I get asked quite often how I take care of my tattoos to keep them so vibrant and figured it would be a good topic so here we go...
1.)TATTOOS ARE A BIG DECISION. Depending on where you get them, who does your work and what season you are tattooed in will all determine how they are going to heal.
2.) SEASON. You need to be sure that you are going to be able to stay out of the sun for a minimum of 2 weeks to let them heal so getting new work right before that Vegas pool party is not the best idea. Keep in mind it takes usually more than 2 months for your body to complete a full healing process so you want to be very careful around this time. Nothing over the top just understand it is a wound so it needs special attention.
3.) MOISTURE BALANCE. There is a threshold of too much moisture and too little so being able to find that balance that works for you is key. For example when I first get tattooed I immediately go home and wash off the excess blood/plasma from the wound and apply this stuff right here ->
(Continued below)
YOU HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL APPLYING THIS!!!! I take the smallest drop (about the size of a tic tac for a rather large tattoo) and warm it between clean hands because it is very tough when not heated which could lead to damage of your new work. The old saying "A little goes a long way" could not be more true with this stuff. You want the tattoo to have a matte look and not a shiny and if it is shiny you have applied too much so take a wet cold wash cloth and dab it off once or twice. I only apply this product for the first day and a half to 2 days because it does not work well with the very light scab you want to heal.
4.) SHOWERING. Bathing is important as we all know... If you don't it is and you may not have too many friends that like to sit next to you. During the time of healing your tattoo (I would only say 1 week) try to keep your showers to a maximum of 5 minutes. I know we all like to soak the "bod" and our showers are therapy to the soul but that soaking can actually draw the ink out of the skin and cause ink loss as well as large scabs creating "pockets" in the consistency of your tattoo.
5.) WASHING YOUR TATOO. I only use extreme moisture body soap to clean. Be sure not to leave any excess because fragrances can lead to infection. When drying I place a clean towel over the tattoo and count 3 seconds and remove. You don't want to sit and dab or rub your tattoo because it is more vulnerable when wet. Pun intended... lol
6.) BACK TO MOISTURE. After you are out of the gate of the first two days it gets more simple I promise. Say hello to your new best friend. Pack this lube everywhere you go. I always think it is hilarious when heading out with some friends and I'm the big bearded guy walking out the door with a big bottle of lube and bottle of whiskey lol. Anyways here is your friend ->
(Continued below)
Fragrance free is key! Once again your tattoo has a much better chance of getting infected with fragrance moisturizer. This is the specific one that I choose to use. It is not greasy and is very hard to use too much when applying. Paper thin, soft peeling scabs is good but hard dark scabs is not. Apply this when it feels dry or itchy too. Never scratch or peel! This isn't preschool so being a little asshole kid like we all were is not going to help your new body art that your going to have forever. So if you gotta peel stick to the paint off the walls or elmer's glue.
7.) MY LAST AND FINAL SECRET TIP. Sunscreen when you just go to the beach or pool? No. Everyday all the time. This is one thing I do differently that has worked wonders on the color of my tattoos. Have my tattoos faded? Yea a little but considering most of my tattoos were done 10 years ago (I was a bad kid and started really early lol) proves this works. I wake up, shower off and apply it like moisturizer using only a minimum 50+ sunscreen whether it is winter, pouring rain, or cloudy. If I am stepping out the door I have it on. Many people do not like the smell of sunscreen so there is a solution for that too. This stuff right here smells great for men as well as women plus it works great. ->
To end this topic I want to say I am not a doctor by any means but this is the personal way that I care for my tattoos. I hope this helps answer any questions. Cheers everyone.
- Levi