| When you go to get a tattoo, one of the last | | | | You are never to pick or pull at the scabs, or rub |
| things you are likely to be thinking about is the | | | | too vigorously when cleaning. Once healed, these |
| aftercare. The pain, the excitement, the | | | | instructions are meant to keep you ink looking |
| nervousness, the worry all take precedence over | | | | great for a long time. But in other parts of the |
| concerns about how to make sure that your new | | | | world, the care instructions for your new tattoo |
| body art heals properly. While the particular shop | | | | can be quite different. |
| you go to will have variations on the theme, most | | | | In Japan, for example, where tattooing is an |
| shops in North America follow a similar set of | | | | ancient and respected art, it is recommended that |
| procedures when it comes to tattoo aftercare. | | | | you immerse your new tattoo in hot water as |
| First, they cover the new tattoo with some sort | | | | often as you can, and as soon after the process |
| of wrapping, and tell you to keep it on for a little | | | | is finished as possible. While Western artists worry |
| while (how long again depends on the shop). Then, | | | | about overly hydrating the skin and allowing the |
| when that time is up, you should remove the | | | | ink to simply wash out, Japanese artists tend to |
| wrap, and being a laborious series of washings and | | | | think that water is essential for the proper healing |
| mositurizings, taking care never to get the tattoo | | | | of the skin. |
| too wet for the first week or so. During this time, | | | | The best think you can do, if you plan to get a |
| most shops advice cleaning with a scent-free | | | | tattoo, is do your research. Talk to several |
| soap, and covering the tattoo with an unscented | | | | artists, read as much as you can, and find a |
| lotion or specifically designed tattoo aftercare rub. | | | | solution that makes sense to you. |