One of the biggest questions is when can we go back to sleeping like normal. The average person who has followed their aftercare instructions can start sleeping on their tattoo between 4 to 7 days after getting it.
The main thing is to try to keep pressure off of the new tattoo, so if you are a side sleeper with a new arm tattoo, sleep on the opposite arm. If it's a back tattoo, try to sleep on your front. Taking the pressure off will relieve the pain you can feel with a new piece, and it will also help you to avoid damaging it.
A lot of tattoo artists recommend sleeping with the wrap that was put on. Others recommend re-wrapping, or just applying healing ointment and keeping the tattoo clean. The important thing is avoiding infection.
Sleeping Directly on the Tattoo
Sleeping on any part of your body adds pressure to it and causes friction when you move around. If you can, avoid sleeping directly on the part of your body that just received a tattoo.
During the first two weeks of healing, you should avoid wearing anything tight. Think of it like having a scrape or burn—you wouldn't want clothing to be rubbing against it all day.
Avoid sleeping directly on your new tattoo, at least the first 4 days. The goal is to try your best not to put any pressure on your tattoo and to keep it from touching anything, at least as much as possible. A healing tattoo needs lots of fresh air and oxygen, so try not to smother it while sleeping.
Sometimes, tattoos look messy and blurry while they are healing. You might see some ink leakage and some blurry lines while your skin is repairing itself. However, if your skin is healed and the lines of the tattoo are imprecise and smudged looking then you have a tattoo blowout. Give your tattoo a few weeks to heal.
“It is also normal to have some oozing of clear, yellow, or blood-tinged fluids for several days after a tattoo.” Paviol says these responses should steadily subside over time, however, if you are still experiencing more redness, swelling, or pain after two or three days, you may need to have the area evaluated.
Once the new layer of skin has formed over your tattoo, usually after 4 to 7 days, you can begin to sleep on it. You'll also see the old skin scab and flake off, which can make the tattoo feel itchy.
***IMPORTANT NOTE: If you have pets, take extra precaution not to let them lick or rub against your new tattoo, as it's technically an open wound.
From 1 to 6 months
After a month, any itching and redness should have completely gone. In fact, your new tattoo may look fully healed! However, the skin under your tattoo can continue to repair itself for up to six months until it's considered healed. During this stage it's important to keep up your aftercare routine.
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.
After a few weeks, your tattooed skin will have been replaced with a layer of brand new skin cells. Skin that regenerates too quickly will look non-uniform, especially when compared to the surrounding areas with normal skin.
This is a completely normal part of the healing process, though. The color of your tattoo will be more vibrant at this point. Your skin is building itself back up again, so it's new skin that you're seeing. Your shiny new skin is called “onion skin.” It will go away from anywhere between 2–8 weeks.
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.
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.
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.
We would suggest you to avoid going out in the sunlight in the first 24 - 72 hours. This is the time when your tattoo needs to rest and not come into contact with continuous heat or water.
You can shower 3-4 hours after getting a tattoo, if you have a Saniderm bandage on, however, if you have a plastic wrap wait 24 hours to unwrap your tattoo and shower. In either case, shower in cold or lukewarm water and avoid prolonged soaking or submerging your tattoo in water for 3-4 weeks.
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.
What should I wear after getting a tattoo? If your new tattoo is on a covered body part please try to wear loose clothing made of soft materials. For example, wearing jeans after you have a thigh tattoo is not recommended－sweat pants or shorts are much better choices.
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.
Avoid excessive sweating and intense workouts for at least one week after receiving the tattoo. You will irritate your new tattoo, increase the risk of infection, and possibly damage the art!