How Long Does It Take Fir A Tattoo To Heal?

How Long Does It Take Fir A Tattoo To Heal
How long does it take for a tattoo to heal? After getting a tattoo, the outer layer of skin (the part you can see) will typically heal within 2 to 3 weeks. While it may look and feel healed, and you may be tempted to slow down on the aftercare, it can take as long as 6 months for the skin below a tattoo to truly heal.

How do you know a tattoo is healed?

You will know that your tattoo is completely healed when there are no scabs, the texture of your skin where the tattoo was placed is the same as a similar surface of skin, and the colors on your tattoo are no longer faded.

Do and don’ts after tattoo?

How long after tattoo can you shower?

How Soon After a Tattoo Can I Shower? – Your first shower after a new tattoo can be the day after you got the tattoo. That could be between 12 and 48 hours. Sometimes, the tattoo becomes messy after a night of oozing blood and ink. In order for the tattoo to start healing properly, you need to give it a light wash with antibacterial soap and lukewarm water.

  1. After 48 hours, your tattoo should be good for water exposure, but only once or twice a day;
  2. During the first week, it is essential not to expose the tattoo to the water for longer periods;
  3. This will prevent the tattoo from drying and forming a new skin layer;

In such a case, your tattoo could get infected. Note : we also recommend you avoid sweat-inducing activities, like working out, jogging, etc. Sweat carries bacteria that can infect the tattoo. Furthermore, sweating prevents the tattoo from drying out, which could also lead to an infection.

How do tattoos heal in a week?

When should you moisturize a tattoo?

Week one – Some tattoo artists recommend waiting between 24-48 hours before applying moisturizer, though others recommend doing so as soon as the first wash. A person with a fresh tattoo should follow their tattoo artist’s instructions on when to start using moisturizer.

  • For the first couple of days, the tattooed skin may feel warm to the touch and have a reddish appearance;
  • The colors may also appear very bright against the rest of the skin;
  • The tattoo will become less vibrant as the healing process continues;

A person should avoid submerging the tattoo in water or getting the tattoo wet during the first 3–6 weeks, except for when washing it. A person can continue using the washing technique above throughout the first week when needed. How often washing is necessary will vary depending on a person’s activity levels and environment.

Someone who is sitting in an air-conditioned office all day may only need to wash the tattoo once a day. However, someone who is working in a hot or dirty environment and sweating may need to wash the tattoo every few hours.

It is best to wash the tattoo with clean fingers only and not a cloth or towel, which may irritate the skin and prematurely remove any scabs that may have formed. Scabs will often form in the first few days, and ink may still come up through the skin and need to be washed away.

It is important not to pick the scabs or scratch the skin. In general, Scabbing is not a sign of improper wound care. Scabs will form anytime the skin is injured, and can be a sign of healthy tissue forming underneath the wound.

Keeping some form of antibiotic ointment or moisturizer under occlusion (as long as there is no known allergy) on the wound can help it heal better and the sooner this is done the better healing will happen with less chances of scarring. Any redness or mild swelling usually goes away near the end of the first week.

You might be interested:  Which Metal Is Used For Yellow Tattoo Ink?

What should you avoid after getting a tattoo?

Is it OK to wear clothes over a new tattoo?

So, What Kind Of Clothes Should I Wear Over a New Tattoo? – After getting a tattoo, and during the healing process, which can last between 2 weeks and a month in its initial and most important stage, you should be wearing loose-fitting clothes. That is of course if the tattoo is placed on your body apart from the neck, head, and feet.

For those areas, you need to pay special attention, especially in the case of feet tattoo (the issues of wearing socks and shoes). Loose clothes will cover the tattoo so much so that it stays protected. There is a lower chance the fabric will stick to the tattoo and introduce contaminants as well.

There will be minimal or rubbing of the fabrics against the tattoo, which will significantly minimize healing issues or the chance of an infection. Note: After getting a new tattoo, it will be wrapped and well protected. You can wear loose clothes over the wrap and not really worry about it.

What creams heal tattoos?

– 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. Soap options include the following products, which you can buy online:

  • Dove Sensitive Skin Beauty Bar
  • Liquid Neutrogena
  • Dial Gold Antibacterial Deodorant Bar Soap (although this soap isn’t fragrance-free, tattoo artists often recommend it)

For the first day or two, use an ointment like A+D Original Ointment or Aquaphor Healing Ointment or the product recommended by your tattoo artist to help the tattoo heal. It’s best to avoid products that are 100 percent petroleum-based, like Vaseline. The American Academy of Dermatology says that petroleum-based products can cause the ink to fade. However, there’s one exception: Authority Tattoo says that Vaseline may be helpful while showering.

