I am almost done with my tattoo healing for my tattoo that Hannah Aitchison did for me a few weeks back.
Wait a minute – a few weeks you say? Shouldn’t you be done with tattoo healing by now? Welllll – not quite. If you have never been tattooed then you may not realize what the tattoo healing process involves. Tattoo healing can be easy and fast and completely stress-free OR it can turn into a bit of a nightmare if you’re not careful. And by careful I mean CAREFUL. You have an open wound and you better take awesome care of your new tattoo or things could turn ugly…quick.
Any decent artist will tell you what to do in regards to healing. Most, if not all give you an “aftercare” sheet (cause your brain is so blitzed after being inked if it is not written down you WILL NOT remember it) and if you follow the instructions to a tee everything will turn out fine. But tattoo healing can be a little stressful.
My big problem (well, actually one of my problems – plural) is I do enjoy picking things. Books, movies, ice-cream flavors and, oh yes, skin. Any scab represents a monumental exercise in self-restraint for me. God forbid I ever try meth
- I will have myself flayed down to the bone in less than a week. Just thinking about it makes me want to scratch. And pick.
I KNOW I am not supposed to pick or scratch or touch it at all, believe me I know.
So consider this a public service announcement. Cut your nails really short and keep your tattoo covered. Believe me you do NOT want to see what happens to a new tattoo when it gets infected…
Nope – couldn’t do it to you – infected tattoos are just too gross and quite frankly I don’t want to put you through that.
There are TONS of articles on tattoo healing. I recommend you follow your artists advice if this is your first tattoo. If you have been tattooed numerous times you have probably arrived at your own system that works for you. Whatever you do Don’t Pick It
Finally – if things starts to go wrong with your tattoo call your artist FIRST and go from there. An experienced artist should have solid advice on tattoo healing protocols for you. If you have been inked by a scratcher or kitchen wizard however you might want to get googling. I would start here:
Ask Guy Aitchison: Ask Guy 8 What Causes Bad Healing Tattoo Education :.
If this article doesn’t convince you to only get tattooed by an experienced artist then good luck to you! A beautiful tattoo properly healed is a joy forever. So please – don’t pick that…
T J Hal @ Foolish Pride Tattoo
an excellent example of a well-healed (and well executed) tattoo.
and as promised…
10 Tips for Tattoo Healing
1. Don’t pick, peel or scratch it. Seriously. Do. Not. No matter how much it itches or how badly you want to you truly need to leave it alone. Peeling or prying skin off of the tattoo will disrupt your tattoo healing and may lead to ink loss, scarring or infection.
2. Keep it covered in loose, clean, 100% cotton fabric. Might want to make it a dark color. And maybe not your favorite piece of clothing.
3. Follow the instructions given to you by your artist EXACTLY. You have an open wound that you paid good money for. Now is NOT the time to improvise or cut corners.
4. No Sunlight. You are a night-walker now, a Vampire. Stay out of the sun for …forever. Seriously. Even when you are fully healed you want to use liberal amounts of sunscreen or your tattoo will age very poorly.
5. No hot-tubs, no beach, no long therapeutic tub soaks. This is probably on your care sheet but it bears repeating. Open wound + standing water (especially warm water) = Petri Dish.
6. Now is not a good time to engage in naked cuddles with your pet. You don’t actually do that, do you? Good (ahem), me neither. Also don’t let them sleep in your bed. Keep your bedding clean and free of pet dander, fur and dirt which if introduced to your healing tattoo can quickly lead to infection.
7. Don’t try to show off your healing tattoo to people – they will be repulsed. Unless it is a “freshie” (and then why oh why are you unwrapping it and showing it off?!) your new tattoo probably looks like a raging case of leprosy. When I got back from Pittsburgh everyone wanted to see my tattoo. My solution? Showed them the pic Hannah snapped in her shop before she wrapped me up. Problem solved.
