Aftercare (How to heal your tattoo)
How to heal a fresh tattoo with Aftercare
Tattoo aftercare is a very important step. But it’s a simple process. To heal a fresh tattoo, follow these necessary steps that I recommend. Including which aftercare to use.
Once your tattoo session is over and I have cleaned your tattoo with antibacterial soap, I will wrap up the tattoo in cling film.
Boring fact
The way they make cling film with extremely high heat makes it completely sterile, making it the perfect dressing to apply to a fresh tattoo.
How to heal a fresh tattoo (home time)
Once you return home, you will need to remove the cling film and give your tattoo a good wash with soapy water. Remove any ink or blood that may have seeped out its perfectly normal for a tattoo to seep for a few days and its nothing to worry about.
Just normal soap is fine but if you’re planning on getting more tattoos it might be worth getting a small bar of antibacterial soap for future sessions, Butterluxe make a range of soap specifically for tattoos they’re really useful and come in a range of different scents.
Available here:
https://butterluxeaftercare.com/collections/green-soap/products/green-soap-bar
Leave it unwrapped for the rest of the evening, try not to touch it too much! you need to remember your fresh tattoo is an open wound and you dont want to get anything on it that may cause an infection so try and keep it away from pets etc
The first night
The next step is quite an important one. For the first night, you need to re-wrap your tattoo in cling film.
Keeping it wrapped the first night gives your tattoo a huge head start. Its a great thing to do when healing a fresh tattoo. If you dont wrap it you may wake up the next morning with it stuck to your bedsheets and have to peel it off, as you can imagine thats not a great start to the healing process.
In the morning, remove the cling film and give it a good wash with soapy water
It will have bled a little overnight and some of the ink with seep this creates a dark liquid. Don’t panic, this is perfectly normal when healing a fresh tattoo dont worry your tattoo isn’t going anywhere.
Which products do i need?
When it comes to aftercare, there’s two i love, one is called Easy tattoo
available here:
https://easytattoo.co.uk/product/easytattoo-aftercare-cream-100ml/
You can also get it next day delivery on amazon.
Easy tattoo is great for the first week of healing your fresh tattoo. It has loads of anti fungal properties to keep it clean and healthy.
After the first week i like to use Butterluxe aftercare balm, at this stage you really just want to keep it moisturised, Butterluxe balm is shea butter based so its great as a general moisturiser. It’s available in some really nice scents too.
Available here:
You can use butterluxe indefinitely and it’s really good for your skin/tattoo and even as a general moisturiser.
Don’t overdo it!
•When it comes to creams and aftercare, the most important thing to remember is LESS IS MORE! Too much aftercare can have a very negative impact on your tattoo so only use a small amount once a day, it should be almost gone by the time you’ve finished applying it, don’t leave it wet and covered in cream use a piece of kitchen towel to dab it dry if you put too much on.
•Don’t soak your tattoo in water!
It’s one of the worst things you can do to a healing tattoo. It’s ok for the first couple of days but after that just try to clean it briefly in the shower. So no baths and no swimming.
•Keep it out of the sun!
If you're lucky enough to be getting your tattoo while the sun’s out, make sure you keep it covered with loose clothing. Not only is the sun quite painful on a fresh tattoo but fresh tattoos are very easily sunburnt.
If you have a dirty job, try to wear long sleeves etc, you don’t want to have to scrub your tattoo clean.
Over the next week your tattoo will start to scab up (it’s a wound that needs to heal like any other). Let these scabs fall off in their own time. Don’t pick it! Picking it will make it heal a lot slower as the tattoo will have to re scab over the part you picked, it can also pull the ink out.
It’s perfectly normal for your tattoo to itch. This is just an (annoying) part of the healing process. Just try to resist the urge to scratch it.
How long until it’s fully healed?
In around two weeks, your tattoo will be mostly healed, but you may have a slightly "silvery" looking tattoo. This occurs as the new skin grows over the top and will take some time to settle. It will take around 3-4 weeks for complete healing and settling to occur.
Any problems with healing or questions don’t hesitate to contact me here
https://chrissyleetattoo.com/pages/contact
Testimonials....
Tony jacobs
"By far the best tattoo artist I have had tattoo me and an all round top bloke. Cant thank Chris enough for my lion family tattoo."
Justin crook
"Chrissy’s work is epic! I am so glad I found him for my first, and not last, tattoo. Listened to what I wanted and gave his expert advice on placement, size and what would look good. Very relaxed studio with other great artists at SixThreeTattoo You have to visit this guy, looking forward to my next one!"
Steve Aspinall
“Had a half sleeve done a couple of years ago. I had an idea of what I wanted but let him do most of it freehand.
Have to say very pleased with it, the attention to detail and shading is incredible. If you want a black and white realism tattoo then this is the best tattoo artist to go to.”
Adam stiff
“Best tattooist around, super friendly, loves what he does and it really shows in his work. Been going to Chris since the very beginning and wouldn't choose to go anywhere else.”
Julie harrington
“What can i say totally amazing tattoo artist! Detail on point, makes you feel confident going to him. Warm and welcoming, you leave a very happy person ready to show the world your creation. 10 stars if i could.”