It’s normal to be a little anxious when you’re about to get your first tattoo. Even if it’s your second time around, your previous experience might not have been all you hoped for. After all, sometimes tattoos are painful, they scab, or they get infected (1). We wanted to help you avoid those unfortunate circumstances so we found all the products you need to make getting inked as pleasant as possible.
No, tattoos aren’t painless. Some places on your body will hurt more than others. That’s why you can’t go wrong by buying one of the best tattoo numbing creams ahead of time. Depending on which one you choose, you’ll want to apply it an hour or two before your appointment. You may also decide to use it after you’ve been inked to keep yourself from scratching.
Since tattoos are basically wounds, you have to keep them clean. Fortunately, there are several excellent antibacterial soaps made just for this purpose. Use them at least twice a day to prevent infection.
Next, prevent scabbing and keep your skin healthy with creams and moisturizers for new tattoos. They help with itching and speed up healing. Some lotions will brighten up the colors in older tattoos, too.
Of course, it’s important to protect new tattoos from ultraviolet radiation. If you spend time outdoors, apply one of the top tattoo sunscreens to keep the ink from fading. Alternatively, some people choose to cover their tat with a bandage.
Once your tattoo has fully healed, you can enjoy sunbathing and tanning once again. If you use a tanning lotion that protects tattoos, it will keep the colors vibrant. That’s a sweet alternative to wearing sunscreen and ending up with light-colored patches around your ink.
We hope we helped you find everything you need to make getting your next tattoo stress-free and enjoyable.