Getting a tattoo has become quite common nowadays. Apart from using numbingcream or numbing spray and following a skin routine before getting a tattoo, it is very important to do some aftercare too. Once you get a tattoo, you need to take care of it for a few days. Aftercare is very important to make sure that your tattoo doesn’t get infected and gets healed quickly. There are a few things that one needs to make sure of, which are: cleaning it regularly, moisturizing it, and making sure that there is no infection.
But when you get a Austin laser tattoo removal on your hand, you need to take some extra care. This is because all the work of your daily life is done with your hands. Your hands are exposed to water and sunlight, which make them more susceptible to getting infected. You use your hands for different purposes, which causes them to stretch or wrinkle a number of times. This stretching of your skin can affect the tattoo’s longevity.
There are some places on the hand where it is very common to get a tattoo, like the palm or between the fingers. They surely look cute, but they can be quite tricky to handle. That is why hand tattoo aftercare requires some extra attention. Let us see some of the aftercare that you can do to heal your hand quickly.
Icing
The first thing one can do is put some on the tattoo. This will help to ease the pain and reduce inflammation.
Cleaning
To make sure your tattoo doesn’t get infected, you need to wash it 3–4 times a day. This is because the hand is more prone to getting infected as you do all your daily tasks and work with your hands. Hence, cleaning it three to four times will make sure that your tattoo area is clean. Don’t use any soap. You need to wash your hands with just normal water. You can wash it in the morning, then in the afternoon, then in the evening, and finally before sleeping. If you are doing any kind of workout, then you should clean the area after that too.
Don’t use any scented soaps, as they contain a lot of chemicals. You need to use a fragrance-free soap, or you may use something with natural ingredients to clean the area. You need to simply clean the area with warm water for about 15 to 20 seconds. Don’t rub the area harshly; otherwise, it may increase your irritation.
Moisturizing
Another thing that you can do is to moisturize the area often. Moisturizing will help you regenerate your skin and heal it more quickly. It will make your skin healthy, and the cells will recover quickly. If your skin is dry, there are more chances of it getting infected. Dry skin takes more time to heal, and there are more chances of it being infected. That’s why it is always advisable to moisturize your skin. However, don’t put on any cream or moisturizer for up to 24 hours after getting a tattoo.
You need to use moisturizer after 24 hours of getting a tattoo. You can use the lotion about 3–4 times a day in that area. After your tattoo is healed, you can continue using it normally as per your regular routine. Try to choose an alcohol- and fragrance-free lotion to avoid any kind of irritation or sensitivity.
Protection from sun exposure
Cover your tattoo properly and apply sunscreen to it to protect it from the sun. Even a little bit of exposure to the sun can make your tattoo crack. It is important that you avoid the sun for at least 3–4 weeks after getting a tattoo. Use a sunscreen that has at least SPF 50. It should not have chemical ingredients. You should use one with natural ingredients and without fragrance. Applying one coat of sunscreen to your tattoo will help you protect your skin.
You can also wear full sleeves of cloth to protect your hand tattoo.
Avoid water
It is important that you avoid water for a week or two after getting a tattoo. Pools, oceans, and other areas of water are very prone to bacteria, due to which your tattoo can get infected easily. It is important that you avoid water and protect your tattoo from water for at least one or two weeks. If your hand gets wet by chance, then make it dry immediately and apply moisturizer to it. If you are taking a shower, try to cover your tattoo with something to avoid contact with water. Also, don’t take long showers.
Avoid gloves
You may be thinking of wearing gloves to protect your hands from the sun or other exposure. However, it is not a good idea. This is because wearing it and removing it again and again will create friction, which may hurt and damage your tattoo. Hence, avoid wearing gloves.
How much time does it take to heal the tattoo?
The healing time of a tattoo is different as per its size and design. The outer layer of the skin can be healed in 2 or 3 weeks. However, for the inner layers and complete healing of the tattoo, it may take about 2-3 months. Hence, it is very important to take care of the tattoo properly after your session to avoid any kind of inconvenience.
Final words
Most people use tattoo numbing cream to avoid the pain of the tattoo. Numbing cream for the skin is a good idea to avoid the pain. However, it is not the only thing one needs to do. There is a lot of aftercare you need after getting a tattoo. We have discussed some of the things above that will help you take care of the tattoo and avoid any kind of infection. These things will ensure that your tattoo is healed properly. So, if you are someone who has gotten a tattoo recently or is thinking about getting one on the hand, then these things will help you take care of the tattoo.
