Tattoos are supposed to be permanent, so it’s always important to take proper care of them and prolong their life-span. From washing your hands before touching them to avoiding some old tattoo mistakes, our article can offer you some solid advice to keep your ink looking fresh.
Do you want a tattoo that will last forever? Can you tattoo over hyperpigmentation? If so, then make sure it is an appropriate design for the location on your body and that it is done by a professional artist with the necessary schooling. Also make sure you stop in at our blog regularly – we’ll be releasing new posts about tattoos soon!
1. Wash Your Hands Before Touching Your Tattoo!
Cleaning your hands is important for a few reasons: not only does it get rid of germs, but it will also help the ink stick to your skin more effectively. When you wash your hands before touching a new tattoo, the ink will absorb into your skin at a faster rate, helping it to stay on longer without fading or smudging. It’s always a good idea to wash your hands (and keep them clean) when in contact with an open wound like a tattoo; this will prevent cross-contamination and the spread of bacteria.
2. Don’t Touch Your Tattoo (With Your Fingers)
Accidentally rubbing a new tattoo with your hands or fingers can damage the ink, removing some of it or causing smudging or fading. If you want to touch your tattoo, use a piece of clean cotton fabric to touch it instead. Or, if you really need to touch the area, rinse your hands thoroughly first, then place a sterile cotton swab on the skin and gently rub that instead.
3. Don’t Put Makeup On The Area
Putting makeup on an area where you just got a tattoo will not only ruin it but can also spread bacteria and contaminants into the wound and harm your health.
4. Stay Away From Beach Water
If you’re at the beach, stay away from the water and keep your tattoo out of the sand. The ocean can be dirty, and having moisture open to the air can cause your tattoo to fade or fall off faster.
5. Don’t Share Towels Or Flannels With Friends
Remember not to share towels or flannels with others who may carry germs that could potentially damage your new tattoo. If you must, wash them thoroughly beforehand.
6. Give Your Tattoo Time To Heal Before Exercising
When you get a tattoo, it needs time to heal before being exposed to sweat or rough skin rubbing against it. Don’t exercise until it has healed completely.
7. Avoid Tattooing Your Scalp Or Ear
Both of these parts of the body are sensitive to chemicals, and they’re easy to hurt or scar when doing a tattoo, especially on your head. You wouldn’t want that kind of damage to your head in the first place, so make sure you’re practicing safe tattooing techniques on how to avoid damaging it.
8. Know The Widths Of Your Sleeves
Every artist will have their own style when putting in tattoos, but this is something that should be taken into consideration for all tattoos: know the widths of your sleeves before you get yours done. This will help you avoid being inked in areas of your body that aren’t meant for tattoos.
9. Your Tattoo Should Be Scratched
Even if it’s not an appropriate design, some people like to cover up the empty space with a “scratch.” Sometimes this tattoo is permanent, but don’t do it for a first tattoo unless you’re certain about how much of a commitment you want to take on.
10. Never Wash A Newly Inked Tattoo
If you have just got your first tattoo, don’t wash your freshly-inked one until the ink has had time to dry completely (about six hours) or it will bleed or smear when you wash it. Again, rinsing the area well is fine, but don’t run the water for very long or you’ll end up washing off the color.
11. Keep Your Tattoo Sunscreen-Free
It’s a good idea to wear sunscreen if you’re in the sun, but if your tattoo has not healed yet, don’t use sunscreen on it. The chemicals may cause damage to your tattoo and wash away some of its color while also causing irritation and pain around the area.
12. Wait Until The Design Is Completed Before Getting A Tattoo On Your Chest Or Back
If you have a large tattoo that goes across your chest or back, make sure to wait until the artist is finished before getting it done. If you get it done in pieces and the tattooist then decides to stop, you’ll be stuck with a half-finished tattoo.
13. Never Use A Color Other Than Black For Your First Tattoo
For those who are just getting their first tattoo, it’s recommended that they use black ink only (or possibly a shade of gray). Although this may seem boring, there is a good reason for it: other colors are usually more difficult to fix and heal correctly, and a mistake may ruin the design forever.
