As your tattoo dries out and begins to heal, you will no longer need to wrap it overnight. The problem now is making yourself comfortable while sleeping with a new tattoo. The main thing is to try to keep pressure off of the new tattoo, so if you are a side sleeper with a new arm tattoo, sleep on the opposite arm.
Your first night sleeping, your artist might recommend you re-wrap the tattoo with plastic wrap (like Saran Wrap) to sleep without the tattoo sticking to your sheets. This is generally for larger or solid-color tattoos. If your artist did not recommend re-wrapping, just let the tattoo stay exposed to air overnight.
Moisturize your tattoo. This can make your sleep much more comfortable and easy. If you don't, the skin can get tight and itchy, and this can make it hard to even get to sleep.
If your artist sent you home with adhesive wrap, you can leave that on the tattoo overnight and it should protect both the ink of your new tattoo and your bed sheets. Relieving extra worry about getting residue or ointment on your sheets makes for a better night's sleep…and that is the ultimate goal!
You'll want to keep the tattoo wrapped for at least the first night because it will take a while for it to settle down and stop leaking. You don't want an open wound like that touching your bed sheets, getting blood everywhere, or dirt and dust getting into the wound itself.
A tattoo is basically an open wound, so keeping it covered (and your hands away from it) prevents bacteria from getting into your skin. Plus, depending on where the tattoo is on your body, keeping it covered will prevent your clothes from rubbing against it and causing discomfort and irritation.
One of the biggest questions is when can we go back to sleeping like normal. The average person who has followed their aftercare instructions can start sleeping on their tattoo between 4 to 7 days after getting it.
Air dry. Let your tattoo air dry. You can pat the tattoo gently with a clean paper towel, but you must let the tattoo dry, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes after each cleaning. Any extra moisture trapped by immediately covering the tattoo is an invitation for bacteria to multiply.
“This is a normal part of the process of healing.” Patel says the weeping fluid “will leak out and try and harden into a scab.” She adds, “Your body is recognizing an open wound and trying to close it off with white blood cells and lymph.”
Tattoo cream: how many days you need to apply it for optimal skin healing. After getting a tattoo, you should moisturize it daily for at least 10 to 14 days. Respecting these timeframes is absolutely crucial because, if your skin dries out, you are likely to get very disappointing results.
The takeaway: Peeling is normal (to an extent) but that doesn't mean you should peel it yourself. Let your skin do its thing for the two-ish weeks and keep the tattoo clean and dry while it heals for the best results.
Over-moisturising can lead to inflamed tattoos and potentially infection. Excess moisture can clog your skin's pores which prevents it from breathing, something that's important for your skin to heal. This can lead to breakouts on the skin that can damage the tattoo.
However, for now, wet healing a tattoo seems to be the most effective process, especially for areas where the wound may form a scab or tear. Although wet healing is riskier than dry healing as it creates the perfect environment for bacteria, it is still a better approach to jointed tattooed areas.
After washing, a person should pat the skin with a clean paper towel and allow it to air-dry for up to an hour. When the area is completely dry, they can apply a thin layer of moisturizer to the tattoo, but leave it uncovered to allow the skin to breathe.
The safest way to quickly remove a tattoo is by laser therapy. Our revolutionary LightSense laser system is a unique and innovative option, using ultra-fast and physician-approved pulse speeds to quickly and safely break down ink pigments.
Days 2 to 3
Over the next couple of days, you may notice that your tattoo looks dull and cloudy. No need to panic or start thinking about a touch-up. This happens as your skin heals and new skin starts to form. Excess ink and plasma may still ooze from your skin during this time.
You can shower 3-4 hours after getting a tattoo, if you have a Saniderm bandage on, however, if you have a plastic wrap wait 24 hours to unwrap your tattoo and shower. In either case, shower in cold or lukewarm water and avoid prolonged soaking or submerging your tattoo in water for 3-4 weeks.
We would suggest you to avoid going out in the sunlight in the first 24 - 72 hours. This is the time when your tattoo needs to rest and not come into contact with continuous heat or water.
You should wrap your tattoo in cling film, even while sleeping for the first couple of nights. This helps keep the germs out and helps with keeping fabric off of the tattoo to reduce rubbing/chafing.
The body's natural response to pain is to release endorphins, which can provide temporary pain relief. However, endorphins can also cause feelings of tiredness and drowsiness, which can make you feel even more fatigued after the tattoo process.
Don't worry, this is completely natural. It happens because the old skin, damaged during the tattooing process, forms a thin layer over your tattoo and masks its true appearance. In time this old skin will naturally exfoliate itself, revealing your tattoo underneath in all its vibrant glory.
You may have heard some rumours that Bepanthen shouldn't be used on new tattoos, but this absolutely isn't the case. Bepanthen is by far one of the most highly recommended tattoo aftercare products and is the go-to ointment for most tattoo artists and studios.