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You’ve decided to get your first tattoo (or maybe your second or sixth), figured out what design you want, and settled on where you want to put it. But there’s another part of the tattoo process that’s equally important: your tattoo aftercare routine.
After all, tattooing in and of itself is a deliberate injury to your skin. “As the tattoo is being administered, it’s intentionally damaging the skin, creating thousands of tiny wounds,” Geeta Yadav, MD, board-certified dermatologist and founder of Facet Dermatology in Toronto, tells SELF. “After you get a tattoo, you’ll essentially be walking around with an open wound.” That’s why prioritizing tattoo care in the immediate aftermath is extremely important—both for the health of your skin and to ensure your new tat ends up looking as good as possible.
Here’s the thing, though: The tattoo healing process occurs over the course of days, weeks, and even months, during which all kinds of changes happen in both the upper and lower layers of the skin. And there are different things that are important to do (and not do) during each phase of recovery.
The good news? Tattoo aftercare instructions are pretty simple, and require only a few basic skin-care products that you likely already have. It’s a real “minimal effort for maximum results” situation. Read on for dermatologists’ advice on the tattoo healing process.
What the tattoo healing process looks like | How to take care of tattooed skin | How long it takes the skin to heal
What should I expect during the tattoo healing process?
Because the dermis (the area of skin where the pigment is being deposited) contains nerves and blood vessels, tattoos can be painful and bleed, Brian Hibler, MD, board-certified dermatologist at Schweiger Dermatology Group in New York City, tells SELF. “You may notice some light bleeding for the first day or so as your skin begins to recover from the trauma. Oozing a clear fluid is also normal. That's plasma, and indicates that your body is working to heal the area,” Dr. Yadav explains. You may even see a little bit of excess ink coming out of your fresh tattoo, which is also totally normal and won’t affect the appearance of your tat, she adds.
Over the next few days, your immune system will continue to respond to the punctures as a wound, resulting in swelling and some inflammation, both of which should resolve pretty quickly. “A little bit of redness and tenderness is perfectly normal and to be expected, but if it’s not improving or it’s getting worse after a day or two, see your primary care doctor or a dermatologist,” Elliot Love, MD, board-certified dermatologist at Dermatology Group of the Carolinas in North Carolina, tells SELF. Similarly, keep an eye out for any type of flaky, yellow crust, a potential sign of bacterial infection that also warrants medical attention, he says.
The possibility of infection—which can occur anytime you’re breaking the skin—is the number one potential risk. This could be either bacterial infections or blood-borne viral infections (hepatitis, HIV), the latter of which are most likely to occur due to a lack of adequate needle sterilization, Anar Mikailov, MD, board-certified dermatologist in Burlington, Massachusetts, and founder of KP Away skincare, tells SELF.1 Other signs of an infected tattoo include redness, swelling, and bumps on or below the skin that sometimes contain pus, per Cleveland Clinic.
An allergic reaction is also possible, as some people are allergic to the substances used in tattoo ink. “This is especially common with red, blue, and yellow ink, as the ingredients used to achieve these colors tend to be more allergenic than the carbon used in black ink,” explains Dr. Hibler, who cites iron oxides, cobalt chloride, and manganese as a few examples.2 Signs of an allergic reaction include redness, swelling, itching, or a rash at the site, he says. It bears mentioning that this reaction can happen both immediately after you get a tattoo or even a few years later, according to the Mayo Clinic.
How should you take care of tattooed skin?
Your tattoo artist will handle the immediate tattoo aftercare, applying a thin layer of antibiotic ointment and a tattoo wrap or dressing before you leave the shop, says Dr. Yadav. A tattoo wrap serves two functions: It will shield your skin both from bacteria that can cause infection as well as from irritation from clothing, bedding, or other possible irritants in your environment she explains. You’ll likely be instructed to leave the tattoo wrap on for about 24 hours. This is when you may also notice swelling and redness, although this may depend on your skin tone, as well as itching, which Dr. Hibler says can be alleviated by placing ice packs over the bandaged tattoo.
Once the tattoo wrap comes off, keeping the area clean and moisturized is the name of the game, but you don’t need to get fancy with any kind of special tattoo aftercare products. Here’s how to help the healing process go smoothly.
