"During the healing process, you should moisturize your tattoo three to six times a day," Ladna says. "Keeping your tattoo hydrated during the initial days is especially critical. If your tattoo becomes too dry, the healing may actually take longer, and you may risk losing color saturation."
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.
Only Moisturise When Your Skin is Dry
While your tattoo is healing, it's important you only moisturise the area once the skin is totally dry. In fact, not drying your tattoo properly after washing and before moisturising is one of the main causes of over-moisturised tattoos.
By not using a moisturizing lotion on your tattoo and letting it dry out, you could cause your skin to dehydrate, causing it to crack, bleed and potentially become infected.
Without moisturiser, there's a risk that healing skin will get very dry, tight and itchy, and itchy skin that you can't scratch - that in fact you shouldn't touch at all - is not much fun! If you do itch then you risk damaging the new tattoo.
It's very easy to overcare for your tattoo--applying too much ointment or lotion can actually damage your healing tattoo. The best method of healing a new tattoo is our tried and true "Dry Heal" technique. Follow our instructions below for an easy, quick heal. Keep the bandage on for at least one hour.
It is generally recommended to moisturize for 2 weeks to one month after the tattoo has healed.
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.
Signs of over moisturized tattoo
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.
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.
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.
During the first two-ish days, you're gonna want to avoid lotions, but once you start to feel some tightening, drying, and peeling a couple of days after application, that's when you'll want to start using light layers of lotion after washing it. But—and this is important—don't reach for just any old lotion.
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.
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. The following is what a person can typically expect.
While advice might vary per artist, we highly advise against dry healing your new tattoo. Those who prefer dry healing are often concerned that lotions and creams will cause reactions in the healing process, and prefer to keep things as natural as possible.
Around four days after getting your tattoo, the redness and drainage should subside. The tattoo often takes on a cloudy appearance as scabs start to form over the ink.
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.
Do keep it moist, but let it breathe. Then, cover your whole tattoo with a thin layer of ointment or another approved product (see the list below for more options). If your tattoo is in an area that isn't covered by clothing, leave it uncovered to let your skin breathe and facilitate healing.
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.
Because of its moisturizing properties and vitamins that are good for your skin, coconut oil is ultimately more than safe to apply to your tattoo. It's a natural, inexpensive way to heal your tattoo and keep it looking healthy and vibrant for years to come.
After cleaning your tattoo, using a moisturizer is a crucial step in tattoo aftercare. Keeping the area moist will protect it from cracking, drying, and bleeding. Use a moisture-sealing product two to three times daily (every 8 to 10 hours) until the scabs have fully healed.
Once the tattoos' initial bandage is removed, DO NOT cover it again during the healing process. The tattoo will need to be exposed to air in order to heal.