In springand autumn tattoos are relatively easy to take care of. The sun exposure is lowand you can often wear light and airy clothing.

During thewinter, thick clothes and the cold weather can cause additional irritation ofthe skin. The rule here is to keep the skin supple, apply more cream ratherthan less and leave the scratchy woollen jumpers in the closet.

In summerwe have the issue with sweat, strong sunlight and swimming. All these factorsare not beneficial for the healing of your fresh tattoo. Avoid direct sunlightby covering it up, wearing long clothing and using sunscreen (at least SPF 50).

You shouldnot do any sports or swim immediately after the tattoo was made, so make sureyou have this in mind for your tattoo appointment. See also the typical No-Gos.

Getting to know

Your first appointment is about getting a good feeling and being sure that the tattooartist can implement your ideas. At this appointment, you will get to know your tattoo artist, his way of working as well as his style. You will discuss your design together and think about what the realisation will look like. Once you have reached an agreement, a prepayment is usually required. If you're not absolutely sure, it's best to get another offer from different tattoo artist.

Before the appointment

Despite all the excitement, it is important that you have slept well, eaten a full meal and, ideally, had a fresh shower. Comfortable clothing can help you to spend the time in the tattoo chair more pleasantly. Take a snack and a drink with you. Don't panic!

At the Tattoo Studio

Now it's time for the final discussion of the motif and also the positioning and size of your future tattoo. Once again, these will be agreed upon, using so-called "stencils", i.e. a kind of sketch. After everything has been discussed, you may have to sign a declaration of consent, the tattoo artist will set everything up and you can make yourself comfortable. Take a deep breath!

While tattooing

The tattooartist starts with the rough outlines, then gets finer and finer, while coloured areas are added little by little. Meanwhile, it is important that you stay as still and calm as possible. Don't be afraid to ask for a break if it gets too much for you or if you would like to have a refreshment. Maybe a smalltalk with your tattoo artist will help to keep your mind off things.

Your new tattoo

Done! The tattoo is washed, creamed and probably wrapped in plastic wrap. Your tattoo artist may also want to take a photo for reference. It's important to get a detailed explanation of the best care for your tattoo. Depending on the size of the tattoo, you will be given an appointment to bring it to an end or a follow-upappointment. Finally, of course, you have to pay and then you can already enjoy your new tattoo!

In general, a tattoo can be made on any part of the body. It becomes difficult ifyour skin has special peculiarities in the chosen area, such as moles, stretchmarks, scars or skin diseases. This could cause serious problems. Your tattoo specialist can give you some advice in most cases, but if you are unsure, you should definitely consult your dermatologist beforehand!

When choosing your tattoo artist, you should pay attention to the artist's style, references and ratings. If you have a good feeling about it, then pay attention to aspects such as hygiene, cleanness in the studio [see Hygiene standards intattoo studios] as well as the experience and seriousness of the tattoo artist when you first meet him. Furthermore, it is important that you feel well consulted, all your questions are answered and your fears and wishes are taken into account. A good tattoo artist is characterised above all by the fact that he mainly concentrates on tattooing and does not offer many additional services. Furthermore, it is always a good idea to ask several tattoo studios to get a feeling for the quality, style and price. It's worth looking twice at very low-priced offers. Ultimately, though, you have to listen to your instincts and feel comfortable.

Our skin consists of three layers: the epidermis (upper skin), the dermis (leather skin) and the subcutis (lower skin). During tattooing, colour pigments are injected into the dermis at high speed using special needles.

When you get a tattoo, it is like an open wound for your body and the colour pigments are perceived by your body as foreign substances. Therefore, defensivere actions such as swelling of the tattooed area, leakage of wound fluids and scabbing are normal reactions.

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Tattooing hurts, that's for sure! But how much pain you feel depends on your personal perception of pain and the area of the body. Consult your doctor or tattoo artist to find out what options are available to make the pain more bearable. As a general rule, you should not take any blood-thinning medication (including paracethamol and ibuprofen) for at least a couple of days before the tattoo appointment. Alcohol and other drugs can also cause serious complications. Therefore, it is advisable for people who are particularly sensitive to pain or for people who regularly take medication to talk to your tattoo artist beforehand.

High hygiene standards also apply in a tattoo studio. It is important to avoid disease transmission and prevent infections. Be sure to ask to be shown the premises when you get to know them. It is important that a sink is installed, a fresh or sterilized needle is used for each tattoo, gloves, disinfectants and disposable materials are available and certain rules are followed. These include no smoking, no animals, and no eating or drinking during the stitching process. There are anterooms for short reinforcement breaks.

Generally: No. A well-done and cared-for tattoo usually does not need an appointment for renewing. In some cases, the ink particles may be lost in small areas during the healing process. Once the tattoo has healed, you should talk to your tattoo artist again and make an appointment if necessary. In most cases, it is free of charge and only small parts of your tattoo will be optimised.

The care of your tattoo depends more on the body part than on the actual size. For example, tattoos on joints (due to increased friction), hands and feet (due to frequent washing and movement) are particularly affected. In addition, the care also depends on different factors such as season, hygiene habits and sports activities.

Shortly after you have had your tattoo done, you will notice that ink particles may come out of your tattoo. This is normal as the tattoo is an open wound and needs to heal. After healing, there should not be any major colour changes.

However, there are some factors that can cause your colours to fade over time. These include strong sun exposure, poor maintenance, low quality of the inks, uncleanly done lines and excessive skin reactions. From experience, this effectis present with all tattoo colours and is more noticeable with darker ones.

