NEWS — Tattoo Aftercare

After getting a tattoo at Studio 21, especially if it’s your first tattoo, you will definitely get the 101 on tattoo aftercare to make sure you are taking good care of the tattoo especially while it’s still in its healing stage. If you ever have any questions on healing you are always welcome to call us or email us, so that we can assist you with those questions. But aside from taking care of a tattoo while it’s fresh, how about taking care of a tattoo for its life? There are some easy steps and things to consider to take care of your tattoo for the rest of its life to make sure it is always looking fabulous!

First thing, drink plenty of water! Not only is it good for your body, but it keeps your skin looking good and that means, your body’s art canvas as well will be kept moisturized. Second, protect your cool tattoos with sunscreen! Sunscreen is vital for healthy skin, but for tattoos it serves an equally important purpose of keeping your ink from fading in the sun. The more exposure to the sun your tattoo receives, the faster it will fade. Lighter ink will fade faster than darker ink and even though black, dark blue and purple hues may not fade as quickly, they are still compromised by the sun’s rays. Lastly, keep those tattoos moisturized! What is good for the rest of your skin is particularly good for your tattoo. Dry skin can make tattoos look blurred or faded, keeping your skin moisturized is the best thing you can do to keep them fresh for a lifetime. Avoid lotions with additives and fragrances which can dry out your skin, always buy a moisturizer that is right for your age and skin type and apply it daily and that is the 101 for tattoo care for life!

(Tattoos pictured by artist left to right: Alex Moreno, Das Frank, Jake Seeland) Call the shop for appointment if interested)

By Vanessa Torres

A common question we are faced with is “What is the best tattoo aftercare for my new tattoo?”. Many artists have different opinions on aftercare, often based on the information they were given from those who taught them to tattoo. Since the body does the healing on it’s own, there really is not a whole lot to do as far as aftercare is concerned.

Many times, we hear customers say that their friend told them to do this or that. Sometimes a friend’s advice may not be the where you will find the best tattoo aftercare advice. Over the years, we have heard some very interesting ideas on how to treat that new tattoo. Many of these, we would not ever recommend.

There are numerous products available to make your healing experience more comfortable. Here at the studio, we have a nice variety of products available including soaps, lotions and creams to aid the healing process. Upon completion of a service, each artist will walk you through the aftercare process. The receptionist will provide the customer with a printed copy of our best tattoo aftercare recommendations. If there are any questions after leaving the shop, our customers are always welcome to give us a call. We are always glad to help explain what is going on during the healing process.

It is always recommended that the tattoo area be kept clean at all times while it is fresh. I always tell people the first two or three days, the tattoo looks really nice and feels at bit like a bad sunburn. Then, the area affected starts to get dry and itchy. This is normal. Often times scabs will begin to appear. DO NOT PICK AT THESE!!!! It is highly recommended that you just leave the scabbing alone until it all flakes off. Most of this will happen when in the shower.  It is also wise not to go swimming or sit in the hot tub or ocean water for about two weeks. This is the amount of time the average tattoo takes to heal. Sometimes they may take a little longer, depending on the size of the piece.

Hopefully this will help inform you a bit on the subject of tattoo aftercare. Cheers!

Chas T. Spencer @21tat  Owner/Artist Studio 21Tattoo