Tattoo aftercare by day
How quickly you heal depends on the size of your tattoo and how intricate it is. Bigger tattoos will stay red and swollen longer, because they cause more trauma to your skin.
Day 1
You’ll come home from the artist with a bandage over your tattoo. After a few hours, you can remove it. You should ask your artist for specifics about how long to wait.
Once the bandage comes off, you’ll probably notice fluid from the tattoo. This is blood, plasma (the clear part of blood), and some extra ink. It’s normal. Your skin will also be red and sore. It might feel slightly warm to the touch.
Follow the aftercare advice given to you at your appointment.
Leave the bandage off so the tattoo can heal.
Days 2 to 3
Your tattoo will have a duller, cloudy appearance by now. This happens as your skin heals. Scabs will start to form.
Wash your tattoo once or twice a day and apply a fragrance- and alcohol-free moisturiser. When you wash, you might notice some ink running into the sink. This is just excess ink that’s come up through your skin.
Days 4 to 6
The redness should start to fade. You’ll probably notice some light scabbing over the tattoo. The scabs shouldn’t be as thick as scabs you get when you cut yourself, but they will be raised. Don’t pick at the scabs — this can cause scarring.
Keep washing your tattoo once or twice a day. Apply moisturizer.
Days 6 to 14
The scabs have hardened and will begin to flake off, if you ever had any. Don’t pick at them or try to pull them off, let them come off naturally. Otherwise, you could pull out the ink and leave scars.
At this point your skin may feel very itchy. Gently rub on a moisturiser several times a day to relieve the itch.
If your tattoo is still red and swollen after a week or two contact your artist.
Days 15 to 30
In this last stage of healing, most of the big flakes will be gone and the scabs should be going away. You might still see some dead skin, but it should eventually clear up too. The tattooed area might still look dry and dull. Keep moisturizing until the skin looks hydrated again.
By the second or third week, the outer layers of skin should have healed. It may take three to four months for the lower layers to completely heal. By the end of your third month, the tattoo should look as bright and vivid as the artist intended.
Tattoo aftercare products
Always use a mild, fragrance-free soap or a specially formulated tattoo cleanser to clean the area. Your tattoo artist can recommend a tattoo-specific cleanser.
Always just a thin layer of cream,which means it won’t clog your pores and cause infection. Putting on too thick of a layer won’t allow your skin to breathe!
Check with your artist before putting any other unproven products on your tattoo.
Potential side effects and complications
For the first few days after you get your tattoo, your skin may be red, itchy, and sore. You may notice excess ink, along with blood and fluid, leaking from your skin. This is normal.
If you begin experiencing symptoms of any of the following complications, see your doctor:
Infection
A tattoo that isn’t properly cared for can get infected. Infected skin will be red, warm, and painful. It may also leak pus.
Allergic reaction
If you’re sensitive to the ink your artist used, you may develop a red, itchy skin reaction at the site. Red, green, yellow, and blue dyes are the most likely to cause a reaction.
Scarring
Damage from the needle, or from picking at the tattoo, can cause your body to produce scar tissue. Scars can be permanent.
Long-term tattoo aftercare tips
Once your tattoo has healed, you move into maintenance mode. Though you don’t have to specifically care for it after three or four months, there are things you can do to prevent the ink from degrading.
You should
- Keep it clean. Wash your skin daily with a gentle, unscented soap.
- Keep your skin moisturized.
- Avoid scratchy objects which can damage your tattoo.