To ensure that your tattoo will still shine in all its brilliance even in ten years, two things are especially important: care and no-goes. These two points are especially important in the first few weeks after getting the tattoo. The better you take care of your tattoo during this time, the more pleasing the final result will be. Therefore, even after the tattoo is healed: take care of it all over again.

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It is difficult to give a general answer here as well, as it depends on the size and position of your tattoo. After about two to three weeks, the outer layer of skin will have healed. However, complete healing of all skin layers can take up to six months.

We have summarised the typical mistakes for you here:

• Alcohol: Crazy parties lead to carelessness! Moreover, when you drink a lot of alcohol, your body is mainly busy breaking down the alcohol, which slows down the healing process. Last but not least, alcohol also has a blood-thinning effect and can thus lead to unnecessary bleeding from the fresh wound.
• Bathing and swimming: If the skin gets wet, the healing process can be extended because chlorine and salt water irritate the skin excessively. Therefore, it is better to wait several weeks before taking a dip in the bathtub, swimming pool or the sea.
• Taking a shower: You can take shower from the first day. Make sure that you only use pH-neutral soap and avoid using shampoo on your tattoo. While drying, please pat carefully and do not rub the tattooed area with a fuzzy towel.
• Plasticwrap: In some cases, your tattoo artist will wrap a plastic wrap around your tattoo to cover it. Please ask your tattoo artist when you may remove the plastic wrap. After that, you should not cover the tattoo with plastic wrap again, as germs can build up and the risk of infection increases.
• Itching and scratching: A tattoo can cause itching, especially in the early stages. In case of doubt, it is better to apply cream and not to scratch the tattooed area.
• Clothing: After your tattoo session you should mainly wear loose-fitting clothes for the next few weeks. Tight clothing can cause skin irritation and discomfort.
• Sun: Sunrays, or more precisely the ultraviolet light in the sun's rays, will always cause tattoo colours to fade. Especially for a freshly done tattoo, it is very important that you protect your tattoo from direct sunlight (wear long clothes). You should also protect your tattoo from sunburn and UV radiation afterwards with sun cream (at least sun protection factor 50).
• Sport: It is difficult to make a general statement about when you can do sport again. It depends very much on the size and position of your tattoo. In general, however, sweat is bad for a freshly tattooed area and it can irritate the skin.
• In general: If you are unsure about these points or have other questions, it is better to talk to your tattoo artist or dermatologist.

The greatest risk during tattooing is an allergic reaction to the materials used. If you do not follow the hygiene rules, it is also possible for the wound to become infected. Even if you take the best care of your tattoo and follow all the precautions, it is still possible for your tattoo to become inflamed. In this case, there is absolutely nothing to discuss: go see a doctor!

Are you looking for a product that you can rely on with your freshly done tattoo? Then you are at the right place!

Ink Care is a premium tattoo care product line that has been specially created to meet the needs of tattooed skin.

Ink Care Products are made from the high quality ingredients in Germany. We go beyond the usual industry standards because we believe that a work of art on your skin deserves nothing less than the best possible care. Our products are customised for the different stages of the tattooing process, ensuring you get the best possible results.

With longterm experience in the medical industry, we have set high standards for the compatibility and efficiency of Ink products and have developed our special care oil together with tattoo artists.

Ink Care is suitable for all skin types, it strongly reduces skin reactions and accelerates skin regeneration considerably.

Cleansing Wipes

Ink Care Cleansing Wipes are the perfect alternative to paper towels when it comes to removing impurities during tattooing. They are characterised by a very high absorption capacity and thus help to quickly absorb ink particles and blood. At the same time, they release enough oil to keep the work area clean and free of contamination as well as to minimise skin irritation. The Ink Care Cleansing Wipes are therefore perfectly suited for every tattoo artist, making significantly longer and more pleasant sessions possible due to the calming effect of our Ink Care Cleansing Oil.

Aftercare Wipes

Ink Care Aftercare Wipes are characterised by their innovative wipe structure. The treatment should be applied within the first 3 - 4 days after the tattooing. During this time, we recommend carefully cleaning the tattooed area with the wipe three times a day. The Ink Care Aftercare Wipes release our soothing careoil, absorb wound fluid and ink particles at the same time. This reduces inflammation, accelerates the healing process and helps your tattoo to shine in all its beauty as soon as possible. Please dispose wipes after use.

Aftercare Balm

We recommend our Ink Care Aftercare Balm for the longterm care. You can start to apply the balm in a thin layer to the tattooed area from 3rd - 4th day after tattooing. Apply the Ink Care Aftercare Balm gently to the tattooed area and spread it with your finger. Apply the balm several times a day until the area is completely healed. In case of severe itching or skin irritation apply InkCare Aftercare Balm acutely.

Even if your tattoos have already healed, the Aftercare Balm helps to calm tattooed areas and to nourish the skin.

Various high quality oils help to reduce bleeding and therefore lead first of all to precisely done lines, longer sessions and more beautiful long-lasting colours. The high-quality natural ingredients in our Ink Care oil stimulate skinregeneration at all stages. It also provides an extra layer of protection for your skin, reducing the risk of infection. When applied, you will immediately feel a soothing effect that reduces skin reactions.

Even afteryour tattoo has healed, your skin will naturally enjoy the nourishing ingredients of our Ink Care products. Our care products are very long-lasting and can also be used on non-tattooed areas. In general, they can help with all minor skin problems and irritations. We have received numerous positive reports from people who have used our products on areas other than tattoos. Just try them out (on the skin).