Tattoo health has never been better than what we have available now. If you are not one of the many people that give up on getting a half color half black and white tattoo because it hurts too much then you probably know that there are several ways to relieve the pain and reduce your risk of infection while still getting your tattoo done.
1. Immediately after getting your tattoo
The best thing to do is to get a couple of Advil and take a couple of pills. It will help reduce the inflammation and you will feel less pain.
2. Overnight
You can apply an ice pack on the area that is affected. This will reduce the blood flow in that area, therefore reducing blood flow brings about less pain and faster healing. Get some gauze wrap or plastic wrap and make sure that you wrap around the ice pack so it does not move around too much. If you notice that it is too cold then make sure you add some fabric until it fits nicely on your skin without being too cold or too hot to the touch.
3. Get a compression bandage
The best way to treat tattoos is with compression bandages. It not only prevents infections from happening but it also reduces swelling on the area that was tattooed. The best type of bandage to use would be an elastic bandage or Velcro one. You can get these at any drug store in the dressing section and they will come in various sizes depending on the size of your tattoo.
4. Make sure you keep the tattoo clean
Cleanliness is a very important aspect of treating a tattoo and it is a very easy thing to do once you get some practice. The first step would be to wash the area with warm water and then pat dry with a clean towel. Not all towels are safe for your skin after you have gotten a tattoo done so be sure to use the one that you have designated for that specific purpose. You can then apply an antibacterial lotion on the area, but make sure you get something that is gentle on your skin otherwise it can cause more problems than it solves.
5. The best thing you can do for your tattoo is to not get it wet.
Tattoos are a great way of expressing yourself and when you get one done correctly, it should last a lifetime. Keep in mind that too much sun exposure is not good for your skin, let alone tattoos and you should also keep the area covered with sunscreen if you are going to be in the sun.
If you are applying sunscreen on top of your tattoo then make sure that it is water resistant. Applying sunscreen on top of your tattoo will ensure that the ink or colors do not fade or run throughout the day. Tattoos are meant to last forever so make sure that you protect them as much as possible.
6. You can keep your tattoo moisturized at all times
You should avoid getting it too dry because if you do then your tattoo will start to crack and you will end up damaging the entire piece. If you want to moisturize the area that is affected by ink then there are a lot of options available to you. You can use a product that is specially made for people with sensitive skin and make sure that it contains no unnecessary chemicals. Keep in mind that some products contain harmful chemicals so make sure to read the labels before using them.
7. Protect your tattoo from the sun
You should always make sure that you protect your tattoos from the sun, but that does not mean that you are not allowed to wear clothes over it. The best thing to do when getting a tattoo is to make sure that it is done during the winter so you are able to wear more clothes in general. If you want to protect your tattoo then a good idea would be to get some sunblock with SPF on it and make sure that you apply it over your tattoo every so often.
Summary:
While you may not need to go to the store and buy everything listed above, it is important that you at least look into these options. There are many people that are hesitant to get a tattoo because of the pain and risk of infection, but those days are over with. Nowadays there are countless ways to reduce the amount of pain you feel when getting your tattoo done and reduce the risk of infection after applying an antibacterial ointment on your skin. Keep in mind that these things will not take all of the pain away, but they will definitely reduce it by a lot.
If you apply all of these methods on a daily basis then you should have less problems with healing time as well as avoiding any infections from occurring.