Keeping the area clean is the most important thing you can do to stave off bacterial infection; Dr. Hibler suggests washing the area with warm water (using clean hands) once to twice per day for the first few days, then daily for about two to three weeks. Any type of mild cleanser is a good choice here, notes Dr. Yadav, who likes Cetaphil Gentle Daily Cleanser ($18, Amazon)—look for “gentle” or “mild” on the label. Dr. Love says an antibacterial soap, like Dial Antibacterial Liquid Hand Soap ($7, Amazon), also works well.
He also advises against swimming in a pool, lake, or ocean, or hopping into a hot tub during this time to reduce the likelihood of infection.
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. Love. Why? The more moisturized the skin is, the less likely it is to scab—and scabbing actually impedes the wound-healing process, she explains. Thicker, occlusive ointments (such as Vaseline and Aquaphor) are often recommended, but if you’re not a fan of the oily texture, Dr. Love recommends Mad Rabbit Tattoo Soothing Gel ($22, Amazon). It’s equally moisturizing, but the gel-based formula doesn’t leave behind any greasy residue, he says.
You can also consider a coconut-oil-based cream or lotion. The ingredient may help the skin heal faster, as it contains several fatty acids that may have an anti-inflammatory effect, says Dr. Mikailov.3 One to try: Alaffia Whipped Shea Butter and Coconut Oil ($17, Amazon), which has rich, skin-soothing ingredients and is fragrance-free. You could also try straight-up coconut oil, just keep in mind that it may feel a bit greasy.
Even if you stay on top of moisturizing, it’s still possible for a scab to form. If that happens, resist the urge to scratch or pick, if you can. “Though it may be tempting, this can cause scarring and ultimately affect the look of your tattoo,” cautions Dr. Yadav. “After two or three weeks the scab will begin to flake off on its own, a sign that the surface of your skin is nearly fully-healed.”
Sun protection is also imperative when it comes to tattoo care; yes, you should wear sunscreen daily, but in this case, it’s also needed to maintain the integrity of your tattoo. “The ink is deposited into the dermis, which is directly where UV rays destroy and damage collagen, leading to more rapid fading of your tattoo,” Dr. Love points out. Your best bet is to keep your tattoo completely covered/out of the sun, but if that’s not possible, make sure to apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen with at least an SPF 30 every day. (And yes, this applies both during the tattoo healing process and in perpetuity.) We like the Mustela SPF 50 Mineral Sunscreen Stick ($13, Amazon), both for its non-irritating formula and the fact that it’s easy to quickly swipe across tattoos.
How long does it take for tattoos to heal?
It typically takes about two to three weeks for the surface of the skin, the epidermis, to heal: “That means there’s no residual scabbing, open areas, or dry or peeling skin,” Dr. Hibler says. Still, keep in mind that the healing of the wound that was created deeper in the dermis, where new collagen and connective tissue need to be formed, can take anywhere from three to six months, he adds.
While there won’t be any visible signs of this healing, your skin may continue to feel a bit more sensitive during this time. You’ll also want to continue to be especially diligent about sunblock (as outlined above) in order to support the best healing environment possible, both for the health of your skin and the final look of your tattoo, Dr. Hibler notes.
The size and location of your tattoo also play a role in healing time. As you might expect, smaller tattoos will heal faster, as will those that are placed on areas with thicker skin, like your back or quads. “Thicker skin is more robust and contains more blood vessels, which results in faster healing,” Dr. Love explains. Dr. Mikailov adds that areas of the body with more hair and oil glands, such as the face, also tend to heal faster. “The tattoo healing process requires stem cells to repair tissue damage, and these stem cells are found in hair follicles,” he points out.
No matter how long it takes to heal, though, as long as you take care of your new tattoo with the steps above, your new body art should end up feeling as good as it looks—and it’ll be well worth the initial discomfort.
Sources:
- BioMed Research International, Tattoo-Associated Skin Reaction: The Importance of an Early Diagnosis and Proper Treatment
- Contact Dermatitis, Identification of Pigments Related to Allergic Tattoo Reactions in 104 Human Skin Biopsies
- Pharmaceutics, Coconut Oil Nanoemulsion Loaded With a Statin Hypolipidemic Drug for Management of Burns: Formulation and In Vivo Evaluation
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