Tattoo after care advice?

it it very impotant to moisturize. The ink can fade with sun exposure and of course, tats fade with time. Really think about what you get. Don’t get something foolish, that you will regret in the long run. Remember, FOREVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks. I’m very certain about the motif and placement, I just know it is a hard-to-reach spot, so chances are I wouldn’t take the time every morning to moisturize it. Obviosly I would initially, while the skin is healing, but after that…

The skin actually is healing long after you feel it healing. It really does need your support, and the amount you care for it the better it looks. You determine how well it lasts.

Make sure that the cream you put on it is fragrance free. If you can get pure sheah butter with lavender oil in it…. that’s Perfect. You have to remember that whatever you put on your ink is being put in an open wound.

To help you out in the future, get yourself some spray sunscreen to use. It should simplify it.

Definitely moisturize. When the tattoo starts to scab, the moisturizer they give you makes the scabs fall off easier and keeps the tattoo from being distorted by any scars that might develop. They give you those instructions for a very good reason.
As for what you said about moisturizing it every morning after it heals I don’t think you have to. When I got my tattoo I put the moisturizer the artist gave me on it until the scabs were gone and then I put Lubriderm unscented plain lotion on it for about a month straight following that. And now, occasionally.
My tattoo is bright with no scars. =]

Sunscreen is very important! Over time the sun will cause fading. I highly recommend using sunscreen. Protect your art & your investment! :-)

everything folks said is true. moisturize moisturize moisturize. and def use sunscreen. Don’t use products that will draw the ink out of the skin either (like vasaline) They should give you after care instructions at the shop.

Can you get a gadget,( sponge on a long handle,say) that you could use to reach an inconvenient spot? Or is there a friendly neighbor nearby?

I used neosporin the first few weeks then I moisturize daily with body lotion. My tats are exposed on a daily basis but have not faded since the first day that I got them. You should really get someone to help you apply stuff especially during the healing process

I heard neosporin is bad. My artist told me not to use it because it causes ink discoloration.

Yea. Neosporin, Vaseline, Petroleum Jelly… they all distort the ink. They usually tell you when you get a tattoo to not use those. I’m surprised they didn’t tell you that, ninjaxmarc. That’s good that it didn’t mess up your tattoo.
My artist gave me something special to put on my tattoo. I don’t remember what it was though.

Thanks for all your answers. Appreciate it. I guess I tend to try to keep my morning routine as short as possible (prefer to enjoy my coffee and fluther rather than spend time in the bathroom), but I hear ya and think I’ll ‘test’ myself for a while before getting the tat so I’ll have the routine :)

Moisturizing is pretty durn important, maybe get someone you live with to put some lotion on it everyday for the first week or two?