A fresh tattoo is more or less an open wound so it requires the right aftercare so that it can heal properly. Each stage of the healing process means that the tattoo will need a different sort of caring method. Tattoos should be kept clean at all costs and should be exposed to the least amount of germs possible. Healing stages tend to be unique to various individuals so this is something you will have to consider as well.
Different factors play their roles in the nature and manner that your tattoo tends to heal. A number of these factors tend to be centered on the kind of skin you possess and where your tattoo is located anatomically. Also of note are the tattoo artist and the style and manner they use to create your tattoo.
As soon as you tattoo is complete the artist will send you on your way with a bandage on your new tattoo. He will likely advise you to keep the bandage on for a few hours so that it does not get any outside exposure.
Getting a fresh tattoo is somewhat like having some form of minor surgery so if your tattoo bleeds a little bit in the initial 24-hour period after you get it, consider it normal. A bandage should usually assist in absorbing any bleeding which results from your tattoo immediately after the procedure. You should also be rather careful when your bandage is being removed and you should not allow a huge amount of blood dry on your bandage.
When it is time to remove the bandage from your tattoo, do so carefully. It is possible that blood has dried to the bandage and if you just rip it off, you could possibly jeopardize the appearance of your new tattoo.
The first healing stage of your new tattoo is experienced almost initially so expect that your tattoo is going to be sore, red, and possibly a bit swollen. You may also experience a slight stinging sensation that is similar to the feeling of sunburn. Tattoo artists will tell you that getting a tattoo feels like strong sunburn; the truth is that a healing tattoo will often feel like sunburn.
The healing process with tattoos is almost the same as recovering from bad sunburn. It is a rather common occurrence for a new tattoo to peel after a number of days. You should never attempt to peel away any part of the skin yourself because doing so might result in you pulling the ink out of your tattoo and leaving it discolored and uneven in terms of the way it looks. You might also experience the tight, dry and itchy feeling which comes with a new tattoo. You should continue applying tattoo aftercare lotion in order to moisturize the tattoo and reduce the symptoms experienced. You might see some small particles of colored skin drift off your tattoo as it heals and this is rather normal as well.
These are the usual healing stages associated with new tattoos: Week one, expect soreness and redness, and slight bleeding is common during the initial 24 hours following your procedure. Week two, expect the tattoo to flake or peel and your tattoo may become itchy. Week three, which is usually the final week of the healing process scabbing and peeling will have subsided although the area might still feel sensitive.