8. Ignore all wives tales regarding tattoos. My husband (who does not have a single tattoo) SWEARS that you are supposed to slap a brand new tattoo “to set it” Seriously?! WTF!! He picked up this useful tip from a former-coworker who received most of his ink in prison. I don’t want to step on any toes here (prison tattooists please do not murder me, thanks) but I do not believe this is good advice. Unless maybe you are in prison? Tip #8 – avoid prison.
9. Give your skin at least 2 weeks to heal and calm down. You have this tattoo for life. Don’t rush your tattoo healing process. Some tattoos may take longer to heal than others based on location and how densely packed the ink is.
10. Put your skin box away people. And your meth because….Don’t Pick That Tattoo!!
If your tattoo gets infected be sure to contact your artist ASAP and/or seek medical attention (for real. Medical. Attention.) depending on the severity. An infected tattoo can be a serious nightmare – don’t mess around! Read this to learn about some of the more common types of Tattoo Trouble.
I got my very first tat and ive been doing everything i had to and now that its in the healing stage where its scabbing and peeling, i had accidentally peeled and picked teeny bits off. Once realizing this, i washed lotion and put a long sleeve on. what do i do?
Leave it alone. Don’t take long showers or scrub it – apply a very thin layer of lotion only if it is itching. Keep it covered with loose, cotton clothing and DO NOT TOUCH OR PICK IT!!!! Wait a couple more weeks and then it should be all healed up.
My second tattoo covered up my first, I had the first when I was just 18, now I’m 34.back when I had the first I had no clue about healing methods, and the artist was an absolute idiot.
The second one was ace, done by a professional in London. She gave me a great aftercare sheet and it’s thanks to that the tattoo was perfectly healed by day 11, albeit there are a few layers of thick pale skin under some of the more prominent scabs.
I just wanted to say, don’t pick it!
But if the scabs are flapping in the air and catching on clothing, sterilise a pair of small sharp nail scissors or cuticle cutters and gently cut off the excess flappy bits. Worked perfectly for me, and meant I didn’t pull off the scab too early unintentionally or have too much posture trapped between the scabs and my tender skin. I kept it as tidy as a Bonsai tree.
Moisture! Not posture. Predictive failure.
Excellent tip!!!!!
Feel better after reading ur instructions.i scratched my tattoo during the sleep and lost some very tiny parts so i freaked out damn bad and now im feeling good.thanx?
I’m wanting to get a tribal wolf tattoo nothing to fancy cause I have small arms. But I work at a saw mill out side so if I wear a long sleeve and I start to sweat would it bother the tattoo any? I’m wanting to get my first tat but I’m looking deep into the details before I do. I have a high pain tolerance apparently if I can take my ear drum bursting 4 times a tat is nothing. But back to the wrap part how long would it take for a I can’t really guess the size of my arm but between medium and small to heal. I play sports but work on my feet and my arms are constantly moving! Any advice?
Hmmm – It sounds like you are a pretty busy guy and are very active. That can make healing a tattoo a challenge but not impossible. The first two or three days of healing are the most critical so try to schedule your session for the weekend or at least a day off. Go to a reputable shop and follow care instructions EXACTLY – no improvising! You will have a wrap for the first 4-8 hours and then that wrap comes off and the healing process begins. Here are a couple of majors DON’Ts:
1. No long showers – this keeps the tattoo moist and doesn’t allow healing to progress – for a hard working guy this might be tricky. Shower up but try to keep your tattooed arm as dry as possible (this does NOT include the first shower after removing your wrap where it is necessary to gently scrub away all the plasma goo and ink)
2. Not too much ointment – this can lead to rashes and delayed healing. Resist the urge to slather up and apply a very light layer of ointment
3. Cover with 100% cotton, lightweight and loose clothing – I know that might be tricky based on your job but it will protect your tattoo from dust and debris etc. which sounds like a hazard in your workplace.
After the tattoo seals ie – dries out (2-4 days) it is easier to care for and you should be mostly healed in a couple of weeks.