  1. Because Vaseline is nonporous (watertight), you can apply it to your tattoo before you step into the shower so that it can protect the area from getting sprayed with water;
  2. It’s also been noted that Vaseline may be helpful on healed tattoos or the skin surrounding the tattoo if it’s exceptionally dry;

Just apply a thin layer. Putting on too thick of a layer won’t allow your skin to breathe. After about 2 days, you can switch to a regular moisturizer. Some products that you can buy online include:

  • Lubriderm Daily Moisture Fragrance-Free Lotion
  • Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Body Lotion for Dry Skin
  • Curél Fragrance-Free Lotion
  • Eucerin Intensive Repair Lotion

Whatever you choose, make sure it’s fragrance-free and alcohol-free. Also make sure it doesn’t contain additives, such as colored dye, that could dry out your skin. When properly cared for, your tattoo can be as brilliant as one of these inspiring breast cancer tattoos.

What cream is best for tattoo aftercare?

Best Overall: Aquaphor Healing Ointment Aquaphor’s Healing Ointment is of the most widely used tattoo aftercare treatments, and you’ll find a lot of artists quick to recommend the old stand-by.

How can I make my tattoo heal faster?

Can I put Vaseline on my tattoo?

– The first 24 hours after getting a tattoo are critical to your aftercare. Your tattoo artist may advise that you wear special bandages for added protection. After a few days, you may be able to safely take showers, but you’ll still need to avoid submerging the tattoo in water when bathing.

  1. While your tattoo is bandaged, this may allow for a very small window for using Vaseline too, since your tattoo is already covered;
  2. However, you’ll want to verify this with your tattoo artist first;
  3. Generally, there’s no need for Vaseline on a new tattoo whatsoever;

Once your bandages are off, you’ll want to stay away from Vaseline during the healing process, too. You may be able to use Vaseline on a newer tattoo only after it’s completely healed. The only use for petroleum jelly on your tattoo is for extremely dry skin around the area.

How do you sleep with a new tattoo?

Can you sleep on a new tattoo? – In an ideal world, you would be able to sleep and not have to worry about the tattoo. Actually, tattoos are effectively open wounds. This means that you need to take some precautions. Going days without sleep isn’t an option.

  1. People have different techniques;
  2. If you can, you should try to avoid sleeping directly on the tattoo;
  3. For instance, if you have a tattoo on your back, try to sleep on your front and let the tattoo breathe;
You might be interested:  How Long After Getting A Tattoo Can You Donate Blood?

A lot of tattoo artists recommend sleeping with the wrap that was put on. Others recommend re-wrapping, or just applying healing ointment and keeping the tattoo clean. The important thing is avoiding infection.

Can you over moisturize a tattoo?

What Are The Risks of Over Moisturizing a Tattoo? – By applying thicker layers of lotion or ointment, several times a day (or every hour or two as some people do), you’re risking over-moisturizing a tattoo. By over-moisturizing a tattoo, you can cause the following problems;

  • Due to excess moisture, the tattoo won’t be able to dry and heal
  • Excess moisture can create a perfect environment for bacteria and germ growth
  • Over moisturizing can lead to tattoo inflammation and infection
  • Excess moisture can cause clogged pores since the moisturizer prevents the skin from breathing
  • Excess moisture can cause the tattooed skin to break out

To avoid these issues, make sure to follow the moisturizing rules we mentioned before. However, make sure to not under moisturizing your tattoo as well. Some people are afraid they might over-moisturize their tattoo, so they leave it dehydrated, which results in heavy scabbing and tattoo dryness. So, make sure to stay in the middle and simply apply a thin layer of lotion/ointment twice a day.

Why is my tattoo fading after 3 days?

How Long Does It Take Fir A Tattoo To Heal This is a bit of a trick question. The reason being, is that a tattoo “fades” to the naked eye within days of application. This occurs because as the skin heals, the top layer dies and new skin forms to take its place. During this period the epidermis typically has a faded appearance. However, this is a natural part of the tattoo healing process and as the peeling subsides and the dead skin falls away the design will once again look crisp and fresh.

Still, it won’t have that same deep dark tone as it did when your tattooist put his/her gun away. Anyone who has received a tattoo already knows this. But what you want to know now, is when can you expect a tattoo to fade in the longer term.

Let’s have a look.

Do black tattoos heal faster?

