Tattoos are more than a lifetime pact with yourself; they are a statement. The art you opt to have embedded in your skin loudly says to all: “This is who I am.” From picking out a piece to applying the stencil paper to actually putting tattoo gun to flesh, the process of getting a tattoo is far from a fast one.
After the hours-long sitting, you’re left with a fresh object of adoration. However, there’s still room for error if you fail to property care for your new tattoo. Below, we break down what you need to do after leaving the pallor to ensure your investment — which can range from as little as $60 to hundreds or even thousands of dollars — does last a lifetime.
After the tattoo artists have given you a clean bill of health and sent you on your way, realize that the petroleum jelly, napkin or plastic wrap protecting your fresh ink isn’t going to last forever. In fact, it’s probably going to be just a few hours before you have to start caring for your new tattoo. You’ll need to keep your ink out the path of germs and water; infection could result otherwise. Be sure to avoid scratching or picking at the scabs as it heals.
A few other pitfalls to avoid include applying too much ointment to a healing tattoo or exposing it to the sun. On that note, it’s advised to avoid swimming as well. Realize that you’ve got an open wound on your skin right now and it requires regular care if you expect things to form up properly. The region will remain sore for a few days, but it shouldn’t rise to anything beyond the level of minor discomfort. Scabbing and flaking are going to happen and trust us; it’s going to look a lot worse than it really is. If you continue following the directions provided by your tattoo artists before you left, the piece should heal up just fine.
The plethora of “what-not-to-do” suggestions should lead to one obvious question: “How do I know when my tattoo has healed?” It takes about one month for the healing process to wrap up completely, but some artists say it could be closer to two months to consider the tattoo completely healed and safe to show off. For more information on tattoo stencil paper, call 844-524-9056.
S8 Tattoo Care 