You can stop the special washing routine (fragrance-free, antibacterial soap) once your tattoo is fully healed, meaning all scabbing and peeling is gone, typically 2-4 weeks, but it's best to continue gentle care until the skin is smooth and no longer dry or flaky, which can take up to a few months, transitioning to normal unscented body wash later for long-term vibrancy and cleanliness, always moisturizing and protecting it from sun.
When Can I Stop Washing My New Tattoo? You should continue washing your tattoo until it is fully healed. It is considered fully healed when all scabs have fallen off, and the skin has regenerated and closed up. This process generally takes between 2 to 4 weeks.
You don't want to over-wash your new tattoo. You could easily end up irritating it. Once you take off your bandage, run lukewarm water over the area before soaping it up with a small amount of unscented antibacterial soap. You only need to do that once a day.
A good sign is if you start to see a rash, pimples, or the tattoo is bubbling from trapped moisture. Also, when putting lotion/moisturizer on, if your skin is looking shiny or wet, then you are over moisturizing. You only need a thin layer and you can pat, don't rub, away excess with a clean paper towel.
How to Get Wet With Your New Tattoo. 1) keep your showers short 2) keep your ink covered with Saniderm for the first 3 to 4 days following your tattoo while you shower 3) do not soak your tattoo in pools or baths for 3 to 4 weeks and 4) avoid hot showers which open your pores and cause ink to seep or fade.
You can usually shower after a new tattoo, but wait at least 24 hours if it's wrapped in a regular bandage, or shower immediately if it has a special waterproof bandage (like Saniderm), following your artist's specific instructions for both types of coverings. When showering, use lukewarm water, mild unscented soap, keep it short, avoid direct pressure, gently pat dry with a clean towel, and don't soak it.
Signs of a Tattoo Infection
Apply a water-based lotion or cream to your tattoo to keep it moisturized — it's never a good idea to leave your fresh new ink susceptible to dryness. “Moisture will help the skin to heal faster and keep scabs from forming,” Dr. Sra says.
After 3 days, your tattoo should show reduced redness and swelling. It will appear slightly dry with a thin film forming over it. Some clear fluid and ink may still seep out, but significantly less than the first day. The colors will appear bright but may have a shiny, tight feeling.
Bepanthen is one of the most highly recommended tattoo aftercare products and is the go-to ointment for many tattoo artists and studios. Typically used as a nappy rash ointment, Bepanthen has been around for a long time, and its gentle formula is used to treat babies with irritated skin.
Artist-approved balms like Hustle Butter or After Inked, light lotions like Lubriderm or Aveeno, and gentle cleansers like H2Ocean are proven favorites. Avoid heavy petroleum, fragrances, and alcohol. With the right aftercare supplies, your tattoo will heal clean, vibrant, and long-lasting.
After getting a tattoo, avoid picking or scratching it, submersion in water, tight clothing, and exposure to direct sunlight. Avoid harsh products, including scented soaps, petroleum jelly, and medicated ointments, unless your artist or dermatologist recommends them.
You want the moisturizer to absorb into the skin, not sit on top of it. Using a small amount of ointment helps avoid blocking air circulation, which is essential for healing. Remember to always clean the tattoo before applying any ointment or lotion.
Once your tattoo stops oozing, which usually happens around days 5--7, you can reduce washing to once or twice a day. Washing too often can dry out your skin and slow down the healing process.
A tattoo blowout happens when ink is deposited too deep into the skin—past the dermis and into the subcutaneous fat layer. Unlike ink placed correctly in the dermis, pigment in this lower layer spreads unevenly, often creating a blurry, fuzzy halo effect around the lines.
Your tattoo should be completely healed within 2-4 weeks.
If this happens, just reduce the number of your daily lotion application. After the first few days, your tattoo may become itchy or begin to form flaky scabs.
You have a rash or bumpy skin around your tattoo
If you notice a rash or lumpy, bumpy skin around your new tattoo, this could be something to worry about. Any itching that seems extreme, or rashes and cracked skin, could indicate infection.
Days 1-3: Your tattoo will appear fresh but may feel tender, red, and slightly swollen. Days 4-7: Light scabbing begins to form, and itchiness may start on the tattooed area. Weeks 2-4: Scabs and flakes will naturally fall off. You'll notice a shiny layer of skin, indicating deeper healing.
How Do You Tell if a Tattoo Isn't Healing Properly?
Keeping your tattooed skin hydrated is the best thing you can do to keep its vibrancy. After you thoroughly cleanse the area, it's time to moisturize with a moisturizer formulated for tattooed skin. Moisturizing with lotion helps nourish the ink and prevent dryness and premature fading.
While patience is key, there are several proactive steps you can take to help your skin recover more quickly and effectively.
Signs of a tattoo infection may appear across the entire tattoo or only within specific colors. They can include: Bumps on your skin (papules) that sometimes contain pus (pustules). Nodules, bumps on or below your skin that are larger than papules.
Skin rejecting tattoo ink often shows as persistent itching, redness, swelling, and bumpy or scaly patches, sometimes with blisters or oozing, which can appear days, months, or even years later, often linked to certain colors like red ink. This reaction, known as allergic contact dermatitis or a photosensitivity reaction, signals your immune system is overreacting to the pigment, requiring a dermatologist's evaluation if it's severe or prolonged.
One of the most common side effects of a tattoo is an allergic reaction to tattoo pigment. Allergic reactions to red tattoo pigments happen most often. If you're having an allergic reaction to your tattoo, you might get a rash that's red, bumpy, or itchy.