Dear Reader,

Considering that tattoos are made to last a lifetime, the recovery period is fairly swift. The initial healing process lasts about a week, but skin needs up to 45 days to fully repair damage caused by the tattooing process. While a tattoo is healing, proper TLC will prevent infection and preserve its appearance in the long run.

Before touching a healing tattoo always wash your hands thoroughly. You can perfect your hand washing technique by following the tips in Handwashing do's and don'ts, located in the Go Ask Alice! General Health archive.

A good tattoo artist will review proper aftercare and healing information with you. Generally speaking, within two hours of getting inked take off the bandage so it doesn't stick to the skin. Using your bare hands (not a wash cloth), gently wash the tattoo area with antibiotic soap and then pat dry with a disposable paper towel. Rubbing the tattoo can be too abrasive, and using a cloth towel can introduce germs. It's normal to see some blood, just blot with a paper towel. Next, apply an antibiotic ointment. Don't re-bandage the tattoo. For the next two weeks, repeat this cleaning process three times a day. After five days, you may want to switch to body lotion (make sure it's fragrance and color-free) instead of using an antibiotic treatment.

There is some disagreement about which kind of ointment is best. Products that contain bacitracin, including many over the counter antibiotic creams, help to prevent infection, but some people are allergic to the zinc in these ointments. Many of the antibiotic options are also made with petroleum jelly, which can cause fading, according to many tattoo artists. Your tattoo artist may recommend another ointment formulated specifically for tattoo after care.

A few days into the healing period, the skin around the tattoo will start to peel like a sunburn. Try to resist the urge to scratch or "help along" the scabbing process, since picking at the skin may damage the tattoo's color and increase the chance of infection. By the seventh to tenth day, the skin should have peeled away, leaving shiny, wrinkly new skin. By the end of two weeks, the tattoo should look like it's healed, though it will take the full 45 days for the skin to completely repair itself.

While your tattoo is healing, take care with the following:

• Limit sun exposure. Steer clear of tanning beds for at least four weeks. After the tattoo is healed, use sunscreen to prevent fading.
• Stay dry. Pass up swimming and baths for two weeks. Limit showers to ten minutes or less.
• Don't use hydrogen peroxide and rubbing alcohol.
• Avoid wearing tight clothing or nylons over the tattoo.
  List adapted from the article Tattoo Aftercare Instructions from the Milwaukee Health Department.

If you notice any kind of allergic reaction or infection, visit a health care provider. Warning signs include excessive soreness, redness, drainage, or swelling at the tattoo site. If you're diligent about cleaning your tattoo, infection shouldn't be a problem and you can enjoy your new adornment for years to come!

Alice

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