Most people give attention only to the external care of a tattoo, what moisturizers to use, what cleansers are suitable for a tattoo, etc. But repairing the tattoo internally is as essential as external caring.

For this, you should be aware of what to eat after getting a tattoo.

Choose foods that help heal the wound (a fresh tattoo is like a wound to your body). Foods high in vitamin C, zinc, protein, and vitamin A are the best choice after getting a brand new tattoo. Eat oranges, berries, green vegetables, chicken, garlic, and a lot of water to keep your tattoed skin damage-free and healthy.

Keep reading the article about how foods affect your tattoo, what foods you should avoid throughout the healing process, and all the information you want to know regarding the topic.

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Does Your Food Habit Affect Your Tattoo?

Yes, of course, it does. A new, fresh tattoo is like an open wound. So, your body will react to the wound differently. But it’s a common process for our body to transfer all the energy towards the ‘wounded area’ because the area needs to heal as soon as possible.

And, your body is aware that there’s a chance of infection if the healing process takes longer. Choosing the right foods during the healing process helps your body do the job efficiently and quickly. Otherwise, the lack of additional nutrients will make the job harder for your body.

Here’s a detailed chapter on how food matters for your tattoo.

Nutritional Foods Help with Healing

The first few weeks after getting a tattoo are delicate. You may face bleeding, oozing, and even cracking of your skin throughout the healing process. The closing of the tattoos shouldn’t take long.

Because when the wounds are open for too long, your skin hasn’t started healing yet. And it enhances the chance of getting infections. For this, you must consume foods high in vitamin C, vitamin A, proteins, and zinc. These nutrients have anti-inflammatory properties, and they help promote a faster healing process.

Pineapple is full of antioxidants, and it’s known as an excellent immune booster. The vitamins and manganese in pineapple help keep your energy level up. Oranges are also full of vitamin C, which helps your skin build new proteins and boosts your system into healing overdrive. So, yes, there are foods that help you fix damaged skin and make the healing process smooth enough.

Some Foods Can Slow The Healing Process

Yes, there are some foods that negatively affect your skin, especially when you have fresh tattoos on your skin.

Foods that are tough for your body to digest should be avoided now. Why?

Because in that case, your body needs quite a lot of energy just for processing and digesting the food. So, the digestion part gets more energy from the healing area. Therefore, the tattooed skin doesn’t get enough support during the healing process.

And processed foods, greasy foods, or foods that are high in sugar can make the healing process slow and increases the chance of infection and inflammation.

Speaking of foods that prolong the recovery time, dairy and sugar come to the list first. They also promote inflammation.

Some Foods Can Cause Allergic Reactions

Whether your tattoo is old or new, your skin will first reaction to an allergen. For this, eating an allergic food can lead you to have skin reactions such as bumps, rashes, blistering, or hives. Even foods you’re mildly allergic to may also show adverse effects.

This can be a reason for prolonged healing processes or complications like an infection. Therefore, avoid such foods for a few weeks after getting a tattoo if you want to avoid nasty bumps or blisters.

Suppose you’re lactose-intolerant. Avoid a cup of milk coffee, or you may experience a full-blown allergic reaction. Similarly, avoid any food that you have a low tolerance to.

What Should You Eat Immediately After Getting a Tattoo?

Since getting a tattoo means getting a new wound to your body, pick foods that promote wound healing. Grab some vitamin C-riched foods before you attend a tattoo appointment.

Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is one of the most effective antioxidants that protect your cells from damage by free radicals. You can simply get some oranges for instant vitamin C or add in strawberries for some sweetness.

Also, give attention to foods that are high in zinc. This micronutrient regulates all phases of your tattoo healing process, from membrane repair to oxidative stress, immune defense, coagulation, tissue re-epithelialization, inflammation, to angiogenesis. Foods like beef, beans, chicken, and seafood contain zinc.

What to eat before getting a tattoo?

What Foods Speed Up Tattoo Healing Process?

Luckily, there are thousands of options for choosing the right food for a tattoo healing process. As we’ve discussed what foods you should choose to eat immediately after getting a tattoo, here are some of the foods you should eat in the following weeks. They will ensure the long life of your tattoo.

Oranges

As we’ve already mentioned, oranges are one of the biggest sources of vitamin C. And you should take vitamin C for a few days after a tattoo because the vitamin is highly effective in healing injuries.

