So, you are showing off that new $100 tattoo and everyone is telling you how cool it looks. Have you given serious thought to your tattoo’s aftercare?  The little sheet you got from the tattoo shop is just the beginning. There are specific precautions you should take to make sure your tattoo looks cool for years to come. After all, this is not like going out and buying a new t-shirt: it’s permanent! A really nice tattoo can end up being just a big scar on your arm, if you do not take care of it properly.

First, your tattoo artist bandaged that thing for a reason! It is a wound caused by needles piercing your skin and bacteria can infect wounds. Leave the bandage on the tattoo for at least three hours; I personally suggest four or five. If your artist covered your tattoo with plastic, such as plastic wrap or the new flexible plastic patches, remove this as soon as possible and replace it with a normal bandage.

As soon as the bandage is removed, you want to gently wash your tattoo with room temperature water and an antibacterial liquid soap. Don’t use bar soap because it will cake in the tiny holes and be almost impossible to remove. Liquid soap becomes thin when water is applied to it and can be removed easily. Also, use only your hand to wash your tattoo. ANYTHING else is too abrasive. Remember, there are open holes here.

Pat the area dry. You are going to do this throughout your tattoo healing stage so, get use to it. Daily cleaning will reduce scabbing and will make sure the tattoo stays good and bright.

After drying the tattoo you want to apply a good quality healing ointment. I personally suggest A&D ointment but there are many fine products you can use. Tattoo Goo is a great product and a little more expensive than A&D, however, Tattoo Goo was specially formulated for tattoo care. Many old schoolers will tell you that you can also use cocoa butter but I would not do this. It is just not a good choice for tattoo care. Apply the ointment two to three times daily for about four days. The total healing period will be about fourteen days.

After four days you will want to switch from using an ointment to using a good quality lotion. The main idea is to keep the area supple and soft and to protect it from sweat, dirt and other contaminates. Your lotion should contain nothing that could irritate the area mainly, no dyes and fragrances. I really have no favorite here and have used several products but I will say that a generic lotion is as good as some of the name brands, just make sure it is dye and fragrance free.

No swimming! I cannot stress this enough. During the healing period you do not want to submerge your tattoo in water. That means no baths or hot tubs also. You may shower but I would not let the spray hit the tattoo directly.

Your tattoo will probably scab a little. Do not pick the scabs! Apply a warm compress to the scabs and they will disappear on their own. If you pick them you could damage the tattoo. It will also be a little itchy from time to time but this is the normal healing process. Keep applying the lotion and this too shall pass.

Once your tattoo has healed you will want to apply a small bit of sunscreen over the area each day. This is to protect your tattoo from the UV rays of the Sun, which can zap the brightness right out of it. I suggest a good twenty-five SPF sunblock minimum but 40 would be better. I use Hawaiian Tropic, simply because it protects and, for me, has a nice smell.

If you spend time taking care of that tattoo in the beginning, it won’t give you problems in the end and you will get the true and total value of your artwork.