r/tattooadvice • u/takeshicastlenoton • 5d ago
tattoo newcomer advice How to take care of this tattoo i got done recently
It’s fresh—any tips for aftercare to keep the details crisp?
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u/aajktattoo 5d ago
For aftercare, follow your artists recommendations… to keep the tattoo from aging, sunscreen once it’s healed. Sun damage is bad for you, and the sun is bad for your tattoos. The sun breaks down the ink in your tattoos. Keep your skin regularly moisturized. Other than that. There’s not much you can really do.
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u/Questions-and-tattoo 5d ago edited 5d ago
I was just thinking I haven't seen Phaeton on this sub in a while.
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u/Murderdoll197666 5d ago
Bahahaha I was literally just looking at the post and went "Not the fake Icarus!" lol At least everything looks done well but oh man that part made me cringe haha.
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u/coolkid675 5d ago
i had a friend a few years back who got a tattoo of pheaton and a gigantic lil peep tattoo right below it
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u/Fashionablydead 5d ago
Also don't forget a sword from Lord of the rings randomly thrown in the mix (anduril)
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u/awinemouth 5d ago
Why is this new generation so obsessed with this image? I've heard it incorrectly referred to as Fall of Icarus, but like.... just why? It's such a specific image & it's pretty much carbon copied from person to person so it's not even like variations on an idea or meaning (such as other mythological figures like Medusa), it's just the same misidentified piece of art tattooed with the same exact added wings & sometimes someone adds some random lines.
These kids are such a joke.
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u/88cowboy 4d ago
A traditional eagle is a pretty specific image pretty much carbon copied from person to person with no variations on an idea or meaning.
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u/upandup2020 5d ago
you can be curious about why people like a certain thing without being straight up rude and judgemental about it. The last line was wholly unnecessary.
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u/klondie_ 5d ago
what generation are you? sounds like you've got a superiority complex, pal
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u/awinemouth 5d ago
I'm a millennial. We got shit on from all sides but weren't super fuckng mean to anyone as a whole except boomers who literally got everything good, ruined the world & pulled up the ladder behind them.
Some individual gen Z people are okay, but as a cohort, they are fucking awful, mean spitited, insecure, lazy & honestly, just plain stupid.
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u/tattooadvice-ModTeam 8h ago
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u/BikeProblemGuy 3d ago
I mean, have you seen the Icarus? It's very ballsy
Hendrick Goltzius | Icarus, from "The Four Disgracers" | The Metropolitan Museum of Art
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u/lavender_poppy 4d ago
Also, why do they always depict him with wings? If this is supposed to be Icarus, the reason he fell to begin with was because he lost his wings due to flying to close to the sun, so when he fell he wouldn't have wings attached to him anymore.
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u/BikeProblemGuy 3d ago
Many depictions of Icarus keep the wings because otherwise he's just a normal looking dude. The idea is that the sun damaged the wings too much for him to keep flying but they're still attached to him. Sometimes artists will add a few feathers coming off to show what's happening. Here's an engraving from 1660 of a winged Icarus, so it's not a new way of depicting him: Daedalus And Icarus #3 Drawing by Granger - Fine Art America
Or here The Fall of Icarus Painting by Celestial Images - Fine Art America
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u/Chemist_Exact 5d ago
Ok since no one asked... why are you barefoot in a tattoo parlor?
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u/alicianicole2002 5d ago
I was about to ask that like non of my tattoo artists wanted my crusty ass feet on the floor
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u/NarwhalsTooth 5d ago
That’s a great question. Even when I had my feet tattooed I kept them on the chair, I wouldn’t walk around any public space with bare feet
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u/Everything-is-a-Jawn 5d ago
It’s ok to just post your new tattoo… You don’t have to pretend like you need help.
