Kerrie (Fairychick) says: “You’ll probably get a different answer from every person. When I’m in the shower, I don’t really wash the tattoo, I just let soapy water run over it & then rinse it off. The main reason for that is b/c if the tattoo develops any scabs they would get soft in the shower & could be pulled off prematurely by scrubbing the tattoo. You absolutely want any scabs to fall off on their own, when they’re ready. Otherwise you risk losing the color underneath.

As far as aftercare, I use A&D ointment very sparingly for the first few days. Around day 4 I usually get into the really dry, itchy, peely phase and that’s when I switch over to lotion. I use dye-free, scent-free Lubriderm. Usually it’s another 3-4 days I use lotion until the peeling & dryness goes away, and then I let the tattoo be & don’t do anything special to it.”

How do you care for your new ink? Join the discussion on the message board and share your thoughts!

You’d think getting a tattoo would be the most difficult part, but sometimes taking care of it afterward is actually the biggest challenge. There’s so many different opinions on what works best and how to treat your ink that it can become very confusing! Why are there so many contradictions when it comes to tattoo aftercare and what really works?

Before you get too frustrated by your options, keep this one thing in mind: your tattoo will more than likely heal just fine, even if you do nothing to it at all except keep it clean. The body knows how to heal itself and usually requires very little help on our part except to prevent the introduction of new bacteria. Aftercare products simply serve to make the healing process a little shorter and a little more comfortable than using nothing at all. When comparing aftercare products, most of them work pretty much the same – people choose what they like based on ingredients, scent, and feel. Since we all like different things, we’re all going to have different favorites when it comes to caring for a tattoo.

The general rules of aftercare are universal, though – keep it clean and keep it from getting dried out. What you choose to use to accomplish that is pretty much up to you, but you can follow these basic aftercare guidelines for some ideas on what to use and how to use them properly.

Earlier this week, I posted about Bambu Needlez giving back to their community by volunteering time and supplies to provide a local special needs school with an art program. Now another shop has appeared in the news for doing something positive. Recently, Guerilla Tattoo in Shippensburg, PA joined forces with Ledbetter Heights (local band) to raise money for their local food pantry. Kudos to both groups for putting others before themselves for a night!

Other News This Week:

Poker Run Held in Honor of Terminally Ill Tattoo Artist

9 Year-Old Aspiring Tattoo Artist; Parents Proud

Man Starts Revolt Against Club for Banning Tattoos

Morgan Hill, CA Tattoo Shop Robbed at Gunpoint

Olympians Doing Drugs Via Tattoo