Once you have your permanent tattoo, it´s better to follow some initial rules in order for the design and colours to remain at its best, helping it healing as you would with any wound (said so it seems tragic, but you do not have to worry!).
- keep your tattoo covered for at least two hours or more according to your tattooist´s advice
- once removed the bendage, leave the tattoo uncovered so that your skin can start drying
- delicately clean your tattoo with mild antibiotic soap, and dry it by tampering with a paper towel
- keep your skin hydrated for some days using antibiotic ointments which do not contain zync (it can cause serious alergic reactions)
- you can start using a normal hydrating cream without alcohol, fragrance, colorings, as neutral as possible (it´s better to avoid lanoline, E vitamin and aloe too)
- keep your skin in the open air as long as possible to ease its healing, but keep away from direct sunlight and UV showers
- avoid prolonged contact with water as much as possible: showers are good, but baths should be avoided on the tattoo until full healing (two - three weeks)
Last tips: wear ample, comfortable clothings not to irritate the skin, and avoid scratching; go to a doctor if you should face serious reddenings, alergic reactions or infection symptoms.
If you have the patience to follow these tips for less than a month, your tattoo will thank you for the rest of your life!
For professional use or plain fun