Tight clothes will constantly rub against your tattoo, potentially damaging any new protective layer your skin has grown. This constant rubbing can cause irritation, inflammation, and possible infection if you wear clothes that rub your skin constantly.
Tattoo Tips
Your tattoo may be susceptible to sticking to your sheets or clothes. It is better that it sticks to you clothes rather than your sheets. If the tattoo sticks to your clothes, splash warm water on it and remove the clothing from the tattoo very gently. Remember, this is an open wound, so use common sense.
What should I wear after getting a tattoo? If your new tattoo is on a covered body part please try to wear loose clothing made of soft materials. For example, wearing jeans after you have a thigh tattoo is not recommended－sweat pants or shorts are much better choices.
Avoid Tight Clothing
One of the most important things you should do to go through a smooth recovery is to let your fresh tattoo breathe. As you can imagine, tight clothing prevents this from happening and can, consequently, cause damage to your tattoo.
Yes, it is generally safe to wear a shirt over a freshly done tattoo as long as the fabric is not too tight or abrasive. Yes, however the shirt will stick to the the fluid/blood/ink you ooze from a fresh tattoo. Most shops will cover a tattoo in some sort of salve and a loose cover like cling wrap.
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.
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.
A new tattoo is likely to seep ink or bleed in the first few days. To avoid stains on daytime clothes, wear loose, non-clinging old garments that won't rub. Make sure bedding is clean and changed regularly throughout the healing period to avoid infections.
Don't wear any clothes that can constrain or rub against the tattoo (tight clothing) for at least one week after your session. Don't let your pets or children touch the tattoo for at least one week Again, do all you can to avoid the risk of infection.
During healing do NOT: Wrap the tattoo after the first night (wearing breathable clothes over it is fine as long as they are not causing friction. (Keeping tattoos wrapped in plastic or bandages will stop air from getting to the tattoo, slow healing, and make gross stuff grow in there.)
It's a good idea to avoid tight clothing around the tattooed area. Things like waist bands and bra straps can rub and irritate the new tattoo, causing more trauma and stopping it from healing properly. Your tattoo artist will recommend sticking to loose fitting clothes until the tattoo heals completely.
"If you wear clothes that fit tightly to the area where your tattoo is, the material may rub against it and cause it to fade quicker. Wear loose-fitted clothes around the tattoo whenever possible to prevent fading."
Don't worry, this is completely natural. It happens because the old skin, damaged during the tattooing process, forms a thin layer over your tattoo and masks its true appearance. In time this old skin will naturally exfoliate itself, revealing your tattoo underneath in all its vibrant glory.
Do keep it moist, but let it breathe. Then, cover your whole tattoo with a thin layer of ointment or another approved product (see the list below for more options). If your tattoo is in an area that isn't covered by clothing, leave it uncovered to let your skin breathe and facilitate healing.
KEEP THE ADHESIVE WRAP ON OVERNIGHT
If your artist sent you home with adhesive wrap, you can leave that on the tattoo overnight and it should protect both the ink of your new tattoo and your bed sheets.
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.
And for at least the first couple of nights, you shouldn't cuddle with your significant other – it will increase the chance of friction and infection. The same goes for pets; keep them off the bed for at least the first 4-5 nights.
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.
Tattoo cream: how many days you need to apply it for optimal skin healing. After getting a tattoo, you should moisturize it daily for at least 10 to 14 days. Respecting these timeframes is absolutely crucial because, if your skin dries out, you are likely to get very disappointing results.
Days 2 to 3
Over the next couple of days, you may notice that your tattoo looks dull and cloudy. No need to panic or start thinking about a touch-up. This happens as your skin heals and new skin starts to form. Excess ink and plasma may still ooze from your skin during this time.