General Medical Advice on Caring for Your New Tattoo

After you have received your new tattoo, the best treatment to give it is to treat it the way you would treat a bad sunburn.

New Lower Back Tattoo

• Leave the protective dressing on the tattoo for the first few hours at or even overnight
• Remove the dressing and rinse the area gently with cold water and a mild soap (Johnsons Baby Soap) and blot dry.
• Apply a thin film of antibiotic ointment (Bacitracin or any of the triple antibiotic ointments available over the counter) 4 x a day and blot out the excess.


Covering New Tattoo with Dressing

• Keep the tattoo fresh and open to the air. Do not bandage. After the first three days you can probably just keep the area clean on a daily basis and if you wish, lightly lubricate the area with some vaseline to minimise the crusting and itchiness.
• For the first week, avoid swimming or long soaking in the water.
• For the first month, avoid too much exposure to the sun.
• Do not pick or scratch scabs
• Itching is relieved by slapping or a light application of alcohol or vaseline.
• Keep tattoo covered with loose clothing.

Plastic surgeons often recommend that you keep a wound clean and moist (but not wet) to minimise the scar formation