Instructions for tattoo healing
Now that you have escaped the actual moment of tattooing, it is essential to follow some basic rules regarding tattoo care, so that its healing process runs, as in the book. In the following rows, we'll present show you the correct instructions in the chapter on tattoo care, also giving you some useful tips regarding the maintenance of the tattoo, so that the moment of rebuilding is one as far away as possible.
Basic rules for the care of the freshly made tattoo
- After the tattoo is finished, keep the plastic protection foil between 2 and 3 hours.
- With your hands washed take the foil and slightly wash with lukewarm water (not cold because it does not clean and not hot because the tattoo will bleed and your skin will burn very much) and ph neutral scentless glycerin for babies or herbs soap until you take the ointment away and the appeared discharges
- Dry the tattoo by tamponing with a dry tissue for about 1 min
- Smear the tattoo with a special ointment “after ink” , or , if you do not have, with Bepanthen ointment, in a thin layer, as to make the skin shine
The healing process has two parts:
1. In the first 2-3 days a special attention must be given to the tattoo. This must be washed whenever ink excess is eliminated or a thin layer of fluid is formed, that gets out of the skin (lymph), the tattoo is washed with slight massage movements with lukewarm water and with ph neutral baby soap until the same texture of the natural skin is felt at touch and the ointment is washed away. You dry it with a clean tissue, tamponing it.
You leave for 1 minute and then you apply a thin layer of ointment and massage the skin for 1-2 minutes. Applying the cream is necessary only when the skin is dry and you feel it shrinks, but applied only in very thin layer.
Don't forget that washing the tattoo is mandatory for 2 days, more times a day, only when you feel the crust at touch, or ink or water pours out of your skin. It is very important to be washed in the first two days whenever necessary, so that the crust is not made, and the colours are kept. Do not exaggerate with washing the tattoo if the skin does not require it. Do not apply excessively much cream because you hinder the skin to breathe and doing so, the water eliminated from the body will gather under the ointment producing infections. No not tear-off the crust superficially made, do not scratch on the tattoo and do not leave your friends touch to see how delicate the crust is.
2. The second period begins after the complete fall of the colour excess, the skin will be slightly glassy-like, and the colours will look like faded. This period lasts for 10-12 days.
The tattoo will not be washed but only dried wet tissues Pampers will be used (mandatory Pampers because they are odour free and help the skin to regenerate quicker). After you wipe it slightly with the tissue, taking off the ointment layer, with your hands freshly washed, apply by massaging the ointment in thin layer.
Repeat the procedure with the wet tissue and the ointment application 3-4 times a day or when you feel that the skin becomes dry. Do not take off the crust made and do not scratch. It is necessary to be covered from the sunlight (it is forbidden for you to bathe in the pool, solar, or other ultraviolet source), and to avoid hot showers or stay in hot water.
The tattoos are affected by the ultraviolet rays which lead to their discoloration, consequently it is recommended to use a cream with protection factor SPF50 when you expose the tattoo in the sun or solar.
If you have a bigger tattoo which took 6-9 hours to be made and you have chills and fever, it is necessary to take some anti-inflamatory medication (preferably adagin) and paracetamol or aspirin.