Coming home with a fresh tattoo all wrapped and burning with potential? When you are wondering how to wash your tattoo for the first time, or for the long haul, we've got you covered.
Let's start with some basic facts. Your tattoo is essentially an open, wounded patch of skin, oozing ink and clear plasma. It may not be pretty now, but proper tattoo washing, aftercare, and maintenance will keep colors bright and lines crisp.
How Often to Wash Your New Tattoo
Wondering how often to wash a new tattoo? Here's what you need to know to keep it clean and healing properly. During the first 3--5 days, wash your tattoo 2--3 times a day. For routine's sake, do it when you wake up, before bed, and any time it gets sweaty or dirty (such as after a workout). Most importantly, always wash your hands before touching your tattoo, even if you're just giving it a quick rinse.
Once your tattoo stops oozing, which usually happens around days 5--7, you can reduce washing to once or twice a day. Washing too often can dry out your skin and slow down the healing process.
If your tattoo is in a spot that gets a lot of friction, like under clothes or near joints, it may need a bit more care. Following proper tattoo washing instructions is one of the best ways to avoid tattoo infection and keep your ink looking great.
Can You Overwash a New Tattoo?
Now, when it comes to how to keep a tattoo clean while healing, more isn't always better. Washing 2--3 times a day is plenty but going beyond that can backfire. Over washing strips away natural healing oils, dries out the skin and can even cause cracking or premature fading from over-exfoliation.
Gentle technique matters: scrubbing harshly once a day is worse than soft, proper cleaning multiple times a day. Always use your hands (not cloths), lukewarm water and fragrance-free soap. If your skin feels irritated, red or overly tight, it's a sign to ease up.
Why Worry About Aftercare for a Fresh Tattoo?
You are tough. We know that, because you just got a thousand needle sticks and you came home smiling. But while you might be a greaser legend or a rock icon in the making, your skin is not superhuman. It needs to heal and infection is a real concern. Even if you're a greaser legend or a rising rock star, your skin isn't invincible---it needs time to heal, and infection is a real risk.
Using the wrong aftercare routine can increase your chance of infection, cause excess scabbing, scarring, or other complications that will blur the lines on your body art. While your tattoo is healing, how you wash, dry and moisturize is important to the final stunning result.
Removing the Bandage from a New Tattoo
Depending on the size of your tattoo and where it is located, your tattoo artist will tell you how long to wear the bandage and wrapping. This might be 1-2 hours or up to 24 hours. Wash your hands and unwrap carefully. If the bandage is stuck to your skin, run some warm water over the area to gently release it.
How to Wash a New Tattoo After Unwrapping
Immediately after removing the bandage, wash with lukewarm water and an antibacterial soap. Use only your fingers when washing a tattoo for the first time, with a gentle circular motion to rub off excess ink and crusties, rinsing as you go. Avoid harsh soaps, using a mild, fragrance-free antibacterial soap to help prevent infection for the first week or until oozing stops to allow your tattooed skin to completely heal from the needlework.
Cleaning Your Tattoo After the First Week
Get into a solid cleaning routine for new tattoos with the right products on hand for every stage of the healing process. After a week or when oozing has stopped, switch to a gentle soap and wash twice daily. Follow these tips to keep your tattoo on the right track:
- Wash your hands first. We don't know where you've been.
- Use lukewarm water, not hot, and get your tattoo wet using your hands.
- Gentle rubbing with your fingers is all the abrasion your new ink needs.
- Pat dry with a paper towel or let air dry to keep things clean.
What Soap Not to Use on a New Tattoo
Choosing the right soap for new tattoos is key to keeping your ink clean without wrecking your skin. When it comes to how to take care of a healing tattoo, steer clear of soaps with added fragrance, alcohol, dyes, sulfates or exfoliating beads. These ingredients can irritate sensitive skin and slow the healing process.
Avoid alcohol-based soaps. They might disinfect, but they also strip moisture, causing dryness and delaying recovery. Not all antibacterial soaps are safe, either -- only use ones that are fragrance-free, non-comedogenic and dermatologist recommended.
Bar soaps? Unless they're labeled for sensitive skin and you're extra cautious to store it in a clean, dry place, it's safer to skip them. Bacteria love a damp bar. Don't use home remedies like dish soap, Castile soap with essential oils or anything not pH-balanced for skin.
The best soap for new tattoo aftercare is simple, gentle and made for healing skin. Don't overthink it -- just don't use harsh stuff.
Caring for Your Tattoo After the First Month
Once your tattooed area is fully healed, use a system like TAT from Reuzel to preserve and protect your tattoo for the long road ahead. Fuel up your skin with this long-term tattoo care routine:
- Wash with BUFF exfoliating wash once per week, to gently exfoliate and remove dead skin.
- Apply a thin layer of HYDRABALM when your ink gets itchy during healing, or daily.
- Shine and protect with SHINE spray before you go out and about.
- Revive old ink with regular use of BUFF and VIVID gel.
Never Ever Do This to Your New Tattoo
Until your new ink is completely healed, steer clear of these bad tattoo care habits:
- Do not soak -- not in the hot tub, the swimming pool, or any nasty backwaters. Stick to showering.
- Do not use a washcloth, loofah, or used hand towels hanging near the sink. Wash the area with your hands only.
- Do not use hot water. It opens pores and can irritate the skin. Lukewarm is the way.
- Do not wash too often or too little. Aim for 2--3 times a day early on. Overwashing can dry out your skin, while underwashing risks infection.
- Do not forget clean hands. Touching your tattoo without washing first is a fast track to cross-contamination.
- Do not dry your tattoo with a bath towel. The method for how to dry a tattoo after washing matters. Use a clean paper towel or air dry.
- Do not panic if irritation hits. Cut back on washing, apply a thin layer of HYDRABALM, and avoid tight clothes.
- Do not scratch at your itchy ink or pick at scabs. Wash again with BUFF or apply some HYDRABALM moisturizer daily once the skin has healed.
Take Care of Your New Tattoo or Revive Old Ink
Keeping that body ink bright means your tattoo will be turning heads and making your bold statement clear until the last call or your final destination. Reuzel's line of tattoo aftercare products will keep your skin story sizzling long after the burning sensation fades. Get TAT now and be ready for everything life throws at your skin.