Tattoo Healing Duration – The tattoo healing stages and duration may differ from one tattoo to the other. The healing duration depends on several factors, like;

  • The style of the tattoo
  • Whether it is grey or colored
  • The size of the tattoo
  • The location or body placement
  • The execution of the tattoo artist
  • The time the tattoo was wrapped and protected

So, taking into consideration the factors, we can determine an estimated healing duration for different tattoos;

  • Colored tattoos – the colored tattoos take the longest to heal. The reason for this lies in the very tattooing execution when coloring the tattoo. The needle has to go over every inch of the tattoo to fill it in with color, without any breaks. The increased work irritates the skin more, leading to skin trauma, and later, longer periods of scabbing and overall healing.
  • Black & grey tattoos – these tattoos heal much faster than the colored ones. The reason for this lies in the less intense approach to the skin. These tattoos often have some blank space or some light shading, which doesn’t irritate or damage the skin as much as the coloring does. Such a tattoo may take up to 3 weeks to have the surface skin healed if taken care of properly.
  • Tattoos with sensitive body placement – if a tattoo is placed in an area that has very thin skin and a lot of nerve endings, the damage to the skin might be greater. That is why any type of tattoo done in a sensitive area takes much longer to heal than expected. You may experience longer periods of redness and irritation, and the skin may even be itchier during the healing process. The overall healing duration for a sensitive tattoo may be up to 6 weeks, but there were cases where the healing lasted for several months (just the surface skin layer).

Image Source: Saved Tattoo.

How do I know if I over moisturize my tattoo?

What Are The Risks of Over Moisturizing a Tattoo? – By applying thicker layers of lotion or ointment, several times a day (or every hour or two as some people do), you’re risking over-moisturizing a tattoo. By over-moisturizing a tattoo, you can cause the following problems;

  • Due to excess moisture, the tattoo won’t be able to dry and heal
  • Excess moisture can create a perfect environment for bacteria and germ growth
  • Over moisturizing can lead to tattoo inflammation and infection
  • Excess moisture can cause clogged pores since the moisturizer prevents the skin from breathing
  • Excess moisture can cause the tattooed skin to break out
You might be interested:  What Does Tattoo Symbolize?

To avoid these issues, make sure to follow the moisturizing rules we mentioned before. However, make sure to not under moisturizing your tattoo as well. Some people are afraid they might over-moisturize their tattoo, so they leave it dehydrated, which results in heavy scabbing and tattoo dryness. So, make sure to stay in the middle and simply apply a thin layer of lotion/ointment twice a day.

What if I accidentally scratched my tattoo?

Potential messing up of the tattoo (should you develop an infection) The potential destruction of ink placement. Potential oozing and leaking in the area that you scratched. The potential of having to touch up the tattoo once it heals, will increase the overall cost of the tattoo, quite significantly.

Will tattoo look better when healed?

Did You Know? – Swelling that appears around a tattoo is due to increased blood flow to the area. More blood helps to boost healing capabilities as it contains higher levels of white blood cells. The body sends these cells to the area to fight foreign bodies trying to enter the open wound.

The warmness felt around the site is a result of increased blood flow. The above reactions are normal and to be expected during the first stage of the tattoo healing process. Yet, you should see a doctor if you experience any extreme bruising or redness around your tattoo, especially if it’s been a few days since getting it done.

Redness or  bruising around the tattoo  that isn’t improving can be a sign of  tattoo infection. Worsening of these symptoms, especially if associated with increasing pain, is a sign of infection. Towards the end of this stage,  you will begin to see the formation of scabbing.

  • As long you’re cleaning away any excess plasma and ink, the scabbing shouldn’t be too thick or heavy;
  • Your tattoo will start to  look more dull  and  cloudy  than it initially did, and this is normal;
  • The sharpness will come back slowly as the tattoo heals;

It’s worth noting that tattoos can continue to look worse before they look better throughout the healing stages. How Long Does It Take Fir A Tattoo To Heal This tattoo is scabbing quite heavily, so will probably peel away in larger flakes Another matter you must consider is sleep. Sleeping can become problematic if the tattoo is in an awkward location, like on your shoulder or side. You may also find it hard to sleep well due to the soreness of the tattoo. Additionally, you’ll want to keep the tattoo from rubbing and sticking to the bedsheets as well as you can.

  • While sleeping can be awkward or worrying depending on the tattoo’s location, it should become more manageable after a couple of nights as the area heals;
  • Check out our  sleeping with a new tattoo  article for more information about getting a restful night with new ink;

Finally, you should keep your tattoo away from direct sun exposure for at least 3-4 until it heals. UV radiation can be very damaging to tattoos, especially while they’re still healing. It would help if you also were careful once the tattoo has finished healing, too.

Why does my tattoo look like it’s missing ink?

You’ve recently had your first tattoo, and you’re doing everything your artist told you to do, following their instructions to the letter. But to your horror, you can see that the ink is coming off as you shower! Is this normal or is it the tattoo not healing properly?! – The quick answer is that yes, it’s perfectly normal for ink to come away as a tattoo heals.

Ink is driven deep into the skin by the tattoo needles, but some will be on the surface of the skin, and some others will collect in scabs above the tattoo. It is normal for some of this excess ink to be lost as the body tried to repair the wound that the needles made in your skin.

There will still be enough ink for your tattoo to look bright and intense, if you follow instructions carefully. Just remember to blot tattoos dry with a paper towel, rather than rubbing with a cotton one, and wear loose clothes over it, rather than anything tight.