Remember – “Well Begun is Half Done” – I can not stress the importance enough of going to a CLEAN shop with a good reputation (check Yelp if you have too) so that you are tattooed properly and given good after care instructions. And as for your concept – look at an artists portfolio first so you can make sure you like their work – a real tattoo artist will have a real portfolio – no exceptions. And yeah – I don’t think you have to worry about the pain too much – seems like you can handle it no problem. Good luck with your first tattoo!
I have a friend that does tattoos and he recently did mine on my upper arm.. It’s driving me crazy itching. I had another one he did on my lower forearm and it never itched, I actually barely noticed it. But what should I put on it for healing, I was always told aquaphor or petroleum jelly, are either of these okay? When I got my first two tattoos in a shop they told me aquaphor.
OK first off if your tattoo is itching that means it is healing so don’t worry about it. Different parts of the body are more sensitive than others and tattoo healing can vary greatly so just consider yourself lucky that your first tattoo didn’t itch. Now what to do about it. DON’T use petroleum jelly!! All the NOs!!! Select a lightweight, unscented, lotion like Nivea or Aveeno. Read the label and make sure it is not a heavy cream, an antibiotic, perfumed or oily. Light. Weight. Then a apply a VERY thin layer a few times a day. If you go too heavy you will interrupt the healing process and possibly create problems. The lotion is just to keep the skin pliable and ease the itching – it is not “healing” the tattoo – you are with time and patience and letting your body do it’s thing – just like a skinned knee (which is very similar wound-wise to a new tattoo). Try to wear a long sleeve, loose, comfortable, 100% cotton shirt over your tattoo as much as you can. This protects the tattoo from dirt, contact, and attempts to scratch. If you are desperate you can “pat” your arm – pat pat pat – to try to alleviate the itch. It will only last for several days so hang in there and Do Not Pick or Scratch!!! Good luck!
I just got my first tattoo Wednesday.. It looked amazing in the shop. Luckily, my family all have tattoos and told me to just lotion up and I’ll be good.
I’m currently worried to death over ruining my first tattoo because I like to pick and peel. My family also enjoys going to the beach.. My dad, who has had many tattoos, said it was no biggie to get in the water since it has been a few days and my tattoo has been peeling like crazy.
I know it’s BAD but I did go in with him since I trusted him but now I’m just extremely worried that the peels that came off will ruin the look of my tattoo..
Is it true that since some of the peels came off prematurely it won’t look good anymore? By what I see, it looks faded and I’m super nervous that it just won’t ever look as good anymore..
Hi – first off you should wait at least a couple of weeks to submerge your tattoo in the water -, especially ocean water due to bacteria etc. That being said many thousands of people have gone to the beach with fresh tattoos and things turned out just fine – it is just a dice roll on a whole bunch of factors – skin type, the tattoo itself, how fast you heal etc etc etc. Your dad isn’t wrong per se but you do take a risk by going to the beach so soon after being tattooed so – why risk it? Ok next – don’t f-ng pick it. DON’T. Wear long loose cotton clothing to cover it and try to forget about it for another couple of weeks. Short showers, no scrubbing. Very thin layers of lotion (too much will smother it and you’ll get rashes or worse) and let all that skin fall off naturally. Your tattoo may look faded for two reasons – sun damage at the beach. Sun exposure on a fresh tattoo will jack it up. Or you have “ghosting” – a microlayer of skin covering the tattoo that will go away in about six weeks. Your body takes 45 days to make new skin. A tattoo is an abrasion wound. Wait six weeks – see what ya got. Get touched up if you are not happy with how it looks. Respect your dad but still use your judgement when it comes to your tattoo. Good luck!
Hello, what happens if you don’t put cream on your tattoo?
The tattoo will dry out and flake off. This is a normal process and shouldn’t be a big deal. Applying a very thin layer of lotion helps keep the skin supple though and makes healing easier.
got my 4th tattoo, but its the first time actallt seeing the healing process all the others were back tats and whatnot I was told about the peeling part but its driving me nuts. the loose pieces it feels like its not right. fortunatly my tattoo vanity is keeping me from picking….mostly the big flakes get me tho. will it fall off on its own or is it a mater of it will heal back in to the skin?
