Here's what you can expect: Days 1 to 6. Your tattoo will be sore and swollen. It might feel like a moderate-to-severe bruise or sunburn.
Once the procedure is complete, the person may feel bruising and soreness on the affected area from swelling. Swelling can last up to a week. The pain may last for longer if the tattoo becomes infected.
If some swelling/redness is present the day after your tattoo, and it is uncomfortable or bothering you, it is appropriate to use ice (20 minutes) and/or an NSAID (ibuprofen, Advil, aleve, naproxen) to help bring the swelling down.
Your skin will feel sore, and you may see clear fluid oozing from your new tattoo. As your skin heals, it can itch and flake. Scabs may form. All of this can be part of your normal healing process.
Your new tattoo will be red, irritated, swollen, warm-to-the-touch & possibly bruised; this is all NORMAL. This will normally last 1 to 3 days. If your tattoo is on an extremity, especially below the knee, you may experience more swelling than normal.
During these first few days, it is normal for your tattoo to feel sore and tender. You may also see redness, swelling, and some mild bleeding. DAYS 3-14 (or until healed): After the first 2-3 days, your tattoo should begin to feel dry and tight.
Keep the tattooed area out of the sun for at least a few weeks. Avoid swimming. Stay out of pools, hot tubs, rivers, lakes and other bodies of water while your tattoo is healing. Choose clothing carefully.
Ongoing pain that worsens, becoming extreme: Tattoos are painful but if the pain intensifies instead of getting better, and becomes excruciating, unbearable or searing or if the tattoo is painful to touch a week to 10 days after it was done this may signal an infection.
Avoid sleeping directly on your new tattoo, at least the first 4 days. The goal is to try your best not to put any pressure on your tattoo and to keep it from touching anything, at least as much as possible. A healing tattoo needs lots of fresh air and oxygen, so try not to smother it while sleeping.
After finishing your tattoo, your tattoo artist will most likely suggest that you wait at least 48 hours before strenuous physical activity and heavy sweating. The important words are “at least.” It generally takes 4 to 6 weeks for a wound to heal.
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.
Tattoo Shading
Color and shading simply provide more dimension than line work. Contrary to what you might expect, many people report that the shading hurts significantly less than the outlining of the tattoo.
Days 3-7: Dry, Tight, and Starting to Flake
It may feel tight. Swelling should start to subside, though your skin might still feel warm and uncomfortable. By the end of the first week, you will likely see your tattoo flaking. This is also a normal part of the tattoo healing process.
Hands, fingers, feet, and toes
The skin here very thin, and it contains numerous nerve endings that can trigger pain when hit by a tattoo needle. What's more, when nerves in your hands and feet are disturbed by a tattoo needle, they may undergo painful spasms that make the tattooing experience very unpleasant.
Showering with a new tattoo isn't only fine; it's necessary for the sake of good hygiene. As long as you follow the aftercare instructions your tattoo artist gives you, and you're careful not to rub or soak your tattoo, showering shouldn't interfere with the healing process of your new ink.
Wait 4 to 7 days before you sleep on your tattoo.
Once the new layer of skin has formed over your tattoo, usually after 4 to 7 days, you can begin to sleep on it. You'll also see the old skin scab and flake off, which can make the tattoo feel itchy.
The first wash
After usually no less than 5 hours, it is safe to remove the bandage and wash the tattoo. After thorough hand-washing, a person can gently wash the tattoo with hypoallergenic soap and warm water using their fingers.
Palm-sized tattoo would take from one to three hours to make. Hand sized tattoo can take up to 5 hours to make. Full sleeve tattoo can take 6-10 hours to make. Very large tattoos, such as a back piece, can take up to 30 hours to make.
Days 1 to 3: Inflammation
It is normal for a tattoo to be red, swollen, and tender for the first 48 to 72 hours. There may also be some oozing of blood and/or ink during this time period. 1 Makharita notes that these symptoms should improve significantly each day.
In this stage, your body mobilizes its first responders to injury, and you might notice a slight stinging or burning sensation resulting from inflammation at the site of the tattoo. That sensation, which lasts a week, on average, is your body working hard to patch things up and prevent infection.
Week 1. After a few days, the tattoo should begin to feel less sore and red. A person may notice their tattoo appears duller than it did initially. This appearance is not a cause for concern but a sign that the tattoo is healing.
The preparation before the tattoo is the most important part you can do. The night before, make sure you take time to meditate and think about your tattoo session. Try to get a good nights sleep and stay hydrated. Partying will not help in any way.
You need to be aware of keeping your tattoo clean and dry while it is fresh, so a night out might not be the best option. It's generally recommended that you wait at least 48 hours after your new tattoo before you start drinking alcohol again.
As noted above, when you get a tattoo, the body's immune system immediately bolsters itself to fight off infection, but research has found that this happens not just at the “injured” tattoo site but throughout the entire body, and the response has shown to be cumulative.