Best post tattoo care?

[MadeIndelible]

I can't say too much about the peel, but I only wash my tattoos once a day when healing. Never had any problems. I think over-moisturizing is a bigger pothole in tattoo aftercare.

[polliwog]

I don't think I over-moisturize, at least I hope not. It's so dry at the moment that I've been putting less than a pea-sized amount on a few times a day post-peel. I use this lotion made locally that's the most boring lotion possible, just glycerin, some other emollients and jojoba.

This winter in New England has been so cold and miserable for skin that it's probably just an awkward time to heal a tattoo.

[TrixieFaux]

Just wondering if I should be trying to encourage a slower peel, somehow - I seem to peel all at once somewhere on the 3rd day. I'm probably a little more lax about washing than I should be and usually just do 2 or 3 times a day during those first 3 days, followed by nothing on day 1 and a tiny bit of Aquaphor on days 2 & 3. I haven't really had a problem with losing color before, other than a bit of yellow, but the skin underneath's so tender that the flaking feels a little premature. It basically looks like the skin of a nonagenarian on prednisone and feels hot to the touch. Maybe this is completely normal, though. I'll be doing a second light peel soon.

Oops, is cleaning it 2-3 times a day lax? I only clean mine (thoroughly) once a day in the shower each morning. For the first full day I leave it alone but usually by day 2 when it starts feeling dry, I use a basic unscented moisturizer once or twice a day to soothe it. That's it. My tattoos have so far healed quickly with no problems.

[polliwog]

Looks like my tattoo aftercare routine has automatically been upgraded from "lax" to "fastidious" with no additional effort on my part.

I will now happily dispense with the evening wash.

[CABS]

Here's what works for me:

- Get tattooed. Keep wrap on overnight.

- Wake up, wash tattoo in shower.

- After shower, apply very thin layer of Aquaphor once for three days.

- On fourth day, after shower, use unscented lotion sparingly. Repeat final step every day until healed.

[Matthew Thomas]

I think everyone's skin is different, so slightly different techniques are better for everyone, but it seems like the basics are washing at least once a day and applying some sort of skin moisturizer. I know for myself, I will be applying ice immediately upon getting home from the shop from now on. Looking at the difference between older tattoos and my most recent, I can see how much ink has come out of the skin from allowing it to remain swelled for so long. But others may not have as much of a problem with this as I do.

[Reha]

Although my tattoo is healed it still show some inflammation when I walk out in sunlight, it that because it is not healed or is it sunlight effect i don't understand.

[HaydenRose]

@polliwog I used to wash 2-3 times a day as well, but I started realizing THAT was what was drying out my tattoo a lot. Sometimes if you cut down washing to once a day, you don't have to moisturize as often, which protects you from over-moisturizing. Always a delicate balance, IMO.

[Jnvlv]

For my three tattoos, I did the same thing

Leave wrap on until going bed and shower before bed using dial soap on the tattoo area without letting the shower spray directly on the tattoo, add light layer of lubriderm

Wrap again if possible (didn't cover my middle back one the first night)

Wake up and apply lubriderm and cover if it may be exposed to sun

For the first week I did morning, afternoon, and before bed for adding lubriderm

2nd week I did 2x a day moisture then to only once a day before bed (which I do now)

I live in AZ so it's dry and you should be putting lotion on yourself anyway all the time

[MadeIndelible]

Curious as to why you don't let the shower hit your tattoo, @Jnvlv .

[Jnvlv]

My artist told me not to let the strong force of my shower to directly hit the tattoo

Rather I should let it trickle down somehow or use my hand or xup or something

I have read this as well on various sites and other tattoo places

[MadeIndelible]

I'm pretty sure that's a myth. The Japanese take really hot baths after getting tattooed to get the excess plasma and ink off/out of the tattoo. Also, I've read that it's good to take a really hot shower and let the water hit the tattoo for a while to open the pores and to rub the tattoo with soap of your choice and your hand. It's worked out well for me with all my tattoos.

[OutOfIdeas]

Yup ^ . I wait an hour or so after the session ends, then take off the wrap and either take a super hot shower, letting the water (as hot as I can stand, that shit stings!) Run over the tattoo until the burning sensation goes away, like you do with a sunburn, or i soak a clean dishtowel or cloth in very hot water, ring it out and press it on the tattoo. Either method (as i understand it) opems the pores and pulls the excess blood and plasma out, allowing easier and faster healing, with much lighter scabbing. Then I apply a very minimal layer of aquaphor. Wash in the shower once a day with unscented soap, and very thin layers of aquaphor for 3-4 days, until mostly peeled. Then I switch to cocoa butter for a week or two, 3-4 times a day, depending on how dry it gets. I tend to have very dry skin in spots though, so it gets very hard to not moisturize more than that. I hate the feeling of spine tingles with a dry, healing tattoo. Ugh.

[10PieceNuggets]

Theres such a thing as over-moisturizing tattoos?

I have 2 full sleeves and my back done, after the initial 3 day Aquaphor phase I would put Lubriderm 3-5 times a day or whenever it was super dry and my tattoos have healed great.

What happens if you over-moisturize?

[SeeSea]

So there are many comments about not over moisturizing because it clogs the pores. I doubt I've over-moisturized, but here's my experience healing 3 sections of my back, each done about 3 weeks apart over the last 6 weeks.

