See a doctor in the case of more significant side effects, such as swelling, fever, and chills. These can be signs of a more serious infection. In all, it can take up to a few months for your tattoo to completely heal.
After it heals, your skin should not be red or have any more scabs. Aquaphor is a brand-name of another skin ointment that contains lanolin, mineral oil, and other skin soothing ingredients.
What sets Aquaphor apart from Neosporin and petroleum jelly for tattoos is that you actually can use it for fresh ink. Typically used for extremely dry and cracked skin, Aquaphor acts as a skin protectant, anti-inflammatory, and moisturizer. This may help your tattoo heal faster while also allowing the skin to breathe. When using Aquaphor on a new tattoo, you should consider applying it only for the first few days. You should then switch to a lotion-based moisturizer such as Eucerin, or one recommended by your tattoo artist.
While you are healing a new skin wound, Neosporin is designed for minor cuts, burns, and scrapes only — not tattoos. Talk to your tattoo artist about aftercare, including all product recommendations. Tattoo aftercare starts as soon as your tattoo is done.
Learn how to care for your tattoo, what to expect in the first month, the signs of infection…. Getting a tattoo or piercing is a big decision. Discover the health risks associated with tattoos and piercings, tips for having a safe procedure, and…. Getting a tattoo is much safer now than in years past. Find out what precautions you can take to avoid the risks. A keloid is a type of raised scar. However, there are a few causes of itching that….
If necessary, an over-the-counter product, such as Benadryl , may be taken by mouth to help relieve the itching. The final stage of healing can be slow, and requires patience. Most of the larger scabs will have flaked and fallen away by now.
Small scabs and bits of dead skin may appear. However, these will also clear up as the healing process continues. Scabs and flaking skin can cause the area to look dry and dull. Applying moisturizer and protecting the tattoo from the sun will help with these issues. The outer layers of skin should completely heal by the end of week three. The inner layers of skin can take longer to heal. However, they require much less care. The chance of infection is reduced once the outer layers of skin have healed, as there is no open wound for bacteria to infect.
Moisturizing regularly in the months following will help keep the tattoo looking bright and clear. Protecting the tattoo from the sun with clothing while it is healing, and applying sunscreen after it has healed, is especially important in the first few months. At any stage in the healing process, the body may reject an ink color.
If the body is allergic to an ink, a raised and painful rash may form on the skin. To avoid ink rejection, some tattoo artists will do an allergy test with the color in question by applying a small amount to the skin. If it causes a reaction, it is not safe to use.
Ink allergies may occur because tattoo ink colors contain many different substances. For example, black ink contains carbon, and red ink contains mercury sulfide.
Anyone experiencing a rash on or around a tattoo should visit a doctor, who can identify and treat the rash. The person may also wish to contact their tattoo artist.
Each tattoo artist is likely to have a different recommendation for what moisturizer someone should use. Common recommendations include:. It is important not to use any scented creams or lotions.
Harsh chemicals can irritate the wound and damage the tattooed skin. They also keep the skin supple and naturally protect it from outside organisms.
But healthy individuals need not worry—a clean tattoo is a healthy tattoo and infection-fighting ointments are really just more of a precaution than a necessity. Almost all artists recommend using a moisturizing lotion after letting your tattoo heal for a few days.
Some actually advise using nothing but lotion from day one. But this is where it gets tricky, as different brands of moisturizers contain different ingredients, some of which can harm your new tattoo or cause a reaction. Look at the ingredients list and stay away from lotions that contain lanolin a natural oil that comes from sheep's wool , if you're allergic to wool. And dyes and fragrances are an all-around bad idea for putting on an open wound anyway.
Key Ingredients. Lanolin is an oil produced by sheep and can be found in their shorn wool. It has been classified as an emollient, which means that it traps in moisture and reduces the skin's overall moisture loss. A generally safe bet for tattoo aftercare lotions are botanical-based creams and salves look for ones with healing comfrey root found at your local health food store.
Some artists highly recommend them while some say they're a waste of money. But these newfangled creams do more than just heal your tattoo—a few contain sunblock and pain reducers—so it's impossible to know what to choose.
Check to see if your local artist carries a preferable product before purchasing something random online. When it comes right down to it, following the recommendations of your local studio is always best. After all, they're the professionals. If you're susceptible to allergic reactions, have your tattoo artist provide a few alternatives for you.
Discontinue use immediately if you experience problems with any skincare product. A tattoo is basically an open wound, so keeping it covered and your hands away from it prevents bacteria from getting into your skin. Plus, depending on where the tattoo is on your body, keeping it covered will prevent your clothes from rubbing against it and causing discomfort and irritation. The biggest mistake people make with new tattoos?
Not using sunblock and exposing the tattoo to sunlight, says New York-based cosmetic dermatologist Dr. Michele Green. Your healing process will be as unique as your tattoo itself. Bigger tattoos will likely take longer to heal, as will those that rub against clothing.
All the tattoo aftercare tips we share below are normal parts of the healing process. The ointment provides a protective barrier that slows healing just enough. You know that uncomfortable tight feeling that happens when a scab dries out? That can signal that your skin is pulling together as it heals — which is not what you want when you have a lovely design inked on your skin.
0コメント