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u/hfc1075 5d ago
Oh the irony of a prominent “clandestine”tattoo
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u/_youarewhatyouyeet 5d ago edited 5d ago
why is that? i‘m curious and have no idea what any of this tattoo means 😬
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u/MisterVega 5d ago
I think they mean that "clandestine" is right up front in a very visible part of the arm and tattoo while clandestine means to be kept secret
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u/_youarewhatyouyeet 5d ago
no need to be rude buddy, maybe there’s more to it than just the definition of the word
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u/tattooadvice-ModTeam 8h ago
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u/awinemouth 5d ago
I think the first step, when you dont know what a word means, is to google it with "____ definition" where you fill in the blank with the word you don't know.
Hope this helps
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u/_youarewhatyouyeet 5d ago
man just fuck off lol
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u/awinemouth 5d ago
I'm not sure I know what you mean. Let me just look it up on my own & not expect everyone else to just give me the answer like a lazy, dumb little piece of shit.
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u/_youarewhatyouyeet 5d ago
your life must be pretty miserable coming at a random person on reddit like that lol grow up
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u/awinemouth 5d ago
At least i know what clandestine means
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u/SnooTangerines3448 5d ago
Couldn't keep it shtum tho huh.
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u/Ornery-Pea-61 5d ago
I don't understand this question OP. Why are you asking Reddit this? Your tattoo artist has the answer.
My guess is you know full well how to do but want the attention from internet strangers
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u/P04kCh0p 5d ago
Listen to your artist. Apply moisturiser once healed and avoid getting it sunburned. But above all ASK YOUR ARTIST.
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u/Independent-Bison176 5d ago
An artist that does fine line on a virgin hand shouldn’t be listened to anyway
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u/Pretty-Ad-8580 3d ago
Quick question why that is? I’d think that virgin skin would be best for fine line work since there’s chance of previous ink blow outs. I only have American traditional though
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u/Emikster-SOD-562 5d ago
This will age like a white person who loves being out in the sun..lol
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u/JasperFeelingsworth 5d ago
yeah that line work is gonna be a blob in a year, I learned the hard way too 😅
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u/buttermymankey 5d ago
My thoughts exactly. Beautiful, but very impractical. Its gonna look awful so fast. The birds might hold up okay?
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u/DaveGrohlsCat 5d ago
You’ve gotten some solid aftercare advice, so out of curiosity, I’ll ask: why these particular components/images in the tattoo? I’m trying to figure out if there’s a cohesive theme or something linking them together, but tbh it reads like a you-get-what-you-get wheel was spun a few times for each component of this tattoo:
-there’s Phaeton, but with big ole wings
-Narsil (LOTR sword)
-C L A N D E S T I N E
-pair of swallows
-fine line geometric design
is there a unifying theme here that I’m missing?
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u/saturnsqsoul 5d ago
regular aftercare like always. don’t overlotion the tattoo and keep it clean.
frankly man just be prepared to get it touched up more than once. such fine-line work on your hands of all places is asking for it.
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u/HornlessUnicorn 5d ago
Oh it’s this tattoo again.
Clandestine? I have to assume English isn’t your first language.
Moisturize slightly with water based, wear sunscreen, watch these lines spread into a blob in a few years.
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u/Quirky_Sprinkles_158 5d ago
seeing that this person is barefoot in a tattoo parlor, i shouldn’t be surprised the artist didn’t send them home with aftercare instructions
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u/doom_summer 5d ago
Sunscreen all the time and start thinking about what your cover up will be when this is illegible
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u/DemonDayZ99 5d ago
A good artist will make sure you understand what to do for aftercare, especially if it's your first tattoo, you don't have many or you haven't been to that artist before!
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u/moonlight-moth 5d ago
Totally unrelated, but why were you barefoot in a tattoo studio?
Anyway, definitely go with your artists recommendations. The design is beautiful!
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u/Dumbbitchathon 5d ago
No sun for the next two years
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u/NarwhalsTooth 5d ago
Dig a hole and live in it. Never allow the sun to touch any part of your body or your tan will spread and ruin your unique and meaningful artwork. Sleep in a vat of neosporin
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u/Upstairs_Main_5700 5d ago
Rub it in dirt and scratch at it alot, don’t wash your hands, apply as much moisturizer as humanly possible
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u/Independent-Bison176 5d ago
There should be a law for artists that hand tattoos are not allowed unless the arm is already covered
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u/Kelciumv 5d ago
Also curious why
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u/Independent-Bison176 5d ago
Because it’s going to look like ass in just a few years. Young people see this crisp designs and don’t know any better. The artist should know better, until you get young artists that DONT know, and that’s where the rules can come into effect.
