How to take care your new tattoo
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| @albatattooist in action in Amsterdam by @rodaderoink |
Normally I don't write in English but this is time to open a window to other people to read the information I love to share.
Well, let me begin saying that in the last post that is in Spanish I explain how to take care of your tattoo, but in the last year as tattoo artist I have been learning from others great artists and in this road that never ends I found a lot of new and also old school teachings that for a person like me (kind of a nerd) take me through a research trip.
Now is time to enter into the most discussed theme in this moment in the tattoo`s world, which product to use to take care? How to make the all process?
Well here is what I have been preaching in the last years.
Before starting on this topic I want to say that what I describe here has been a process that I came to know through my own experience and what my teacher Tattooist Castro has taught me in these almost 7 years of my career as a tattoo artist to his side.
Taking care of a tattoo is a subject that has been controversial among the thousands of tattoo artists around the world, but finally among the outstanding ones, a system has been achieved that turns out to be the most successful and hygienic for a person who has just obtained the beautiful gift of art that is the tattoo.
We cannot forget that the tattoo is a superficial wound in which a pigment is introduced into the subdermis (although some tattoo artists want to go deeper!) with the help of a needle propelled by a hammer... well, I'm already getting really technical! In short words, the tattoo is a wound and as such, special care must be taken so the tattoo heals satisfactorily and gives the desired results, which of course is a beautiful tattoo with bright colors and defined lines (the lines also depend on the tattoo artist).
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| tattoo by @albatattooist for @rodaderoink |
I hope you are aware that when your artist is going to tattoo you, he musts use certain medical gear items, which at a minimum are gloves and disposable white paper to clean the skin, in addition to showing you the sealed package where the needle comes out and the tubes where the needle is placed (the sterilization packages of the metal tubes must also be sealed) there begins the process of caring for a tattoo.
To begin with the process, we already know that tattoo artists will cover them with transparent paper and apply a cream for you to remove after a few hours and proceed to clean the wound, however there are new technologies to cover the tattoo and the one that I use approximately 3 years is called "Second skin" , which is a protective film for healing, it is a thin self-adhesive sheet that provides a moist environment during the time of healing. This protects from rubbing or friction and it is waterproof so it provides protection during the first days after having tattooed. These products come in different brands and textures. It should be noted that this must be applied by your tattoo artist and it is not recommended to place it in unhygienic environments.
This adhesive can be kept between 12 hours to 6 days depending on the tattooist's recommendation (under the adhesive you will see liquids, this is normal, do not worry and do not remove the adhesive for this reason). You can shower with the adhesive but be careful to take short showers and not get water under the adhesive, in case shower water seeps under the adhesive remove it completely by stretching the adhesive under the shower water.
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| Plasma under second skin result of the color tattoo, second day after tattoo |
To take care of the tattoo you must have two products that you will only use for this purpose. An ANTIBACTERIAL FRAGRANCE-FREE SOAP that can be a liquid or a bar and a CREAM OR OINTMENT, personally and after extensive research I now only recommend specialized creams for tattoo care, my favorite is Careless Butter® https://www. rodaderoink.com/acties a butter of natural products, totally Vegan and with excellent results, if you cannot access this cream look in the store where you got the tattoo what they have that is preferably based on natural ingredients.
There is another cream called in Latin America BETHENE anti-diaper rash cream from Bayer and its name in Europe and the United States is BEPANTHEN. Here I show you the pictures of the cream. This cream can be used but it is not ideal since it is not designed for tattoo care but it is the best choice if you cannot obtain a specialized cream. In some countries Bayer have launch Bephantem Tattoo that have a lower amount of petrolatum on it.
Although many may recommend other products, they should be after-tattoo products and never antibiotic creams such as TERRAMYCIN or even worse VASELINE (Vaseline will change the color of your tattoo and does not allow the skin to breathe)
Well here we continue with the process
1. When you remove the protective paper that has been placed on you, either the plastic for a few hours or the protective adhesive*, you must first wash your hands with antibacterial soap, making a lot of foam, remove the protector and moisten the skin without running the water directly on the tattoo, immediately afterwards you lamake foam with your hands and soap and wash the tattoo in gentle movements, removing the residue of cream and blood that remains and rinse with the water running undirectly without leaving any soap residue.
*Above I explained how to remove the adhesive, remember not to pull it like a Band-Aid but slowly stretch it under indirect water.
2. Gently dry the wound with a clean towel, without rubbing the towel on the skin but patting the wound.
3. You apply the cream on the wound in a small amount, the idea is to moisturize it and create a protective layer not to have a greasy film on the skin!
These are the basic care steps for cleaning your tattoo that you should repeat twice a day for at least 10 days.
I WANT TO NOTE THAT YOU SHOULD NOT PLACE NEW PROTECTIVE PAPER!
If you follow these simple steps and avoid going to swimming pools or the sea, the sun for a month, saunas and Turkish baths, wash the sweat off after you exercise, the healing process will be successful and you will have a beautiful result with your tattoo.
REMEMBER THE TATTOO ARTIST CAN GIVE YOU SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL IT'S UP TO YOU TO KEEP IT!!!
Expect some interesting videos of artists tattooing soon!
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