The concept of deciding on and finally getting a tattoo can seem like a lot of hard work. And once you go ahead and get it done, it can be a sigh of relief. However, the work doesn’t stop there, as if you want to preserve all of that hard work and money you’ve put into getting your tattoo, you need to take care of it. How do you do this?
When you get a tattoo, you are breaking your skin’s surface and applying ink underneath it. When your skin heals, the skin regenerates itself and traps the ink underneath it, thus creating a mark on the dermis. But this mark will not stay beautiful forever, you will begin to notice the outer edge dulling in sharpness, and the colors will fade. You can prevent this.
It will take on average between one and two weeks for a new tattoo to heal over nicely. The needling process is the best time to start taking care of your pretty new tattoo. You want to ensure there is not too much fluid coming out of your tattoo, and wipe your tattoo clean every fifteen minutes or so to prevent the dead cells from accumulating on, sticking to, and drying on the surface of your tattoo. If you end up with too much fluid accumulation, the ink will begin to dilute, lessening the overall effect of your tattoo.
During the healing process, you want to moisten the area with some healing ointment to speed up the healing. This will ensure less scabbing and will keep more of the ink directly on the skin. Ultimately, this will lead to a sharper and brighter design. Do not wash the entire with water until it has healed entirely as this may lead to ink escape, or even contaminate your tattoo with bacteria.
Allow your scabs to heal and fall on their own. Scratching and itching is common but avoid the scratch. This will hamper your tattoo. Just let it go as it will and you will be happy.
Finally, moisturize your tattoo regularly after it has healed. This will help preserve its color and vibrancy and give it a much longer life.