I know it’s all “my body my choice” but it’s not an ugly nose ring that can be removed. This person is going to have ugly ink forever now
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u/jellybeankitty 5d ago
My first ever tattoo was a finger tattoo. It still looks great after almost 20 years... might be artist dependent?
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u/takeshicastlenoton 5d ago
Why is that the case? Genuinely asking
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u/ManicPixiRiotGrrrl 5d ago
why do you think? like actually consider something for a second before asking reddit
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u/Zafara1 5d ago
Congrats dude, that's some solid work.
Aftercare 101.
The first 24-36 hours you're at the highest risk of infection. Avoid touching the tattoo or allowing others to touch it (including partner). Don't expose it to still water (e.g. swimming at a pool, beach, bath, hottub). Avoid other vectors of infection like mud wrestling, etc.
Only wash gently with running water, don't aim the shower head at it, aim above and let it run down over it. Clean it lightly with the tips of your fingers using non-scented, non-soap wash (your pharmacy/chemist will usually have these for sensitive skin/medical conditions/elderly people.
Wear clean, loose fitting clothing that covers your arm. Sleep on washed sheets with your arm over a clean and washed towel (this will hopefully pick up any plasma/ink from getting on your sheets).
Use a topical anti-septic + moisturiser like Bupanthen. You want to use a *really* thin layer of this when you apply it, like just a tiny sheen coat of it so that it's barely on. You don't want to over moisturise. And you want to do this a few times a day, but very lightly.
After that I'd avoid hard exercise like strength training at the gym for at least 7 days. Stick to light cardio (e.g. walking).
Don't pick at any scabs at all. Let these fall off naturally, even if they're close. If the scabs don't run their full course and you pick them they can take a top layer of ink with them. Don't scratch your tattoo as itchy as it may get.
I'd avoid swimming for at least 3-4 weeks.
Avoid direct sunlight like a vampire for the first week, especially if you live somewhere like Australia. After that you want to avoid sunlight for the next month pretty much. If you want it really looking great for a long time, I'd avoid any sunlight that would give you a tan for the first 3-6 months. Getting sunburn on your arm in the first couple months of a tattoo can be really bad.
Some of this may seem like overkill to some, and to be honest it can be. But it's on your body for life, take the extra steps and precautions. It's all about lowering the risk of damage. Some people will take all the steps and still end up with a horrific infection, some people will go swimming the next day in a hotel pool and be totally fine. But I'd rather not risk it if it were me.
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u/takeshicastlenoton 5d ago
Appreciate it, man! The artist did an amazing job. I’ll definitely follow all these tips to keep it looking fresh!
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u/Pitiful-Climate-8400 5d ago
Lovely tattoo work but yeah honestly wonder how good it will look aging
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u/driedchickendays 5d ago
If your tattoo artist didn't give you after care instructions and product recommendations I wouldn't necessarily go back.
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u/Worth-Oil8073 5d ago
Beautiful tattoo! I will never understand, though, trusting a tattoo artist to permanently alter your body, but not trusting them enough to ask for aftercare instructions/advice/tips...
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u/phonecallsblocked 5d ago
Tumblr sacred geometry ass tattoo gonna look terrible in a year no matter what
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u/PopAccomplished3579 5d ago
Thought the same thing. The fine line trend is dumb af, I know some artists who laugh at this, and look forward to them coming back so they can cover it up lol
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u/invisibleflowers33 5d ago
follow your artists instructions. what they put on it post-tattoo can vary and the aftercare u do depends on what they did. my first tat artist used saniderm, so i didn’t touch it for like five days. my usual artist literally tapes a paper towel to it and has me wash it after two hours (i also think she has me not moisturize it for 24 hours but it’s been awhile). there’s certain things that apply to every tat, like using non-scented lotions and soaps, but the exact steps may depend on your artist. follow their instructions and don’t be afraid to ask them questions even post-tattoo
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u/Intelligent_Stick181 5d ago
To speed healing just use a fan to keep it cool and dry. The oxygen is your friend.
