Using CBD After Getting a Tattoo: What Can This Cannabinoid Do For You?
Have you ever gotten a tattoo before? If so, you know that the pain that takes place for the week that follows can be almost as bad as the pain that occurs during the actual procedure. We all recognize that getting tattooed will hurt, but many people who have never actually gotten ink before are surprised to discover that as the skin heals, the pain can be relatively intense as well.
So, if you’re looking for relief from pain during this period, you have several options. But, if you’re the type who prefers a more holistic approach to relief, then perhaps you will want to check out cannabidiol (CBD). Studies are even showing how more people are using CBD in an effort to manage physical discomfort. Pertaining to the pain that comes along with getting a tattoo, CBD may be a nice choice for you.
What Does the Tattoo Process Entail?
Getting a tattoo involves several steps, each vital to ensure a safe and satisfactory experience. Prior to discuss those though, every tattoo experience can be unique, depending on personal preferences, the complexity of the design, and the practices of the tattoo studio.
1. Research and Conceptualization:
- Idea Development: Think about what you want in a tattoo – the design, size, colors, and placement on your body.
- Artist Research: Look for a tattoo artist whose style matches your desired design. Check their portfolio for quality and consistency.
2. Consultation:
- Discussing the Design: Share your ideas with the artist, who can then provide input and modifications to finalize the design.
- Cost and Scheduling: Discuss the price and book an appointment. Tattoo costs vary based on size, detail, location, and the artist's rates.
3. Preparation:
- Before Your Appointment: Follow any instructions given by the artist, like avoiding alcohol and staying hydrated.
- Setup: At the studio, the artist will prepare their equipment, ensuring everything is sterile and clean.
4. Stencil and Placement:
- Creating a Stencil: The artist transfers your design onto a special paper to create a stencil.
- Placement: The stencil is placed on your skin to show where the tattoo will be. This is the time to make any final adjustments to the placement.
5. Tattooing Process:
- Skin Preparation: The area is cleaned and shaved if necessary.
- Outlining: The artist begins by outlining the tattoo with a needle and ink.
- Shading and Color: After the outline, they fill in the tattoo with shading and/or color.
- Pain and Duration: The pain level can vary depending on the tattoo's location and your pain tolerance. The duration of the session depends on the tattoo's complexity and size.
6. Aftercare:
- Bandaging: The artist will clean the area and apply a bandage or a protective film.
- Aftercare Instructions: You'll receive instructions on how to care for your tattoo, including cleaning, moisturizing, and avoiding sun exposure.
- Healing Process: Tattoos typically take a few weeks to heal. It's crucial to follow the aftercare instructions to prevent infection and ensure the best healing.
7. Follow-Up:
- Healing Check: Some artists like to check on the tattoo after it has healed to see if any touch-ups are needed.
- Touch-Ups: If necessary, you can schedule a session for touch-ups.
Why is Getting a Tattoo So Painful?
We can all understand why the actual process of getting a tattoo is so painful. But, why does the tattooed area continue to hurt following the actual process? Well, a tattoo causes injury to the skin. It can take anywhere from a couple of days to a full week for that injury to heal itself. The body does not know the difference between pain caused by an accidental injury, and pain caused by a tattoo that you consented to. Therefore, the inflammatory response occurs, causing the skin to become inflamed and irritated. You may notice that while a tattoo is healing, the skin feels extra sensitive, appears red and looks swollen. You may also notice that the skin becomes dry and flaky, as irritation causes the top layer of skin cells to die off.
Note: If the pain is unbearable, or if the pain takes more than a week to calm down, you should see a doctor or even a skin specialist. Sometimes, an infection can occur following a tattoo procedure.
What Does a Tattoo’s Healing Duration Time Process Look Like?
Each person's body is unique, so healing times can vary. Once again. proper aftercare is critical for a smooth healing process and to ensure the longevity and appearance of your tattoo. If it doesn’t look like it’s healing properly, then it’s best to schedule an urgent appointment with your physician, just to ensure there are no signs of a skin infection.
