With any wound where the skin is broken, there is a risk of infection.
If you have received your tattoo from someone who cares about their job, and was trained correctly, they will be using single use and disposable items the entire time. That will mitigate risk from receiving your tattoo.
But thats only part of it. The healing is up to you.
Once your tattoo is complete, it is still an open wound. Infection is not likely, but is still possible. If you fear your tattoo has signs of infection, CONTACT YOUR ARTIST IMMEDIATELY.
- Do NOT wait for it to 'get better' as it may get worse and why risk it?
- if your tattooist tells you to contact your doctor, DO SO IMMEDIATELY
- We just don't want to risk your tattoo ending up anything other than fantastic.
The MOST common culprit of infections is pet hair, and the easiest way to avoid irritation and infection is to KEEP YOUR TATTOO DRY and obviously clean.
OTHER RISK FACTORS:
- airborne bacteria is unlikely to work its way into a dry wound like it could with a moist surface.
- clothing can also stick to damp skin and microscopic fibres can easily enter the wound.
- Applying cream with dirty hands is A BAD IDEA
- Overuse of product - not only irritating to the wound, it can attract airborne bacteria or massage existing bacteria into the wound
There is a difference between irritation or infection. While both can seep fluid (the body's way to cleanse the wound), infection will have noticeable expression of warmth:
INFECTION - redness - to surrounding area, swelling, emits heat
IRRITATION - localized redness, flaky, chunky
LESS IS MORE - leaving the body to do the healing work without interruption will reduce the risk of something getting into your new tattoo.
AFTERCARE PRODUCTS:
- some people will have allergies to SOMETHING in the product. remember that allergies can develop over time and intact skin can tolerate much more than a wound can.
- ALWAYS wash your hands first.
- don't use old product that may have some bacteria growth that isn't recognized with an intact skin surface.
AFTERCARE - Please re-read my post on here by going back to the previous page.