Adding any lotion over your tattoo while it's still wet or damp can soak your scabs and cause tattoo bubbling. If these scabs get ripped off they can pull away ink, which can lead to patchy and faded areas within your tattoo.
What's The Problem with Over-Moisturising Tattoos? 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.
Some tattoo artists recommend waiting between 24-48 hours before applying moisturizer, though others recommend doing so as soon as the first wash. A person with a fresh tattoo should follow their tattoo artist's instructions on when to start using moisturizer.
You should moisturize your clean tattoo 3 – 6 times per day, for roughly two weeks (though proper skincare is always important, and most tattoo enthusiasts moisturize their tattoos daily for life!). A white cream lotion or moisturizer, preferably unscented, should be used!
According to tattoo artists, you should begin using lotion on a tattoo once it begins to dry. It is a waiting game, in a way. You don't want to apply lotion while the ink is still wet. How long it takes the ink to dry is dependent on your body, the size of the tattoo, and environmental factors such as humidity.
Drunken behaviour could ruin your new tattoo
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.
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.
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.
"Keeping the skin moisturized makes the tattoos appear brighter," Dr. Love points out. "Dry skin on the surface (epidermis) reflects a certain percentage of light and can make tattoos appear lighter or faded. On the other hand, skin that is properly moisturized does not reflect light.
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.
You should start moisturizing your tattoo as soon as it starts to dry — not before. This can generally take about 1–3 days after you got your tattoo. Be sure to wash and dry your tattoo with antibacterial soap and choose the appropriate moisturizer as well.
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.
Keep your skin moisturized. You'll also want to make sure to continuously moisturize the area—at least two to three times per day for two to three weeks, says Dr.
If after the healing process has come to an end, the lines are blurry or the various colors of ink have bled into each other, you most likely have a tattoo blowout.
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.
Lighter inks like yellows, reds, oranges, whites, and any pastel tones tend to fade a bit more quickly than darker inks. Some white inks and pastel inks have trouble lasting longer than five years. Watercolor tattoos also tend to fade faster as the ink is lightly colored and very fine.
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.
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.
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.
It can be alarming to see chunks of pigment pull away from their permanent placement on your skin, but don't fret—the peeling of tattoos is normal and a sign that your new ink is properly healing. While tattoo peeling can't be prevented, it can be managed if you are diligent about your aftercare routine.
Although peeling is normal and a natural part of the healing process, excessive peeling can damage a tattoo. However, if a person follows aftercare guidelines and leaves the skin to peel away naturally, there should be no negative consequences for the tattoo.