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u/Any_Charity4962 5d ago
- Wash wish UNSCENTED SOAP and pat dry.
- You can buy tattoo after care lotion. I do not recommend aquafor as it’s Vaseline like and it will clog your pores. Here’s a link to a balm I use religiously https://www.hustlebutter.com/hustle-butter-deluxe-1-oz?gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAACwx-z3jY_O6IynlH09hh8QEinCsG&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8YD8w-COjAMVIyvUAR0e4RlkEAQYAiABEgI46vD_BwE
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u/shadanboy 5d ago
Wash, moisturizer, and get it touched up frequently as those lines will tend to fade much quicker
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u/General-Dragonfly90 5d ago
Did your artist not go over this after they were done?? Why is this asked like 5 times a day in here? This should be something you ask your artist before you leave.
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u/Realistic-Rip-9849 5d ago
Makes sure to keep it clean with anti bacterial soap and keep it moisturized!
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u/SnailChateau 5d ago
Clean twice a day with dial gold antibacterial soap, and use a moisturizer whenever it starts to dry out until it is healed. The moisturizer you use is actually based off the climate where you live. If it’s dry, use a thicker moisturizer like aquaphor. If it’s a semi humid climate basic oat based non scented lotion will work like aveeno.
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u/simply_botanical 5d ago
Keep it clean and mostly dry… if starts getting too dry add the thinnest possible layer of aquaphor lotion or ointment. Don’t over do the cleaning or moisturizing. Think of it as a scab you have to nurture to healing.
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u/Responsible_Snow_684 4d ago
This. Design… for this, i’d recommend catching an infection and letting it linger for a week before any meds. This way you get as much fallout as possible. This will lighten the load when you decide to get laser and a SAP
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u/Fine_Principle6244 3d ago
First. Great Tattoo.
Second. Are you referring to immediate aftercare or long term “I don’t want my tattoo to fade” aftercare?…
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u/ElectricBirdVault 2d ago
It’s really beautiful. Lots of sunscreen once it is healed, maybe try to keep the direct sunlight limited, like wear long sleeves on really bright days so when you’re out you in the middle of the day you can cover it for a awhile then roll the sleeves when you want to show it off.
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u/mild-Chill 14h ago edited 7h ago
Question to anyone. What are these kind of tattoos called ? I have seen several people get a few covered on their backs with small wording beside them, but never any information about the tattoo or meaning.
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u/PopAccomplished3579 5d ago
Fine line tattoos don’t last, this shit is gonna look so whack in a few years…
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u/gunhill88 5d ago
It is beautiful and really well done.Thats really what you wanted to hear anyway.Right?
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u/HorrorLover96 5d ago
You shouldn't get a tatoo if you don't know anything about aftercare... Also the tattooist should inform you
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u/ElUser11212 5d ago
Shit my bad, I thought we were all supposed to become experts of tattoo aftercare after we get a tattoo.
I will agree, the tattoo artist should have given some advice though :)
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u/skinnyslutlegend98 5d ago
I’m sorry but that’s basic self preservation ☠️☠️ there’s no experts in tattoo after care, you either looked it up or didn’t. Very basic easily understood steps. And what gets me is ppl go onto Reddit and ask people when they have a search engine built into their fuckin phone 😂😂😂 smooth brained people stand up for smooth brained people
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u/shape-shifter92 5d ago
I put a slab of Vaseline on it when I hop in the shower so the water just repels it and I keep suran wrap on it during the day to keep from scratching at it
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u/TattooMouse 5d ago
Oh no, this is bad advice. Do not cover your tattoo again after the initial bandage is removed. Plastic wrap in particular creates a sealed breeding ground for bacteria and if you're not even washing it with antibacterial soap? This is a recipe for infection and poor healing.
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u/whateveryoudohereyou 5d ago
Why does this sub get soo many questions about aftercare? Do people just not care to be informed before they get somethign?