Re: First tat...any advice?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Mike41793
Your tattoos never scabbed just bc u washed it? I washed both mine well when i first got home and they still scabbed up...
Good hygiene (keeping the area clean, washing 3-4 times per day) and keeping the tattoo moistened during healing are what prevents scabbing. IMO, it's a matter of knowing just the right amount of ointment or lotion to use and how frequently to reapply that are key in the healing process of any tattoo...
Re: First tat...any advice?
what i do (notice, this is what works for me. it is not recommended by my artist, but she says if it works for me to rock it out.) is 2-3 hours after my session is completed i take a shower and wash the freshly tattooed area twice. not using a rag, cloth, fluffy whatever they're called...just my hands. the first time i wills 'scrub' until i am fairly certain all of the ointment that my artist applied is gone. then i rinse and repeat to make sure i got all of it off. it's somewhat painful, but it seems to be effective for me. i also try to not let the water directly hit the tattoo. but hit a different part, and roll down (i hope you get what i'm saying, i'm tired and having trouble saying what i mean).
then i gently, very gently, pat the area dry with a clean bath towel. air dry for another 20-30 minutes.
VERY sparingly use A+D. a layer so thin it's almost not there. a thin layer like this allows the tattoo to stay moist, yet still breathe.
the next morning i take a shower, again washing twice. gently pat dry. air dry for 10 - 20 minutes or however long until it's sufficiently dry. put a VERY thin layer of lotion on (Jergens Sensitive Skin is what i use).
from there, i shower once a day if i can. and use lotion once every day or two. i believe it's called dry healing.
the ONLY time i've ever scabbed with this process (again, i don't recommend this to anyone, but it works for me) is when i didn't wash well enough that first time after getting home from the shop. a few weeks ago i scabbed, but because i got to drinking after my session, and was not quite able to think clearly while in the shower. i do remember thinking that i didn't wash well enough and should probably do it again, but it was 3am and i was drunk and tired.
