First and foremost, you should always follow the advice of your tattoo artist. They are professionals who tattoo on a daily basis, they usually know what’s best to do and what not to do when it comes to aftercare. If they tell you to leave your tattoo covered for 12 hours, leave it covered for 12 hours. Reputable tattoo shops will typically provide you with an aftercare sheet with instructions.
As far as other tips for healing go, one of the biggest has to do with how you keep your tattoo clean. When touching a new tattoo, you should always have clean hands. Warm water and a non-scented antibacterial soap, like Gold Dial, is the way to go for washing. Any way to limit adding more trauma to your skin is helpful, such as gentle washing without a cloth, and gently pat drying afterwards with a soft towel.
We know it’s hard to resist the urge to pick or scratch your tattoos once you get to the peeling stage, but be strong. Some scabbing is normal, but if you continually pick and scratch your skin while it’s still healing, you can damage your skin as well as the design. Let your skin naturally flake and shed, you’ll be better for it in the long run.
Keeping your skin properly moisturized will help tremendously with the healing process, especially once your skin starts to peel. A popular recommendation by tattoo artists is Aquaphor, but generally any unscented lotion for dry skin or Vaseline-type product is an ok substitute. If you’re unsure of what to use, don’t hesitate to ask your tattoo artist or even your doctor.
The entire healing process pretty much comes down to one thing: patience. Follow proper aftercare instructions, keep your skin clean, moisturized, and protected, and be patient. There’s no real way to rush the biological process of healing a wound on the body, so it’s important not to get frustrated and try anything drastic. After a few weeks your tattoo will be fully healed and look absolutely amazing, and you’ll feel so great knowing you took your time and let it happen on its own.
