DS got a tattoo abroad

[northernballer]

So DS has gone on his first trip abroad and got himself a tattoo, it's a very small one on his hip.

He is only 17 so I'm not thrilled about it but we are where we are. My main worry is that he probably won't have been given proper after care advice or had it done somewhere reputable. He said the place was clean but I seriously doubt it was a high end place.

What should he be doing to it? I've told him no swimming but what else? Should it be covered?

He is away with another family and their also got one but he's not told his parents yet.

Bepathan and don't pick it

Wash it twice a day with soap and water, tell him to go to a pharmacist (or back to the tattoo studio), show it to them and they’ll be able to give him whatever the local version of Bepanthen or Sudocreme is. Very thin layer. No swimming, or wrap it in clingfilm if he’s determined to swim.

Presuming he’s in a developed country the tattoo studio will in almost every certainty have had the same hygiene standards as you’d find in the U.K. It’ll be fine.

Yes it Majorca, I've just googled it and it does have 5* reviews so that's something, thanks for putting my mind at rest a bit.

I don't really have an issue with the tattoo it's more the lack.of thought that went into it but I guess that's teenagers!! We are going on holiday in a fortnight and I'm annoyed he won't be able to swim there either.

Keep the tattoo out of the sun !

Well I am old. And we went to Majorca in May and I got my first tattoo! Had thought about one for years but never had time, walked in and had it done.

second skin dressing was out over it and that was to stay for I think two days, then change it, then three days. so on for a week.

cream when changing it.

lovely guy did it, very clean shop. Certificates everywhere.

he said I could swim straight away with the dressing on. It was completely healed within a few days.

It should be completed healed in two weeks. Just keep it out of the sun as it'll be fairly new skin.

Once it's scabbed jobs a goodun unless you pick the scabs.

I have had two of my three tattoos done abroad, they've been fine and the reccomended care was little different to what i was told to do here. I don't understand why you think it would be different. As long as he has appropriate cream (they usually sell it at the tattoo parlour) and keeps it clean he should be fine. We bought some heavy duty waterproof plasters so we could still swim.