Hey Hey Beserkers! Hope you're well! What sparks more joy than getting some art forever inked on your skin? Tattoos can be significant and meaningful and some can have none at all, and that's completely fine! Of course we want our special art taken care of, which is why here at Beserk, we offer a range of tattoo care to make sure your tattoos stay hydrated and vibrant! So lets jump into it! ❤️

Tattoo Aftercare: A Comprehensive Guide - 

Let's Jump Into How To Care For A New Tattoo - 

Of course after all the pain and waiting for a new tattoo you want to make sure it heals and stays as bright and beautiful as possible! These are the basics for caring for a new tattoo! 

- Cover it up! 

Your artist will typically apply a thin layer of antibiotic ointment over the tattoo and then cover the area in a bandage or plastic wrap to protect your new art! This covering prevents bacteria from getting into your skin and protects the tattoo from rubbing onto your clothes and getting irritated.

Try to keep the dressing on for as long as your tattoo artist recommends, which may be just a few hours. They know best and it’ll help absorb any fluid or excess ink that leaks from the tattoo! 🖤

- Wash that ish! 

After the recommended amount of time has passed, you can remove the tattoo covering. First wash your hands with water and soap. Then gently wash the tattoo with warm water and fragrance-free and gentle soap. Pat your skin dry with a soft cloth.

Apply a small amount of fragrance-free and alcohol-free moisturiser or a tattoo balm. At this point you can ditch the covering and let your skin breathe!

- Wait for healing! 

While your tattoo heals, you should: 🖤

• wear sun-protective clothing whenever you go outside
• call your tattoo artist or doctor if you experience any symptoms of infection or other problems

You shouldn’t: 💔

• cover your tattoo with sunblock until it’s fully healed
• scratch or pick at the tattoo
• wear tight clothing over the tattoo
• go swimming or immerse your body in water (showers are fine)

D-Panthenol, Bepanthen: What Are They & How They Help New Tattoos - 

D-Panthenol - 

Panthenol is a chemical substance made from pantothenic acid, also known as vitamin B-5. It occurs organically and can also be produced from both plant and animal sources! It’s used as an additive in various cosmetic products around the globe due to its moisturising and healing properties!

Why use D-Panthenol? - 

In cosmetics, product manufacturers often use panthenol as a moisturiser. But it’s also included in many cosmetics as a softening, soothing, and anti-irritant agent. It also helps your skin build up a barrier against irritation and water loss making it a perfect choice for tattoo care! 

Bepanthen - 

Bepanthen Antiseptic Cream is a multi-purpose antiseptic cream that helps protect damaged skin from infection and also assists in the treatment of cuts, abrasions, insect bites, stings, and sunburn.

Why use Bepanthen? - 

In short, Bepanthen's key ingredient dexpanthenol (pro-vitamin B5) gently aids natural skin recovery, while keeping it soft, smooth and moisturised. Evidences from several studies support its efficacy and excellent safety profile when administered topically in a variety of dermatological disorders that may include: Skin abrasions, petty injuries and more helping heal tattoos! 

Tattoo Creams and Tattoo Care Products You Need To Keep Handy - 

Of course everyone is different and so is our skin! So we are suggesting the best of the best tattoo products for all skin, sensitive or not! 

Tattoo Aftercare packsavailable at Beserk - 

There are two amazing holy grail packs by Dr. Pickles has everything you need for an easy heal for all your tattoos! There's the Ultimate tattoo aftercare pack and the Premium pack! 

The Ultimate tattoo care pack contains a 75g tattoo balm tube, 20g Artist series Tattoo balm and a 50ml Deluxe foam wash! Compared to the Premium pack which includes their iconic 75g Tattoo Balm, 50ml Deluxe foam wash and a 60ml SPF 50 dry touch tattoo sunscreen! Let's focus on each product and how it helps your tattoos! 

Original Tattoo Balm - 

Dr. Pickles Original Formula Tattoo Balm is a natural paw paw based tattoo after care balm, can be used on both new tattoos specially formulated to aid in the healing and recovery. It is also perfect for use on old tattoos to bring out the vibrancy of tattooed skin. Made in Brisbane, Queensland using both fresh and fermented Australian pawpaw, coupled with hydrating D-Panthenol, Dr. Pickles Original Formula Tattoo Balm is a moisture rich natural antiseptic that creates the perfect climate for a tattoo to heal and retain its original vibrancy.