Every time the first shower is really hot like @MadeIndelible and @OutOfIdeas to get all the gunk out of the pores followed by a couple minutes of really cold to close the pores. I let the shower go right on it, but my shower is pretty gentle. If it were a really hard stream, I'd avoid hitting the tattoo directly - why add insult to injury?

For sessions 1 and 2, I showered 3 times a day and moisturized after each shower with a tattoo product that's gotten poo-poo'd around these parts - I used this all the way through the heal, not changing to another product after X days. I'd also moisturize a couple more times a day when it got really dry and itchy. I was very sparing with the moisturizer (1 pea size for a large area). They both healed fine, but each had 1 or 2 small areas of scabbing - maybe half the size of my fingernail.

The third time I washed only 2x a day after the first day, and only put on moisturizer (the same poo-poo'd stuff) after each shower (2x/day). I also changed how much moisturizer I put on - this time I put on sooooo little stuff that it was barely covered. I also did not moisturize between showers. This time I had bout 4 small areas of scabbing (to be fair, session 3 was 8 hours, sessions 1&2 were about 6, so different size areas). The length of time to complete each peel was the same. All three sections healed absolutely fine with no color loss, including the scabbed areas. But I wonder if overall I used too little moisturizer overall (for me). (Yes, I know there is a whole thread on dry-healing so it may be some feel there is no such thing as under-moisturizing.)

Interestingly, the itch factor was much less for heal #3, but it was mid/upper back, and sessions 1 and 2 were lower back.

Anyway...

I have my 4th session coming up next week, and I'm going back to how I healed the first two times. First shower really hot followed by really cold, then shower 3x/day for the first 2-3 days, then 2x/day, with a bit of moisturizer several times a day using very small amounts rather than microscopic amounts.

YMMV.

[Jnvlv]

Well Aaron Coleman told me that the shower directly on the tattoo is OK

He told me to wash it 3-4x a day then apply a thin layer of A & D in the beginning (scabbing) then to switch to a lotion when it starts peeling. Also he said stay away from the gym for a good 3 days

I am on day 3 now and I notice some peeling, I will continue the 4x a day washing with A & D and then switch to Lubriderm on Monday probably. Then I would just wash it maybe 2x a day? With Lubriderm being applied 2-3 a day or just as needed for dry, peeling and itchiness

[Matthew Thomas]

This thread has been very enlightening. For my last tattoo, I applied ice immediately after to reduce the swelling, because I read that reducing the swelling makes for lighter scabs and faster healing. It helped with the soreness a lot, but there was still some heavy scabbing in certain areas. Next time I will try hot water first and then ice, to get all the crap out of my pores before reducing the swelling. Thanks guys!

[Gregor]

This thread has been very enlightening. For my last tattoo, I applied ice immediately after to reduce the swelling, because I read that reducing the swelling makes for lighter scabs and faster healing. It helped with the soreness a lot, but there was still some heavy scabbing in certain areas. Next time I will try hot water first and then ice, to get all the crap out of my pores before reducing the swelling. Thanks guys!

Ice makes a massive difference I have found. I use these kool pack things you get for injuries straight after the work for a few hours. I have really strong anti inflamitories which I use too

[SeeSea]

Interestingly, the itch factor was much less for heal #3, but it was mid/upper back, and sessions 1 and 2 were lower back.

Ok, a little update. I lied about the itch factor for session #3. It itches more and for a longer period of time. It's been over 2 weeks and everything has peeled and healed but I'm still itchy! There is a little Immortal Ink color "blood red" in there as very light accents on the coral. Barely anything. But no other evidence of a red sensitivity like redness or bumps, but just something I will keep in mind.

[Jnvlv]

I have never had swelling or bad redness like a lot of people seem to get after their tattoos. All my pics are taken RIGHT after the tattoo was finished at the shop and the artists were surprised themselves as to how much my skin was not showing irritation

[polliwog]

For those of you who use/recommend Dr. Bronners for washing tattoos ( @Valerie Vargas ?), do you recommend the unscented type only? I have the tea tree liquid variety and was wondering if this would be OK for de-gunking a lower leg tattoo.

[tatB]

For those of you who use/recommend Dr. Bronners for washing tattoos ( @Valerie Vargas ?), do you recommend the unscented type only? I have the tea tree liquid variety and was wondering if this would be OK for de-gunking a lower leg tattoo.

Are you trying to tell us that you got a new tattoo??

[polliwog]

Are you trying to tell us that you got a new tattoo??

Ha, no, it's just a stupid question I had after reading an aftercare post on her website. I'll have a couple fresh leg wounds in October though.

[9Years]

For those of you who use/recommend Dr. Bronners for washing tattoos ( @Valerie Vargas ?), do you recommend the unscented type only? I have the tea tree liquid variety and was wondering if this would be OK for de-gunking a lower leg tattoo.

I've used both the tea-tree and peppermint liquid Dr. B's for new tattoos. Both worked out just fine.

ALL ONE!

[mystictattoo]

Aquaphor healing ointment is the most consistent at healing tattoos quickly and without incident that I have ever used. A small amount twice a day is magic. I recommend washing the new tattoo with very warm water and antibacterial soap using your hand (as opposed to a wash cloth). Pat it dry gently and then allow it to air dry for 15 to 20 min before applying a small amount of aquaphor.