9 Hacks For Making A Tattoo Heal Quickly

Taking care of a brand new tattoo might stress you out if it’s your first time, but there’s no reason to panic. As long as you follow these hacks for making a tattoo heal quickly, your new ink will look and feel amazing in no time. Proper aftercare is incredibly, incredibly important to avoid any infection, fading, or blurring, so don't slack off.

Related: Everything To Know About Getting A Finger Tattoo

When I got my first tattoo, I remember asking my tattoo artist exactly what to do to take care of it, like seven million different times. His first piece of advice was to chill the hell out, and he then proceeded to repeat the cleaning instructions a few times. Afterward, he promised everything would be fine and sent me on merry way.

I wouldn't call myself an old pro at this point, but several tattoos later, I'm much calmer when making sure a tattoo heals correctly. I've learned not to freak out over every little scab, have harnessed massive amounts of will power so I never itch it ever, and also have no shame calling my artist about questions if they emerge.

Whether you're a tattoo pro or rookie, the hacks below can help your freshest ink heal properly and fast.

1. Don't Re-Bandage It

After you remove the initial bandage from your tattoo, never cover it again. Your tattoo has to breathe to scab over and heal, and wrapping it back up will create to much moisture and slow the process down.

2. Clean With Lukewarm Water

The last thing you want to do when cleaning your new tattoo to help it heal fast is use scalding hot water and accidentally burn yourself! Remember, a tattoo is essentially an open wound and you need to be gentle to have it heal fast.

3. Get The Right Ointment

Aquaphor Lip Repair, $4, Amazon

Getting the right ointment to help your tattoo is essential to dodging any infection that could slow down healing. Most of the artists I've worked with recommend Aquaphor, but Bacitracin and A+D will work, too!

CVS Bacitracin Ointment, $6, CVS; A+D Original Ointment Jar, $11, Amazon

4. Apply Ointment Sparingly

You don't want to drown your tattoo in ointment because that might create an overly moist environment. Instead, apply enough to barely coat the tattoo and create a hardly-visible sheen.

5. Use Non-Scented Lotion

Cetaphil Daily Advanced Lotion, $11, Amazon

Once you switch over from ointment to lotion, make sure to reach for non-scented. The chemicals in certain fragrances could react with your tattoo in a not so awesome way and substantially slow down your healing time.

6. Don't Scratch It

Oh man, I know this is hard, but fight all urges to scratch. Feeling itchy is a good sign — it means your tattoo is almost all the way healed and the scab is coming off!

7. Don't Peel Dead Skin

You can't rush a tattoo during the healing process, and ultimately, giving it the time it needs to have the scab naturally fall off ensures the skin underneath will be healthy.

8. Avoid Baths

Even if you're a hardcore bath addict, soaking your tattoo could wreck the design. To help it heal fast and properly, stick with showers for a few weeks.

9. Wear Sunscreen

Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Liquid Sunscreen SPF 70, $10, Amazon

Once the initial healing is over, a final hack to keep it permanently healed and prevent fading is by swiping a little sunscreen with Zinc Oxide over it on the daily.

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Images: Getty Images (6); Courtesy Of Brands