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.
Sometime between two to four weeks after getting a new tattoo – when your tattoo scabs and/or peels - your new ink may appear more faded and duller than expected. Don't worry, this is completely natural.
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.
A patchy tattoo could be the result of bad technique; if the artist hasn't made sure the ink is deep enough to stay put. It could also be due to them not 'packing' the ink enough; certain ink colours, or areas of concentrated black, often need to be packed in quite a lot in order to create a solid area of colour.
By day six or seven, scabs should start to cover and thicken on the freshly tattooed area. During this week of your healing journey, the skin will be flaky and may start feeling a bit itchy. This is completely normal as the dry skin is getting ready to exfoliate itself away as the top layer of the skin heals.
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.
Signs of an over-moisturised tattoo include irritated, inflamed skin; scabs may appear on the tattoo, or the skin may look redder on and around the tattooed area. What's more, the ink could appear slightly blurred.
Peeling usually occurs a few days after getting the tattoo, as the skin begins to heal and regenerate itself . The regeneration process involves the skin removing dead and damaged cells. As the skin exfoliates itself, a layer of dead skin cells and ink pigment peels off, allowing new cells to grow.
Over-Cleansing or Exfoliating Your Skin
Scrubbing off layers of skin from your tattoo routinely will not keep it looking fresh and can make it fade faster. If you over cleanse, you are removing the protective layer of skin away too much which can cause a lot of irritation.
Rash or bumps. Flaking. Scaly appearance. Purple or red nodules around the tattoo.
After 5 days, a tattoo should be healing well, but it may still look a little red and swollen. The area may also be slightly itchy and flaky as the skin begins to peel. This is a normal part of the healing process and is caused by the top layer of skin sloughing off as new skin forms underneath.
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.
Weeks 3 and 4
During this stage of the healing process your new ink may appear a little less vibrant than you were expecting. This is because a layer of dry skin can form over your new tattoo. Over the next week or so this will naturally exfoliate itself, revealing your tattoo underneath in all its vibrant glory.
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.
Yes, it is definitely possible to overwash your tattoo.
If you overwash your tattoo, this can lead to you accidentally washing away your body's beneficial bacteria, which will then prevent your tattoo from healing properly.
Renewing a tattoo involves adding extra ink to the tattoo in the style of the current piece. This gives a renewal in the color and look of the tattoo! This kind of fix is often used on faded tattoos as the addition of extra ink and color fixes the faded look of the design.
We too were surprised to learn that certain moisturizer formulas can actually have a negative effect on your tattoo. The AAD states that petroleum-based products, like petroleum jelly itself, can actually cause your tattoo ink to fade.
Is that normal? A tattoo is VERY bright when it is first completed but during the healing process, it starts to look discolored and dull. Don't worry, when the tattoo is finished healing, the color will come back.
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.
Signs of an Overworked Tattoo
A Change in Appearance - If the tattoo looks faded, pale, cloudy, blurry, or heavily distorted, this could be a sign of overworked skin. This may also appear as ink distortion and blurring. During a tattoo, ink needs to be deposited in your dermis so the pigment stays put.
When a tattooer doesn't go deep enough with their needles, the tattoo won't stick and will be more prone to rapid fading. Blowouts occur when a tattooer inks too deep and they're the result of tattoo ink spilling throughout the layers of skin.
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.
What Happens if your Tattoo Gets Too Dry? Letting a tattoo become too dry can introduce itchiness and irritation. This might increase your tendency to scratch the area, which is always something to avoid when healing a tattoo. When healing any wound, the area will eventually dry out and scab.