Why is my new tattoo leaking ink? Should I be worried?

Short answer? No, you shouldn’t be worried about leaking ink. At all.

Long answer, well, it’s part of the tattoo healing process. Ink leaks are absolutely normal and totally expected. In fact, if you don’t experience any degree of leaking, then that’s when you should be worried!

Here’s Gabby Abi’s video showing her tattoo still leaking on the third day:

So, here’s why healing tattoos tend to leak some ink:

Tattoo artists pack as much ink as possible into the dermis

This is done to ensure the tattoo looks vibrant and colour consistent. It also helps prevent the tattoo from looking patchy, with blank spots here and there.  

To ensure the right ink levels are deposited in the dermis, the artist will need to go beyond full capacity. I mean, think about it. If they don’t do this, then it’s highly likely the tattoo will look lacklustre from the get-go! It’s difficult enough to guess exactly how thick the dermis is (it varies), so it’s best to try and deposit as much ink as possible.

In case you’re wondering, this is why tattooist’s wipe their client’s skin constantly during the tattooing process. They’re wiping off the excess ink as well as body fluids released from the skin while they’re working on you.

That said, the ink you see leaking during the healing process is part of the excess ink that was inserted by your tattooist. Also, it’s not just the ink you see oozing out. It’s a combination of ink, blood, plasma, sweat, and other bodily fluids. So, it’s all normal, it’s all to be expected, and it’s nothing to be worried about.

Your immune system will try to get rid of the ink

Another reason why it’s practical for tattooists to try and cram as much ink into the skin is because some will be destroyed by the immune system. Technically, ink molecules are far too large for macrophages (white blood cells) to ‘eat’ and destroy. However, as time goes by, these molecules will eventually get broken down into tiny particles. These will be absorbed into the blood stream and will be excreted as waste.

This is generally the reason why tattoo fading occurs. If the ink quantities were too low to begin with, then fading will occur much earlier. And you’d need to think about getting it redone or touched up sooner as well.

How long is my tattoo going to leak?

It really depends on how big the tattoo is and how well your immune system works. But on average, most people’s tattoos stop leaking around day 2 or 3. If yours leak for far longer, and you experience symptoms similar to these, then you may be allergic to the ink.

How to deal with leaking tattoo ink  

Here are several tips to help you stay on top of your leaking tattoo:

• Clean the area properly

The gunk that’s accumulated on your skin needs to be removed. And not just for obvious, hygienic reasons, too. Rather, the main reason you need to remove the gunk is because if left for too long, it can harden and build up into a thick scab.

Now, scabs are normal for healing wounds, including tattoos. But you don’t want it to become too thick as it can easily crack and delay the healing process. Plus, it’s so easy to pick and pull at it, which is bad because it can also remove ink from the dermis!

With that being said, to remove the gunk completely, you need to use warm water as it’s easier to wash off the gunk than when using cold water. As for tattoo soap, it’s best to use non-fragranced, antibacterial soap. Avoid anything that contains artificial fragrances as it can irritate the tattoo.

• Take extra precautions when you shower

Of course, you don’t need to stop taking a shower just because you got a tattoo. Physical hygiene is important when you’ve got a new tattoo, otherwise, you yourself can infect your tattoo!

When taking showers, it’s important to keep it quick (max 5-10 minutes). And to avoid letting a stream of water hit the tattoo directly as the area will still be tender (you can cup some water to clean the tattoo). Make sure you continue to use gentle soap in the shower to avoid irritating the skin.

While showers are fine, what you need to refrain from doing is bathing and swimming. Doing so can soak the tattoo in water, which can kickstart an infection.

• Don’t put too much ointment

After you’ve washed your tattoo and removed all traces of leaking ink, you can now apply healing ointment. It will protect the tattoo and speed up the healing process as well. There are several types of ointments and balms you can use for this stage.

