When you get a tattoo, the top and middle layers of your skin are penetrated, causing a sort of shock factor within your skin cells. Around the end of the first week, the new skin cells have finally pushed their way to the top outer layer of your skin, causing your old dead skin cells to shed or peel off.
Peeling is a normal and expected part of tattoo healing. Tattoo needles penetrate the epidermis , or the outer layer of skin, and the dermis, which lies beneath. This process creates thousands of small wounds that damage skin cells.
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. It is normal for some of this excess ink to be lost as the body tried to repair the wound that the needles made in your skin.
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.
"If there is some scabbing or flaking, we advise clients not to pick and to allow the scab or dry skin to come off on its own," says Otsuji. "Picking at your tattoo during the peeling stage can result in it appearing patchy, distorted, and dull once healed."
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.
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.
It is generally accepted that, on average it's recommended to moisturize the area around 2-3 times a day. It's very important to listen to your body and adapt the process to it. Proper moisturizing forms a thin membrane to protect your tattoo, helps generate new skin cells, and heals your tattoo.
Aquaphor helps to keep the area of the tattoo hydrated during the healing stages, which reduces itching and irritation associated with the tattoo healing process. This product also helps prevent scabbing, cracking, and flaking of tattoos, which could lead to loss of color or smudging if left untreated.
If the needle being used on your tattoo doesn't go deep enough into the dermis layer of your skin, that means the ink has been deposited in the epidermis layer. As we mentioned before, ink deposited here will quickly leave the skin when epidermal cells renew themselves, making for a not-so-permanent tattoo.
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.
Cleaning and excess water exposure
So never submerge a fresh tattoo underwater. Also, avoid excessive water exposure while showering. Our skin is like a sponge and it will absorb the water, which can damage the tattoo. When it comes to cleaning your new tattoo, make sure you do this several times a day.
Unmoisturized skin makes room for thick, tight and painful scabs to form. These may crack when you move and cause early flaking, which pulls the tattoo ink away as the scabs fall away. The result means that your new skin can't heal properly, leaving it scarred and potentially distorting the tattoo's look.
Generally speaking, smaller tattoos with less ink peel off up to 1 week. For larger tattoos with more ink, it might take up to 2 weeks to fully finish peeling. Don't worry if your tattoo hasn't started peeling within five days or is taking longer than two weeks to peel.
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.
There's plenty of debate about whether Aquaphor or A&D Ointment are better for the first few days. Honestly, it doesn't matter, because they both work perfectly fine. I have used both, but Aquaphor is definitely my first choice. It spreads on easier and it doesn't clog the pores as much.
Use the Aquaphor for the first 2-3 days then switch to a regular FRAGRANCE-FREE lotion such as Lubriderm, or any other fragrance-free brand. 5. Fresh tattoos sometimes “weep” during the first couple of days, meaning that plasma and ink form a thin moist coating on the skin.
When you over moisturize your tattoo, you can actually delay the healing process. 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.
Tattoo flu explained
So while you might be super chill mentally, your immune system might charge in like there's a four alarm fire. When the needle hits your skin, your pain receptors go into overdrive, giving you a nice jolt of adrenaline which then makes your ticker beat a bit faster.
2-6 Days After Your New Tattoo
Now you'll start to notice that your tattoo looks a bit dull, perhaps even have a 'cloudy-looking' appearance. It may also look red, swollen and still ooze blood, plasma, lymphatic fluid and ink. Not to worry! This is normal.
When it heals, there shouldn't be gaps or shapes in the tattoo that indicate it wasn't filled in properly. The lines of a tattoo should be crisp, straight and consistent throughout the tattoo. Wonky lines are a huge indication of an inexperienced artist.