Tattoo Aftercare Part 1: Short-Term

Getting a tattoo is a process and a lifelong commitment. You’ll have to take good care of your tattoo if you want it to keep looking as clean and fresh as the day you got it. Cap1 Tattoos near Dallas, Texas has already discussed the first week after getting your tattoo, but there are plenty of other things you should know about short-term aftercare. Here are the major things to know for short-term tattoo aftercare.

Washing

We can’t express this enough. You must keep your tattoo clean at all times! For about the first 2 weeks, you’ll want to wash your tattoo 2-3 times a day – when you wake up, at lunch or when you get home from work and just before you go to bed. Once it has started to heal, you can cut it back to just once a day.

Ointment

There are a lot of great tattoo ointments out there, but Cap1 Tattoos recommends using Aquaphor. You’ll want to apply it multiple times a day, generally after your tattoo has dried from being washed. Don’t use too much though because that will actually slow down the healing process. You should also only really need to use it for the first 3-5 days, or until the tattoo has mostly healed and is just starting to peel.

Lotion

Once you stop using the healing ointment, you should start using unscented lotion. This will keep your tattoo hydrated and will also help to relieve the inevitable itching sensation that comes with the peeling. It’s best to only apply unscented lotion to your tattoo because the chemicals in scented lotion can harm your new ink.

Tight Clothing

Just like you wouldn’t want to wear tight clothing when you have a bad sunburn, you don’t want to wear tight clothing with a new tattoo. The rough cloth can irritate your tattoo and slow down the healing process. Avoid wearing tight clothing for at least the first 2 weeks.

Ultimately, short-term tattoo aftercare is about 2-3 weeks. This is the time when you have to be extra careful with your new piece of body art. Once finished with your tattoo, we’ll walk you through the whole aftercare process and answer any questions you may have. If you’re looking to get some fresh ink, contact Cap1 Tattoos in Denton, Texas today.