If you prefer petrolatum-based products, check out Aquaphor or A+D. These are semi-occlusive in that they’ll block harmful pathogens from getting into the skin, but will still let oxygen in. FYI, oxygen plays a key role in wound healing. If you’re a fan of all-natural, organic products, check out Hustle Butter and Saniderm’s non-petroleum tattoo balm instead.

Anyway, no matter which healing product you choose, it’s important to apply only a very thin layer. Otherwise, it can block the oxygen from getting in the skin. Plus, it may even cause the tattoo to leak even more ink!

• Use clean bedsheets

You don’t want to sleep on filthy bedsheets. I mean, you’ve taken the time to carefully wash and clean your tattoo, so why would you not choose to sleep on something clean, right?

Dirty sheets can have all sorts of germs and bacteria on it, not to mention pet hair if you let your pets in bed with you! Alternatively, if you’ve run out of clean sheets, you can put a clean towel or shirt underneath instead.

Whichever you decide to sleep on, know that you will be most likely be leaking the ink onto it. Here’s an example of someone with ink stain:

• Use second skin tattoo bandage or wrap

Wraps like Inksafe’s Tattoo Protection Film and Dermalize’s Protective Tattoo Film are gaining in popularity. These wraps/bandages/film are the perfect tattoo healing accessory for people who can’t take time off work. Or, those who can’t be bothered to wash their tattoo every few hours or so. This is because you can leave the wrap on for about 3-5 days without changing it (though it’s advisable you change the initial bandage your tattooist put on you).

Why? Because these products are waterproof (you can shower with them, but not bathe in it) and breathable (it will let oxygen in so you don’t need to take it off frequently).  

Second skin tattoo wraps are also transparent, so you can see your tattoo leaking ink quite clearly. So, make sure you apply the wrap properly so it sticks to your skin. Otherwise, the plasma and the ink will be leaking right on to your clothes.

• Stop drinking alcoholic beverages

Oh yes, if you’re drinking alcohol with a fresh tattoo on, you need to stop right now. Actually, you should have stopped a couple of days before your tattooing session as alcohol can thin the blood and prevent it from clotting up properly. This means that your ink will be leaking for far longer than necessary, all because your blood’s clotting capabilities are affected.

Conclusion

A new tattoo leaking ink is nothing to be worried out. It’s just a normal part of the tattoo healing process. You can expect the area to stop weeping, oozing or leaking in about 1-3 days. If it takes longer and you suspect something is wrong, please consult with your GP.

What causes new tattoos to crack?

Before we begin, let me get this out of the way first. Technically, it’s not the tattoo itself that cracks, rather it’s the scab that forms on the surface. As your tattoo heals, it will be oozing blood plasma and ink during the first couple of days.

As part of tattoo aftercare, your tattooist will tell you to regularly clean the area (use gentle, non-fragranced soap). This is an important step to prevent thick scabs from forming later. But in most cases, no matter how well you clean the tattoo, it may still form scabs. And it’s the scabs (not your tattoo) that will be prone to cracking.  

Here’s a good example of a new tattoo cracking on the surface:

So, why does this happen?

Well, here are a few reasons:

1) You’ve got big, thick scabs on your tattoo

Some people are fortunate enough to not scab. For the most part, however, I’d say a large majority will experience light scabbing, which is pretty normal.

If you belong to the heavy-scabbing group, well, that’s a different story altogether, but still nothing to be alarmed about. A thick scab won’t be the end of the world, but you’ll be more prone to experience tattoo cracking. Here’s why:

1. Thick scabs tend to dry out faster than light scabs.
2. The thicker the scab, the easier it is get bumped, ripped or pulled out accidentally. This can cause the scab to crack and split.

Super thick scabs on this tattoo (Photo by Amanda from Flickr)

With thick scabs, your tattoo may also take a bit more time to heal properly. But if you observe proper tattoo aftercare, don’t worry, it will still heal!

