Freshly inked & in search of salve-ation

When Captain Fawcett, in madcap pursuit of fortune and glory, once found his vessel becalmed in the Arabian Sea, he was obliged to while away a little time on the mysterious island of Socotra, a veritable lost world of botanical wonders. During a sunset rendezvous with a lady of uncertain repute, he observed, just over her shoulder, a most remarkable tree, shaped much like a gigantic mushroom. This astonishing specimen was weeping what appeared to be Dragon’s Blood from the wounds in its bark. Romance and science immediately collided with some force, and following a brief interlude (over which one must draw a discreet veil) the Captain whipped a small phial from his knapsack and gathered a quantity of the red resin. Consulting a native medicine man, he learned this extraordinary substance was imbued with time-honoured properties, oft employed in ritual magic and primitive remedies. Not least it proved a most effective anti-septic, excellent at curing the odd injuries a man of adventure is apt to receive.

And so to the present. One evening the Captain, himself no stranger to the tattooist’s dart, was asked by a freshly inked chum what potions he might have brought back from his travels which would soothe the skin. It transpired that a combination of aforementioned Dragon’s Blood and Snake Vine, a potent bush medicine used by the Aboriginal people who dwelt on Australia’s Eastern shores and acquired by the Captain en route to his visit his cousin Tasmania who resided, entirely coincidentally, in Tasmania, worked so extraordinarily well that it was clear this discovery must be shared.

Early sighting of cousin Tasmania....

(Profile and portrait view of Juan Tepano, 1880s.)

With his master blender the Captain concocted a most efficacious healing salve, full of natural botanicals and ancient wisdom. And so it is Captain Fawcett’s Tattoo Aftercare Salve came into being. All that remains is a word of advice for those seeking Salve-ation! 

And to further furnish readers with superior guidance, the Captain sought assistance from none other than that hirsute Inkmeister of world renown, the acclaimed tattoo artist Arron Raw Esq.

It must be noted that every tattoo artist will offer his or her own instructions according to preferred method and style so, should one be freshly inked, do take good heed of the advice given on the day!

Thus, a journey that began far across the Indian Ocean takes us via the sand dunes of Australia to the urban jungles of England’s fair city of Bolton. And now, the Captain is delighted to present:

A Guide to Tattoo Aftercare by Arron Raw Esq.

Q: How should one’s skin be prepared before a new tattoo?

A: All preparation would be done by the artist in the studio prior to the tattoo.
It does help the skin to drink lots of water for around 3 days before getting tattooed, up to the day itself and moisturising the area beforehand also helps. We clean the area with alcohol, then I apply a product called immortal prime, which clears away any dead skin & helps to soften the area.

Q: How long should the wrapping be kept on a new tattoo?

A: I recommend to leave the 1st wrapping on until the client gets home. The only time I ask clients to wrap it again is the first night, overnight & remove in the morning. (I would only recommend re wrapping if the client has a dusty/dirty job.)

Q: How does one wash a new tattoo?

A: Wash hands thoroughly with luke warm running water, lather up a low pH soap and gently was the area. Rinse the whole area completely and pat dry with a CLEAN towel or paper towel, do not rub dry. Also, air dry afterwards for 5 mins until completely dry before applying the aftercare.

Q: What do must one do in to take care of a new tattoo for the first few days?

A: Follow the artists instructions ONLY, don’t take any advice from anyone else. Keep the tattoo clean, you really need to treat a new tattoo like an open wound. Please note that looking after a new tattoo takes longer than the just first few days. You must clean the tattoo following the steps above and then apply a small amount of the salve 2 - 3 times a day for the first week and once a day thereafter until fully healed. Don’t over do it, a small amount goes a long way. Your skin still needs to breathe.

Q: How does one prevent infection?

A: Keeping the tattoo clean & dry and don’t let others/animals/pets touch it. Take the kind of sensible precautions you’d take with any wound and remember the most important part of any new tattoo is the client looking after it & listening to the advice from their particular artist.

Q: What kind of cream might one use if the new ink is itchy?

A: All tattoos go through the “itchy” stage and here I recommend Captain Fawcett’s Tattoo Salve. The soothing natural ingredients in the Salve are INKcredible...

Q: How long will it take to heal?

A: Everybody is different, even different parts of the body take longer to heal than others. Generally, a tattoo can take up to 8 weeks to fully heal.

Q: Is one able to go out in the sun?

A: The sun & sunbeds are your worst enemy when you are tattooed. Stay out of the sun completely with a fresh tattoo since UV light can ruin any tattoo. Use a high factor suncream if you are going in the sun. Definitely Factor 50.

Q: What can one do to keep a tattoo vibrant in the long term?

A: Stay out of the sun and don’t use sunbeds, use high factor suncream and moisturise.

Q: Which tattoo aftercare do you recommend and why?

A: Captain Fawcett’s Tattoo Salve. It’s very soothing & will aid any tattoo through the healing process. It’s absolutely INKcredible...

And there you have it you see? My heartiest thanks to Arron for sharing his simply splendid expertise.