Here are some awesome key features you get when using the balm - 

• All natural
• Australian Made
• Cruelty Free
• Environmentally friendly
• Paraben and chemical free
• Natural antiseptic
• Reduces Skin Dehydration & Scab formation
• Promotes fast healthy skin repair
• Designed for Tattooed Skin

Antibacterial Tattoo Foam Wash - 

This product has two key sanitising purposes, firstly for the artists to use whilst tattooing and secondly, for tattoo enthusiasts to keep the pigment in their artwork vibrant by preventing infection!

Dr. Pickles' purifying foam is ideal for professional artists to prepare the skin for tattooing, during the tattoo and after the tattoo to remove any excess ink or body fluid. Alternatively, this foam is perfect to be used in the first few days of having a tender, fresh tattoo to gently clean it instead of using harsh commercial body washes. It can also be used to sanitise your hands before touching your new tattoo! Packed full of enzymes, nutrients, vitamins and minerals, aloe was added to the tattoo foam to provide moisture and hydration to sensitive skin! 

Here are some awesome key features you get when using the foam - 

• All natural
• Australian Made
• Vegan Friendly
• Cruelty Free
• Environmentally friendly
• Paraben free
• Natural antiseptic
• Gentle antibacterial soap
• Promotes fast healthy skin repair
• Cools the skin and helps with redness
• Designed for Tattooed Skin
• Topical infection preventative
• Hemp Oil

Artist Series Original Formula Tattoo Balm - 

Dr Pickles Original Formula Tattoo Balm is a revolutionary product that combines the best of both products, together with some other skin friendly nutrients, to produce the perfect all-natural tattoo after care. The ingredient combination has proven successful in reducing scab formation and skin dehydration, whilst soothing tender freshly tattooed skin. The non-greasy formula will allow your skin to breathe whilst promoting fast and scab free skin repair!  🖤 

Here are some awesome key features you get when using the balm - 

• All natural
• Australian Made
• Cruelty Free
• Environmentally friendly
• Paraben and chemical free
• Natural antiseptic
• Reduces Skin Dehydration & Scab formation
• Promotes fast healthy skin repair
• Designed for Tattooed Skin

50 SPF Tattoo Sunscreen - 

The world's best dry touch SPF 50+ tattoo sunscreen with Aloe Vera and Vitamin E will heal your new tattoo and protect it from the sun to keep your ink looking the best it possibly can! 

Answering Your Tattoo Aftercare Questions -

Of course with all body modifications all healing processes differ from person to person and can come with some very believable misconceptions! So let's clear  up some of those common misconceptions shall we? - 

When Can I Swim After Getting A Tattoo?

Although popping on your swimmers to cool off in the hot seasons sounds like an awesome idea, you may want to hold off as swimming with an unhealed/fresh tattoo will cause nothing but issues!

Swimming with tattoos before they heal can result in risking an infection, damaging your tattoo and even lead to skin irritation! Not a pretty picture, so it's best to wait the usually 2-4 weeks before slipping back into your swimmers and going for a dip! 💙

Can You Put Sunscreen on a New Tattoo?

You can pop sunscreen on a healed tattoo and we probably recommend that so your tattoo can remain as bright and stay looking awesome for as possible! However, please don't pop sunscreen on a fresh tattoo as fresh tattoos are considered open wounds and sunscreen contains many chemicals which can just irritate your skin and lead you down the road of infection! 

How Long To Keep A New Tattoo Dry? 

 So your tattoo if wrapped in cling wrap, this should be kept on to protect the tattoo for a few hours! However if the wrapping is protective tattoo film or second skin, keep this one on for as long as your artist has suggested (They know best!!)!

Dry healing aka healing a tattoo with nothing but open air, sounds effective in theory as some people may have reactions to lotions or moisturisers used on their skin and it's only air, how harm can happen? Unfortunately, Dry Healing can result in cracks and scabbing which can damage and negatively effect how your tattoo heals so please ensure you are moisturising frequently and looking after your tattoo as if it's a newborn!  

Well we hope this blog has cleared up some misconceptions or has even helped you refine your tattoo aftercare plan for your next appointment! Don't forget to check out the amazing Dr. Pickles range available at Beserkto heal those tats like never before! 🖤

- Stay spooky, Beserk xx