Oranges guard your skin cells against harem and make the skin look youthful. Since vitamin C promotes forming collagen, it can make your skin strong and wet. Also, oranges have regular oils that saturate your skin and give it a better vibe.

Eat oranges or drink squeezed juice to get a good result. Or, you can apply the strip as a body cleanser; it works like a boss.

Blueberries

Berries promote your body’s immune-supporting response and work as an anti-inflammatory and wound-healing ingredient. Also, they heal your skin with anti-aging properties.

Blueberries are also called ‘superfood’; now you know why.

Sweet Potatoes

Carbs are suitable for the healing process, but you must take them in moderation. It’s never a good practice to load your meal with sugar. Instead, you should look for healthy and unrefined carbs.

Sweet potatoes are a great example of unrefined carbs. They have high amounts of carotenoids, manganese, and vitamin C that helps your body to recover fast.

Leafy Green Vegetables

Load your meals with leafy green vegetables like arugula, kale, spinach, and broccoli. They are rich in folate, provitamin A, vitamin C, and Magnesium. They make your immune system strong, which is crucial for dealing with a healing tattoo.

Fish (Salmon)

Omega-3s help reduces inflammation in our body, especially when it’s healing a tattoo. Salmon is one of the best choices because it has omega-3s and selenium that promote an immune response in case of damage and injury to your body.

White Meat

White meat like turkey and chicken contains arginine, glutamine, and amino acids that are great for the body to recover and heal, whether from illness, injury, or stress.

Nuts and Seeds

Sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, walnuts, pecans, almonds, etc., are high in magnesium, vitamin E, and manganese, that speed up the healing time of your tattoo. Nuts and seeds help your body create energy and heal wounds and inflammations anytime.

Garlic

Garlic is widely used for medical purposes. It fights skin infections and boosts immune function. Garlic also keeps your digestive system free of toxins. It’s one of the tastiest ways to repair your skin.

Plenty of Water

Last but not least, drinking an adequate amount of water keeps your skin hydrated and prevents itchiness and dryness. Try to drink a minimum of eight glasses of water daily to fasten the healing of your new tattoo.

5 Foods to Avoid After Getting a Tattoo

Now, let’s talk about what not to eat after a tattoo. Below is a list of foods you should avoid the two weeks after a tattoo or during its healing process.

Foods and drinks high in sugar: Avoid milk chocolate, candies, sweetened coffee, cakes, stuffed biscuits, cereal bars, and ice-cream. Also, drinks like Pepsi, Coca-Cola, energy drinks, and salad dressings should be avoided.

Sugar causes inflammation, prevents your body from healing, and promotes fat storage. For this, try not to consume any sugary food or drink throughout the healing process.

Red meat and processed meat: Red and processed meat also increase the chance of inflammation. Sausage, ham, bacon, deli meats, pepperoni, salami, hot dogs, and meat jerky are high in saturated fat, which is not good for your skin.

Refined carbs: Refined carbs like pasta, sugary cereals, french fries, cookies, and crackers do not contribute to nutrition. Instead, they contain added sugars. Avoid refined carbs if you don’t want to experience inflammatory reactions and a prolonged healing process.

Trans-fat foods: Fried chicken, frozen pizza, doughnuts, baked goods, hamburgers, margarine, and fried noodles are some examples of trans-fat foods. They are high in fat and hydrogen, which can lead your body to increase bad cholesterol levels and inflammation.

Alcohol beverages: Lastly, say goodbye to alcohol for the few days of healing tattoos. Alcohol thins your blood and can cause excessive bleeding after the tattooing process.

Your tattoo will surely have difficulty drying and sealing if you continue consuming alcohol. Excessive drinking also causes inflammatory reactions and infections.

Wrapping Up

Now you know what to eat after a tattoo. If you notice, we discouraged you from consuming unhealthy food after getting a tattoo.

Dairy foods, sugary drinks, red meat, and alcoholic beverages; each of the food has adverse effects on your skin.

So, what’s the solution? Choose organic foods. Eat fresh green vegetables, colorful fruits, white meat (for protein), and plenty of water. Avoiding anything harmful to your skin will help you get a painless healing process.

You’ll see that all the efforts will be worth it. Good luck!

What To Eat After Tattoo? [Choose The Right Food]