Getting a new tattoo bring you excited feelings. However, along with these emotions is the concern about how to sleep with a new tattoo. In this article, we will share you essential information on how to sleep with a new tattoo without suffering pain and discomfort as well as how to protect it from damage during your night.
Four stages You Must Know For The Tattoo Healing Process
As mentioned above, getting your new tattoo brings a fantastic feeling. However, it is s important to know that the healing process of a tattoo does not stop when the needle ends. In other words, this healing process only ends when your tattoo is healed. Therefore, below are three stages you must know to speed up the healing process of a tattoo.
Stage One: Open Wound
The stage is up to one week. Although this is an open wound, the healing process begins. In this stage, your new tattoo is described as sunburn and look red and swollen. Inflammation is known as the natural stage of the healing process. Scabs will form over the area.
Stage Two: Itching
This stage can be up to second weeks. The second stage often brings you the itchiness. The scabs will be well formed at this point. The skin around your new tattoo becomes a bit dry. Most experience is a peeling period, just as it happens with a sunburn. Scabs are usually thin and whitish. It is normal.
Stage Three: Drying Out
This stage usually lasts between two weeks to four weeks. All the scabs have gone out of your new tattoo. It is natural when the ink is no longer vibrant as it is when it was made first. A layer of dead skin will appear over the area in this stage and go away quickly. You will see the new tattoo.
Stage Four: Healed
The four-stage or the final stage is about three to six weeks. Your new tattoo is completely healed between three to six weeks. After the scabs, as well as rough skin, peel or flake off naturally, your new skin looks smooth again and is back to normal. Although an open wound is healed, excessive rubbing, soaking, stretching sun exposure, or abrasion can also re-injure the area or damage the solid lines and colors of your tattoo.
How To Sleep With A New Tattoo
Prepare a clean, soft bed sheet
The new tattoo is still a big open wound, so you need to prevent it from germs or bacteria which cause potential infections for your tattoo during the healing process. The clean, soft bed sheet should regularly be washed over the next weeks until the new tattoo is completely healed. The softness of your bed sheet also makes you more comfortable during 2-3 first nights.
Do not allow pets in your bedroom
Pets like cats, dogs, and other animals harbor are full of harmful bacteria. Keep your pets in their cages during your healing process become necessary to keep your tattoo from infection as well as speed up the healing time.
Never sleep on it
You must try not to sleep on your new tattoo because this can damage it and cause the pain. It also causes infection and itchiness during your sleep.
Try not to think about the new tattoo
Most people usually think about the new tattoo. It gives them both the wonderful feelings and the pain. So, we must try not to think about it, which can help us partly reduce the pain and get better sleep.
Stop drinking
Beers and wine make you get drunk. You can have a headache and get vomit, which can add more the discomfort caused by tattooing.
Four things you need to know about taking care of a new tattoo
The new tattoo must be washed and bandaged to keep it from bacteria. During the first twenty-hours.
For scabs on the area, you gently wash the area by hand once or twice daily with some mild soap. Then you pat dry with a clean and fresh paper towel and gently dab some moisturizer on the area.
Sweating irritates your scabbing tattoo, so you need to avoid strenuous, sweaty activities if your skin is sensitive.
Never scratch off or peel the scabs because this also pulls the color out of the new tattoo.
Things to Avoid While Your Tattoo Heals
While your tattoo is healing, you’ll want to take special care of your skin, and that means there are some things to avoid.
Get enough sleep (8 hours): Sleep enough can speed up the healing process. During your sleep, the damaged skin will be healed. If you only get 5-6 hours a night, the healing process can be affected a lot.
Moisturize: Tattooing can make the skin area dry and cracked. So, after washing your new tattoo in the mornings, you should apply some good unscented, skin-sensitive moisturizer, or a particular moisturizer for tattooing to the area to speed up the healing process as well as avoid dryness and itching.
Never apply petroleum-based skin lotions or products to the new tattoo.
Avoid swimming during the healing process because water mixed with Chlorine in swimming pools will leach color and dry the skin around your tat.
Do not soak your tat in the tub. It will allow germs and bacteria to penetrate into your unhealed needle wounds.
Avoid letting your new tattoo expose sunlight directly. It can fade your tattoo and even burn your unhealed skin.
Never try to pick at the scabs or scratch your tat.
In conclusion, knowing how to sleep with a new tattoo can speed up the healing process as well as reduce or prevent the risk of inflammation. These instructions mentioned in this article can help you overcome well this important stage without pain and itchiness. We hope you will get your desired tattoo.
