You can shower 3-4 hours after getting a tattoo, if you have a Saniderm bandage on, however, if you have a plastic wrap wait 24 hours to unwrap your tattoo and shower. In either case, shower in cold or lukewarm water and avoid prolonged soaking or submerging your tattoo in water for 3-4 weeks.
Knowing how long and when you should cover your tattoo plays a large role in effective aftercare. So, how long should I have my tattoo wrapped? Keep your tattoo wrapped for 2-4 hours after leaving the tattoo shop. If using protective tattoo film instead of plastic foil, keep the wrap on for 3-4 days.
Use a soft towel to dab the tattoo dry after taking a shower
Rather than that, you should dab it dry or better yet just let it air dry if possible. You may see a little bit of blood coming out from the tattoo, which is fine, just gently clean it.
Drunken behaviour could ruin your new tattoo
You need to be aware of keeping your tattoo clean and dry while it is fresh, so a night out might not be the best option. It's generally recommended that you wait at least 48 hours after your new tattoo before you start drinking alcohol again.
Drinking after a tattoo is not a good choice as well. It's okay to have a beer or half a glass of wine with dinner after your tattoo, but it should be limited to that. Because even directly after the appointment you should create the circumstances in your body that your tattoo can heal perfectly.
The second part of staying hydrated is to not drink alcohol the night before you get tattooed. Even a few drinks can significantly increase how much you bleed, and greatly compromises the density of the pigment going into your skin. Also, having a hangover never made for a good tattoo experience.
You'll want to keep the tattoo wrapped for at least the first night because it will take a while for it to settle down and stop leaking. You don't want an open wound like that touching your bed sheets, getting blood everywhere, or dirt and dust getting into the wound itself.
Pressure can cause irritation and disrupt the healing process. Instead, try sleeping on your back or on the side opposite the tattoo!
Your first night sleeping, your artist might recommend you re-wrap the tattoo with plastic wrap (like Saran Wrap) to sleep without the tattoo sticking to your sheets. This is generally for larger or solid-color tattoos. If your artist did not recommend re-wrapping, just let the tattoo stay exposed to air overnight.
So what product should you use? You may have heard some rumours that Bepanthen shouldn't be used on new tattoos, but this absolutely isn't the case. Bepanthen is by far one of the most highly recommended tattoo aftercare products and is the go-to ointment for most tattoo artists and studios.
You'll need to keep your tattoo wrapped in cling film from one to three days. Depending on the size of your artwork this may be longer and your artist will let you know but a general rule of thumb is: Small line-work pieces – keep the cling film on for one to two days.
Another good hack for healing a tattoo is to not only apply moisturizer on a very regular basis but to use the right amount. Using a thin layer of a moisturizer or tattoo balm is the best way to go. This will make sure that your ink gets the water that it needs, while also allowing it to have proper air circulation.
You'll want to avoid washing your tattoo too soon or waiting too long. Generally, you'll want to wait for no less than five hours and no more than 24 hours. And of course, not washing your tattoo at all is a bad idea. Be aware of the importance of only washing or touching your tattoo when your hands are clean.
If you happen to toss in your sleep and end up on your tattoo, you may find the sheets stuck to you in the morning. When that happens, don't panic and don't try to rip off the fabric. That is the worst thing you can do, and you may end up pulling the ink right out of your skin.
Wash the tattoo with soap and water once the appropriate time period has passed and gently apply a layer of lotion.7 It's best to wash and moisturize a couple of times each day until the skin has healed, which might take anywhere from two to four weeks.8 However, it's best to check in with your tattoo artist, who may ...
A lot of tattoo artists recommend sleeping with the wrap that was put on. Others recommend re-wrapping, or just applying healing ointment and keeping the tattoo clean. The important thing is avoiding infection.
The body's natural response to pain is to release endorphins, which can provide temporary pain relief. However, endorphins can also cause feelings of tiredness and drowsiness, which can make you feel even more fatigued after the tattoo process.
After a week, the redness and swelling should have subsided. At this point, the skin should begin to scab and flake. The itchiness may persist, but the tattoo should gradually appear more vibrant as it continues to heal.
In order to heal your tattoo needs to breathe. Cling wrap prevents it from doing so and also can trap bacteria and increase the possibility of infection. Your tattoo artist might have cling wrapped it when they finished working on it, but once you take that off you should not cling wrap it again.
Bring your headphones
If you have music or something that might relax you, we strongly encourage you to have your headphones as an option. On some projects our artists might choose to wear their own headphones as well, which can help them focus without the general shop distractions.
Get hydrated. Drink at least one (1) to two (2) liters of water a day. When you are hydrated, your skin is hydrated and will be able to maintain a better heal and withstand longer sessions. Lotion the area to be tattooed every day, or twice daily.