Until the surface of the tattoo is healed (at a minimum of two to three weeks), wash the area gently 2-3 times per day. After cleaning the tattoo during this two to three week period, gently apply a thin coat of a lotion-based care product. We recommend After Inked tattoo moisturizer and aftercare lotion.
Weeks 5 and 6: completely healed
You'll know you're in this phase — and that your tattoo is fully healed — because all the dry skin and scabs have sloughed off to reveal new, smooth skin with a vibrant tattoo and you no longer feel the burning and itchiness because the body has repaired itself.
Use a mild, fragrance-free antibacterial soap to help prevent infection for the first week or until oozing stops to allow your skin to completely heal from the needlework.
While it may be tempting to start washing your tattoo with your usual body soap within weeks or a month of getting a new tattoo, that can be a mistake. It can take up to four months for a tattoo to fully heal, and specially made products for tattoos should be used during the entire healing process.
After one month, most tattoos should be healed well enough to use a gentle exfoliating product, such as Stories & Ink's Exfoliating Body Wash. However it's still worth noting that some experts say it can take up to three months for your tattoo to fully heal, so it's best to go gentle while your tattoo is still fresh.
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.
Unfortunately, in most cases the intensely saturated colour you see when you first get a tattoo, won't actually be the finished result. The ink will usually end up looking a tiny bit darker and less vibrant once healed. Of course, a lot of this will be down to the quality of ink used, and the technique of the artist.
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.
So what product should you use? 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.
The healing process is different for every person and tattoo. Most sources indicate that tattoos generally take about 2 weeks to heal. However, it may take up to 4 weeks for the skin to fully recover. Some complications may prolong the healing process.
A tattoo should have healed in the outer layers of the skin after about 2-3 weeks to such an extent that there are no more restrictions on your lifestyle. However, the complete tattoo healing process in all skin layers will take about 4-6 months.
Moisturizing a new tattoo is a key step in the healing process. You'll want to begin soon after you get the tattoo done and continue three to six times a day for about three weeks.
Tattoos tend to peel without any ink underneath as they heal normally. In rare cases, they can have missing ink due to an artist's error. Peeling tattoos with missing ink aren't usually anything to worry about. It's normal for a tattoo to peel and lose a little bit of ink as your skin heals.
If your tattoo is very new, it is likely that the lines feel raised and swollen simply because they are a bit swollen. Your new tattoo is an open wound, and the impact of the tattooing process will usually result in some swelling.
Although the tattoo shouldn't be overly scabbed or too dry (the less peeling and scabbing, the better), a little bit is just part of the healing process.
Many reputable artists will guarantee their work and throw in a touch-up free of charge.
If the needle being used on your tattoo doesn't go deep enough into the dermis layer of your skin, that means the ink has been deposited in the epidermis layer. As we mentioned before, ink deposited here will quickly leave the skin when epidermal cells renew themselves, making for a not-so-permanent tattoo.
If you prematurely pick off a scab, it may also pull out ink that is settled into that area of the tattoo and may result in patches of ink looking blotchy or pitted areas developing. Don't allow your tattoo to soak up too much water when it is scabbing.
Do not rub. - Apply a thin layer of Bepanthen cream. - Wash your tattoo in warm water every day, and apply a thin layer of Bepanthen cream 2-3 times per day. Continue for at least 2 weeks or until fully healed.
Until the surface of the tattoo is healed (at a minimum of two to three weeks), wash the area gently 2-3 times per day. After cleaning the tattoo during this two to three week period, gently apply a thin coat of a lotion-based care product. We recommend After Inked tattoo moisturizer and aftercare lotion.
When you over moisturize your tattoo, you can actually delay the healing process. Excess moisture in the skin creates the perfect environment for bacteria and germ growth, so one of the key signs is irritated, inflamed skin. Another key sign of over moisturizing is clogged skin.
Tattoos technically start healing right away but it takes about four months for your tattoo to fully heal. The outer layers of your skin will heal in about two to four weeks, while the deeper layers where the ink sits will take about 4 months to heal.
He says, “Broadly speaking the healing takes two to four weeks. Usually, if the tattoo hasn't healed within the month there is another problem, like an allergy or infection.” One of the factors that can influence how quickly your tattoo heals is the type of tattooing you've had done.