Those flakes off skin ARE annoying but DON’T pick, pry, pull or loosen them. They will fall off on their own – it is a normal part of the haling process – hang in there!
Im on day 4 of the healing process and I am peeling. I am curious if it is okay to wear jeans over top of the new tattoo? They are not super tight but they are snug.
I would hold off. If you are at the peeling stage any friction from clothing, washing etc. will pull off skin before it is ready. So dig out your floppiest pants or skirt – it will be worth it on the end when you have a bright, clean and perfectly healed tattoo!
I got new tattoos about a week ago. And it’s killing me. It’s so itchy. I wasn’t able to resist picking on a tiny peel off but then I remembered my friend’s stern advice to never ever touch it unless I’m putting the moisturizer with freaky clean hands. But thank you for the “pat” advice you wrote on one of the comments above.
oh and before you freak out, i didnt mean all of the tattoo. only a few small parts, but still! id be very grateful if you could give me a few advices to help with the healing.
All is not lost! I had a sleeve heal poorly and had several spots scab and then some of those scabs came off prematurely too. If you were in the peeling stage and not heavily scabbed chances are the tattoo will still heal well. For a while there will appear to be a film over the color – these are new skin cells replacing the old ones lost to peeling. My advice (which you should confirm with your artist) is to let the tattoo heal fully and continue to apply a lightweight lotion daily even after it is fully healed. Do this faithfully every day and your skin will remain supple. After several months if the tattoo still looks “ghosted” then go back to your artist for touch up – this is actually very common so don’t feel bad! I need touch up on my sleeve where those big scabs came off. And sunscreen! Cover that tattoo up always! Hope that helps. Good luck!
oh god i do hope so! thank you. will see my artist today actually. fingers crossed. wouldnt want my first ink to go scarred-up on me. thank you thak you!
got a new one and accidentally scratched (peeled) while waking up. now it looks like it’ll turn into a keloid or something. not the big ones. more scar-like with a little bump. im on my 2nd week now, would love to hear an advice. is there any way to lessen the scar if not totally avoid it?
My tattoo artist told me nothing. He was my friend. He hugged me, told me happy birthday and then left. I went to sleep in my boyfriend yellow polo that night like always and now his shirt is ruined because he didn’t even bandage me. If it hasn’t been for kind people at my local CVS I’d probably have a major infection. But my problem i now is, is been a week and a half and I’m super itchy and I’ve never been able to resist an itch. What do I do?
Oh you poor thing. You got lucky escaping infection but you are not out of the woods yet. If you pick or peel your healing tattoo you can still get an infection so DON’T DO IT!!! Not to mention you will create scarring. Cut your nails very short. If that is not an option try the old smokers trick and put a snug (not tight) rubber band on your wrist and give it a snap every time you want to scratch. The itchies only last for several days and are a sign of healing. Try a micro-thin layer of lotion that the drugstore recmnd. (non-fragrance, natural plain is best) and if all else fails pat. Just pat your tattoo with your open palm “pat pat pat” – it’s strangely soothing. And of course next time go to a real shop/artist! Good luck!
I also have a picking problem…and my family is always on me. How do I stop picking at scabs??? Of any sort???
Mind over matter baby…mind over matter. And cut your nails really really short 🙂
Is it okay to tattoo someone that’s healing from a open wound?
Depends on where the wound is located and what the care regimen is. Healing tattoos can’t really get wet so if you have another wound that needs regular washing I would hold off until you are healed. Also that is a lot of stress for your body as tattoos are also wounds – similar to a serious road rash/abrasion.
My mate who did my back (and recently my right shoulder) always said to me it’s not a tattoo until it’s healed, prior to that it’s a wound and has to be treated as such. Never had a bad healing experience as a result.
Thank you! It amazes me how casually some people take the healing phase.