Body Arts

Caring For A New Tattoo

Good tattoo artists will clean and apply antiseptic ointment to your tattoo as they create it. Expert artists know that this helps keep the tattoo healthy. Once the tattoo is finished, the artist will wipe it down, clean it off well, and apply another coat of antiseptic ointment. Once the ointment has been applied, he will put a piece of soft tissue or cellophane over the tattoo. 

Once the tattoo is finished, the artists should tell you how to take care of your new tattoo. Some of the better artists will talk to you and give you a detailed sheet with all of the information you need. If you went to a tattoo artist who did not explain this to you, you may be wondering just what you should do. Taking care of a tattoo is not hard, as long as you know what you can and cannot do. 

After getting your tattoo, if you notice any swelling or excessive redness around the tattoo, you should visit a doctor immediately, to find out if the tattoo is infected. In most cases, tattoo infections can be treated with medicine. If the infection is severe, you may be admitted to the hospital, so they can further treat you. In the more severe cases, you may end up having to get the tattoo removed to prevent further infection. Removing a tattoo requires surgery, which also involves risks as well. 

When you first get home with your new tattoo, you should never hop right in the shower. You should keep it dry for the first few days, but also clean it every few hours. Before you touch the tattoo or clean it, you should always make sure that your hands are clean. If you keep your hands clean, you will have less worry about infection. 

You will also want to visit your local drugstore and purchase a tube of A&D ointment. A&D ointment is the best to use. A&D will keep your tattoo clean and shiny and should be used for the first few days. Once the ointment starts to dry on the tattoo, you should wipe the old application off and apply some more. Do not rub it too hard, or you could damage the healing process. For the first few days, you should avoid using soap as well. 

A&D ointment will keep your tattoo healthy, which you will notice the first time you apply it. After you stop using it, you should use an unscented body lotion. You want to avoid body lotions that have scents, as they can easily irritate the tender skin that resides under your tattoo. 

After you have used the lotion for a few days, you can stop using it. Most tattoos, after they have healed, tend to leave a scab in some areas. If your tattoo has a scab, you should try not to pick at it. If you are not careful, you could end up damaging your design. The best thing to do if you have a scab is to leave it alone. You can put A&D ointment on it if you want, as most of the time a scab will itch. 

A tattoo can be a great thing to have, providing you take care of it. Tattoos will stay with you for the rest of your life, unless you choose to get them surgically removed. Taking care of your tattoo now will keep it healthy and infection free in the long run.