What you are doing is just fine. Now swimming, or baths. You don’t want to soak the tattoo (submerse) it in water for any length of time. shower is fine with water running over it. Then of course do like you are with patting it dry. I suggest that you let it air dry for about 30 minutes, after washing your tattoo, before you put your ointment on it.

Hey ya old Scottish Bastard, Shower, and don’t worry about getting the tattoo wet. Just don’t soak it, get in pools, or salt water. Let warm water run over it, wash it with your fingertips, NOT your fingernails, just the balls of your fingers, rub anti bacterial soap into it, then run water over it to rinse it. CLEAN, CLEAN, CLEAN!!! But don’t submerge.

You can go to my website, http://www.newcovenantinktattoo.net and go to the tattoo aftercare page for full instructions. Alternatively go to Sherav’s posts and click on the link in his signature. He’s researched and written a lot on tattoo aftercare.

Great A/C instructions. I found the bit about the compress on the scabs to soften interesting. I have scabbed like a mofo this last tattoo despite following the aftercare advice given. I think it’s just my body and the particular location of this tat as it’s on my wrist. I am going to give the compresses a go for sure. I keep catching the scabs on what seems like everything. Grrrrrr.

Didn’t mean to hijack. 😉