Now, the healing process for a tattoo typically follows this timeline:
- Initial Healing Phase (Up to 2 weeks): During the first couple of weeks, you will experience redness, swelling, and some oozing of plasma and excess ink. This is normal. The tattoo will begin to dry out and may form a scab. It's imperative not to pick at the scabs and let them fall off naturally.
- Itching and Flaking Phase (Up to 4 weeks): As the deeper layers of skin heal, the tattoo will begin to itch and flake. Small bits of colored skin might fall off. This is also part of the normal healing process. Moisturizing can help, but don't overdo it.
- Deep Tissue Healing Phase (up to 6 months): Even after the surface of the skin appears healed, the deeper layers of skin are still repairing themselves. It's crucial to proceed caring for the tattoo and shielding it from the sun during this period, particularly during the warmer months of the year.
Could CBD Help with Tattoo-Related Pain?
So, what about CBD? Can it really help a person manage post-tattoo pain? Well, let’s look at how CBD works. Cannabidiol gives the endocannabinoid system (ECS) an ample dose of cannabinoids that can be sent to cannabinoid receptors (CB receptors) throughout the body as needed. This allows cannabinoids to regulate bodily processes associated with these cannabinoid receptors. We know that the skin has many cannabinoid receptors throughout, and so it makes sense that applying CBD to the painful area allows these cannabinoid receptors to regulate associated processes. Among these processes is pain and skin irritation.
CBD has been widely studied over the years, and one thing that we see countless times from researchers is its potential to help with pain, from both its anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. We also understand that topical CBD may be uniquely helpful in this department, due to the way in which it essentially maintains a concentrated amount of cannabinoids within the area of application, while absorbing quickly and thoroughly and staying active for hours at a time.
How to Use CBD for Pain After Getting a Tattoo
Some people choose to use CBD beforehand to help manage pain and anxiety. Now, if you want use CBD specifically for pain following a tattoo, here’s how to go about starting a routine properly.
Step #1: Topical is the Way to Go
Initially, we suggest using a topical CBD solution, for the reasons explained above. There are many different topical formulas on the market, including balms, salves, creams, lotions, and gels. The type of formula doesn’t matter, as long as it’s made with quality ingredients, absorbs quickly and is easy to spread over the affected area. Our Kingdom Harvest Salve is all natural! We blend our whole-spectrum hemp-extracted CBD with all natural oils for a sublimely smooth salve that absorbs quickly and completely. The fresh and invigorating aroma reinforces the whole-spectrum of terpenes bursting from the salve as the cannabinoids do their thing.
Step #2: Choose the Right Strength and Spectrum Type
The milligram strength reflects the potency of the product, so select one based on the pain level that you’re experiencing, as higher milligram strengths give the affected area more potential relief. Also, CBD topicals come in broad spectrum, full spectrum, and even CBD isolate, so you will need to take that into consideration, too.
Step #3: Quality Comes First
Make sure that the CBD topical you buy is high in quality by looking for third-party lab reports from the company which reflect the quality of the hemp extract used.
Step #4: Consistent Use is Ideal
For the best results, apply your CBD topical product twice daily: once in the morning and once in the evening. Apply enough to completely cover the tattooed area. Also, while using CBD, continue to follow proper tattoo aftercare to avoid infection and ensure proper healing.
Don’t Let Tattoo Pain Ruin the Experience of Having One!
No doubt, tattoos can seriously hurt, both during the process and after, when the skin is trying to heal itself. Fortunately, there are many options out there, with cannabidiol being a truly holistic and natural option. Essentially, if you’re looking to use CBD to help manage the pain following a tattoo, just make sure you do so properly.
Note: If you notice any adverse reactions, such as skin irritation or increased pain, stop using the product and consult with your doctor/physician immediately.