As anyone with tattoos can tell you, the process of tattooing involves trauma to the skin. Like any wound (burn, surgical site, graft, ulceration, etc.), the healing process can make or break the outcome.
Normally, tattoos heal over a period of about 2 weeks. That is the absolutely CRITICAL period of time to care for your artwork. In this post I am going to explain this statement.
The first take away is that you WANT to retain as much ink as possible. After the 2-week healing process, the ink is either there or it’s not. Now, all tattoos will reject some ink while they heal. That’s normal and expected. You have probably noticed some ink spitting from the area and being shed in the scabs. It’s nothing to get worked up about. BUT, the goal of creating the optimal healing environment is to RETAIN as much of the ink as possible. More ink means better linework definition, color vibrancy, artwork detail, and longevity.
Don’t be fooled by tattoo “brightening” products. They do NOTHING to change the concentration of ink within the skin, so they don’t “brighten” at all. All they do is make the skin look shiny. It’s nothing more than an optical illusion called the Tyndall effect. That’s why body builders apply oil to their skin before competitions, it creates an illusion of definition, but does nothing to change what’s underneath.
The second take away is that you want to prevent the outside world from harming your skin and your artwork. Infections can range from minor inconveniences to life and limb-threatening medical emergencies. Gentle washing once to twice daily can absolutely reduce the risk of infection.
Your artist may recommend an adhesive plastic dressing, but these should NOT be left on for longer than 48 hours, tops. The reason is that they can create the PERFECT environment for bacteria to get into your wound, penetrate down into the skin, and start wreaking havoc on the entire process. My advice is to remove the dressing 24-48 hours after your session, then start washing with GENTLE soap and water twice daily. This removes the biologic material and any pathogens (infection-causing organisms), reducing the risk of infection.
After washing, it is best to apply a semi-permeable, semi-occlusive ointment. These products are breathable, meaning that oxygen and water can cross the barrier. This has been proven time and time again, for well over a hundred years in medical literature to improve wound healing results.
My last point for this blog post is to avoid contact with anything that can get down into the skin while it heals. Dust, dirt, even some types of sunscreen (mineral-based products) can penetrate down into the healing skin and create foreign material reactions or permanently discolor your art.
So, my big take away for this post is to say this: In order to get the best outcome possible, you need to give your artwork the best healing environment. If you can dedicate the time to caring for your tattoo for the 2-week healing period, your artwork will shine brighter for longer. InkMD products are designed to deliver medical-grade wound care formulated specifically for your new masterpiece.
Until next time,
Dr. V.