting fresh soap to wash your new tattoo. When washing we want only to use lukewarm running water, liquid hand soap, and our fingertips. Be gentle but be thorough and remove any existing “sliminess” from the area. Paper towels, loofahs, or washcloths will be too abrasive for this step so only use fingertips.

Be sure to thoroughly rinse your tattoo after washing and showers to ensure all soaps and products are removed.

We then want to allow the tattoo area to dry before applying ointment. Here in the desert, this only takes 3 - 5 minutes of air drying.

Once dry (it will feel tight and dry), apply a THIN layer of Hustle Butter or your preferred ointment to the tattoo using very clean fingers or a glove. You do not need much. it is far more common for people to over do this than to do too little. A tiny amount will go a long way.

Note: Never “double dip” your ointment. If you need more, use a clean finger, glove or applicator. Do not introduce your blood and biological material to the container of ointment by putting the finger you just applied ointment with, back into the jar. This can lead to complications or infections later down the line when you go to use that ointment again.

We should wash a fresh tattoo about three times a day for the first week and once a day the following couple of weeks. If you get sweaty, dirty or are otherwise concerned, you may wash more times than this but excessive washing will dry out the tattoo and likely make the healing more difficult.

Note: Once the original bandage has been removed, I do not really recommend rebandaging your tattoo. It is best to “let it breathe” under clean loose fitting clothing.

After about 3 weeks your tattoo should be healed (barring existing medical conditions which can slow healing). Now its time to relax and enjoy your new artwork.

Preparing for your tattoo session - Dos and Don'ts

Getting a tattoo, whether your first or fiftieth can be a nerve wracking experience. Sometimes it seems to go so smoothly, almost easy. Other times it is a struggle from the first poke of the needle to the last wipe down. Why is that? Is it the location on the body? Is it the artist?

Why is this so hard when it didn’t bother me last time?

The truth is, on some level, it can be any or all of these things. So, what can we do to give ourselves the best chance of having an “easy” or good experience in the tattoo chair?

I have been tattooed dozens of times and I still get those nerves every time. You, likely, will too. Those nerves start acting up even the night before. many of us have some trouble getting a really good night’s sleep leading up to the tattoo session. For this reason, I recommend focussing on getting good quality and length of sleep for a few nights leading up to that so that your energy stockpiles are not completely depleted from one bad night’s sleep.

Hydrate well during the days leading up to your tattoo. It is true that everybody’s skin is different. One of the main factors here is hydration. someone who is chronically dehydrated will have thinner more fragile skin than someone who is well hydrated. Skin moisturizers can be a good idea in the days leading to your tattoo as well. However, do not pile these things on the day of your tattoo. We will have to thoroughly remove them anyway. Always avoid bronzers and artificial tanners on the day of your tattoo session.

Lastly, eating well the day before and day of your tattoo will go a long way in giving you energy and strength throughout the process. When our reserves are tapped, it is more likely that we may feel weak, light headed or even pass out during the tattoo. Eating well for a couple days before and having a snack or two with you will help emensly.

There you have it! My advice for making the tattoo session as bearable as possible is to sleep well, hydrate well and eat well in the days before your tattoo. It is that simple!

Always avoid numbing creams or anesthetics that weren’t provided by your doctor.