For the freshly inked, Before you start to flaunt it, here are a few essential tips to protect the beauty of your tattoo
It will break your heart if your tattoo doesn’t look as good as it used to be when you got it. You may even end up spending an extravagant sum of money on getting it touched up. It’s essential for a tattoo to look nice once it heals, and if you don’t want to be left with an inky eyesore, Mumbai tattoo artiste Al Alva offers a few important pointers:
CLEANING
A freshly etched tattoo is as good as a wound. The epidermis of the skin reacts to the wound and secretes a transparent fluid to protect germs from entering the body. The surface of the tattooed skin must be cleaned regularly and kept dry. Wet a piece of cloth and dab it on the tattoo to clean any germs, and then moisturise the tattoo with a body lotion.
APPLY OINTMENT
Calendula is a herbal remedy which heals wounds and soothes the skin. Apply a very thin layer of the cream on the tattoo thrice a day. Continue the treatment for the first 15 days.
DON’T GO FOR A SWIM
Take short showers when you bathe. But going for a swim or taking a steam bath will cause your skin to form scabs as a reaction to chlorine and heat respectively. The thicker the scabs, the lighter will the colour of your tattoo be when it heals.
AVOID SWEATING
If you are a health freak, don’t exercise for the first 15 days after you get a tattoo. The salt in your sweat causes the same damage to the tattoo as chlorine or sea water and it forms scabs.
KEEP AWAY FROM THE SUN
Long exposure to the sun could cause the tattoo to get discoloured. Avoid applying sunscreen and wear long sleeves to protect the area.
AVOID SHAVING
Avoid shaving till the tattoo is completely healed as it may cause your skin to peel, and erode the ink within.
NO SCRATCHING
Your tattoo will itch for the first few days, which is a sign of healing. Refrain from scratching. It is possible that by doing so, you may be scratching the ink out even before it settles
It will break your heart if your tattoo doesn’t look as good as it used to be when you got it. You may even end up spending an extravagant sum of money on getting it touched up. It’s essential for a tattoo to look nice once it heals, and if you don’t want to be left with an inky eyesore, Mumbai tattoo artiste Al Alva offers a few important pointers:
CLEANING
A freshly etched tattoo is as good as a wound. The epidermis of the skin reacts to the wound and secretes a transparent fluid to protect germs from entering the body. The surface of the tattooed skin must be cleaned regularly and kept dry. Wet a piece of cloth and dab it on the tattoo to clean any germs, and then moisturise the tattoo with a body lotion.
APPLY OINTMENT
Calendula is a herbal remedy which heals wounds and soothes the skin. Apply a very thin layer of the cream on the tattoo thrice a day. Continue the treatment for the first 15 days.
DON’T GO FOR A SWIM
Take short showers when you bathe. But going for a swim or taking a steam bath will cause your skin to form scabs as a reaction to chlorine and heat respectively. The thicker the scabs, the lighter will the colour of your tattoo be when it heals.
AVOID SWEATING
If you are a health freak, don’t exercise for the first 15 days after you get a tattoo. The salt in your sweat causes the same damage to the tattoo as chlorine or sea water and it forms scabs.
KEEP AWAY FROM THE SUN
Long exposure to the sun could cause the tattoo to get discoloured. Avoid applying sunscreen and wear long sleeves to protect the area.
AVOID SHAVING
Avoid shaving till the tattoo is completely healed as it may cause your skin to peel, and erode the ink within.
NO SCRATCHING
Your tattoo will itch for the first few days, which is a sign of healing. Refrain from scratching. It is possible that by doing so, you may be scratching the ink out even before it settles
