Tattoo Body Care: How to Take Care of Tattooed Skin
Tattoos are the ultimate form of self-expression, with our bodies providing a blank canvas to express creativity and passion through artwork. A huge amount of time, thought (and money!) goes into any new tattoo, so it’s important to make sure your body art stands the test of time. To do this you need to make sure to take care of your tattoos, especially during the summer months.
There is a common misconception that tattoos are a permanent addition to the skin, however, the summer sun and poor body care can actually cause your precious artwork to fade over time. In this latest blog post, we take a deep dive into tattoo care and tips to care for, and protect them, this summer.
Why Taking Care of Your Tattoos is Important
Tattoos are a lifelong investment that should be taken seriously. This body art is created by ink being injected into the skin by a tattooing machine that delivers thousands of needle pricks per minute. The color is submerged into the skin leaving behind your permanent tattoo. While immediate aftercare is vital, (more on that later) the importance of lifelong care for your tattoos shouldn’t be underestimated.
Appling regular moisture to your tattoos is one of the best ways to care for and protect them. Using a daily body lotion, butter or even oil over your body art means the skin stays hydrated and your tattoos remain vibrant and clear.
Suncare is an absolute must when it comes to tattoos, regardless of the season. Prolonged sun exposure could lead to a quicker fading of the ink within a tattoo, which could result in having to return to the tattoo shop for frequent touch - ups. Always make sure to either keep your body art covered when outside, or apply a generous slathering of broad spectrum sunscreen to block out the harmful UV rays from the sun.
How to Take Care of a Fresh Tattoo
After getting a brand new tattoo, you need to be intentional about your aftercare. When you get a tattoo, your skin is essentially being torn open, which leaves it more vulnerable to infection and damage. Tattoos are a huge investment and you want them to last as long as possible. Here are our top tips to make them last and stay as vibrant as the day you got them:
1) Cover it up and try not to touch
When you first get a tattoo, your artist will coat the area in an ointment to protect the skin before covering it in plastic wrap to prevent infection and irritation. The length of time you need to keep this cover on depends on each individual tattoo and your artist's recommendation, but when it comes off try to touch or pick at the skin. This could lead to further irritation and the potential of bacteria getting into the unhealed wound.
2) Keep the tattoo clean
It’s very important to keep your new tattoo clean to avoid infection and encourage healing. Once you’re able to remove the initial covering, wash the area with warm water and a gentle soap before patting dry.
3) Moisturize and avoid exfoliation
Always look to keep the area of skin where you’ve had a new tattoo hydrated and moisturized. Not only does this encourage healing, but it also means you get a head start on the protective journey of caring for your new body art. With new tattoos always avoid exfoliation as this can irritate unhealed skin. This means ditching the body scrubs for a little while until your skin has had a proper chance to heal.
4) Keep out of the sun this summer
You shouldn’t be using any sunscreen on your new tattoo as the chemicals in the formula may irritate your unhealed skin. In general, you should be avoiding direct sunlight until your tattoo is fully healed. If you do go outside, make sure the tattoo is fully covered and protected.
5) Avoid swimming and tanning
Make sure you’re avoiding swimming pools and tanning beds directly after a new tattoo. Jumping into a chlorinated pool before your skin has properly healed could irritate the area and negatively impact the healing process - ditto for when it comes to tanning in the sun, on a bed, and even with self tanner.
Your Clean Beauty Tattoo Care Routine
Getting yourself into a steady tattoo body care routine is the best way to make your body art last and add some life back to your old tattoos. Follow our simple steps below for a clean beauty tattoo care routine:
- When in the shower, gently wash your tattooed skin with a gentle, fragrance - free body wash, like our Bare Skin Cream Body Wash, to prevent irritation.
- For older and healed tattoos, gently exfoliate once a week, making sure not to rub too hard. If you have sensitive skin, you can try our Bare Skin AHA Lactic Acid Body Scrub.
- When it comes to summer body care, opt for an oil to revive an older tattoo to its prior glory. Our Skin Illuminator Body Oil is made with plant powered, nutritious oils that will have years old tattoos looking as good as new!
- Apply a rich body butter like the Bare Skin Whipped Body Butter to tattooed areas every day for hydrated, plump and rejuvenated skin. Each jar of this incredible butter contains skin barrier repairing ceramides that will protect your tattoo through the hot summer months and beyond.
If you’re excited to get your new tattoo this summer, it’s important to enjoy your new body art sensibly so it can look amazing for many years to come. By following a few simple body care tips you can help to protect your skin and keep tattoos looking vibrant and as good as new, with just a little help from Bellavana Beauty along the way.
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