Also, another thing that might make someone prone to heavy scabbing is when a relatively large expanse of skin is tattooed. For instance, a tattoo outline will most likely yield a smaller/lighter scab compared to a filler or shader job. So, keep this in mind if you’re thinking of getting supplemental (filling/shading) work done on your tattoo.

2) You’ve got terribly dry skin

Proper skin moisturisation is key to a well-healed, good-looking tattoo. If you’ve got naturally dry skin, you need to step up your moisturising game.

If not, then your scabs may thicken to the point where it can split, break, and crack easily. Fortunately, there are plenty of tattoo lotions, ointments and creams that will help you moisturise your skin.

3) Your tattoo is infected

Another reason why a new tattoo may crack is that it got infected. It’s possible that poor hygiene and sanitation allowed germs and bacteria to infiltrate the tattoo.

This is why proper hygiene is essential on a brand-new tattoo. It’s especially important during the ‘weeping’ stages because the tattoo is technically still an open wound at this point.

Fortunately, an infected tattoo is not always a reason for alarm, except in severe cases. A cracked tattoo may not necessarily be bad on its own.

But when coupled with other symptoms like raised temperature on the tattoo area, fever, itching, pus, and foul odour, then you may be looking at a severe infection. Check out this article to know more about the causes, symptoms, and treatment options of an infected tattoo.

Do old tattoos crack too?

There’s a perfectly good explanation why tattoo cracking only happens on new tattoos. Old and fully healed tattoos won’t have this problem because it’s way past the scabbing and peeling stage. So, there’s literally nothing else left to crack apart from the skin itself (which happens all the time to very dry skin).

Also, the ink would definitely have fully settled in the dermis by now. You’d need to undergo laser removal to get rid of the ink embedded in your skin.

How to prevent tattoos from cracking?

You can take a few precautions to prevent tattoos from cracking:

1) Clean the tattoo regularly

You may not be able to completely eliminate scabbing (it’s normal for wounds to scab), but you can certainly minimise it. The trick is to clean up the blood, plasma, and ink that will be oozing from the tattoo during the first day or so. Don’t let it collect on the surface. To ensure the ‘gunk’ is removed, wash your skin with warm water and gentle, non-fragranced soap.  

2) Apply a thin layer of healing ointment

After washing the tattoo, let it air dry or pat it dry with kitchen roll. Then apply a thin layer of healing ointment. You can use a petroleum jelly-based ointment like Aquaphor or A+D (but stay away from Vaseline since it’s 100% petrolatum).

Alternatively, you can use a more natural, petrolatum-free option like Saniderm’s Non-Petroleum Roll-On Tattoo Balm. The right ointment can protect the tattoo on the surface while allowing it to heal underneath, too.

3) Moisturise the right way

Moisturisation is key to a good-looking tattoo. Once your tattoo stops weeping, you can start putting on a thin layer of non-fragranced lotion to prevent skin from drying up.

Well-moisturised skin helps promote tattoo healing. However, the key here is to only apply a ‘thin layer’. If you slather lotion too thickly, it will suffocate the pores and make the tattoo mushy. And you’ll most likely start an infection!

Moreover, for thick scabs, you should wait for the scab to dry up completely before applying a very thin layer of lotion. If you lather up while the scab is still wet, you can cause a condition known as tattoo bubbling.

Additionally, you should also apply lotion to the areas surrounding the scab for more comprehensive moisturisation.

But what if your tattoo hurts when you put on some lotion?

Some people react to artificial fragrances and harsh chemicals in most generic lotions. You can try switching to a made-for-tattoo lotion like After Inked Vegan Tattoo Aftercare Lotion.

This is our absolute favourite here in the office! It’s made from grapeseed oil to help nourish your skin, and contains no petroleum or lanolin. Best of all, it’s vegan and PETA approved!

4) Avoid touching or picking at the scab!

You can show off your tattoo all you want, but avoid touching or picking at the scabs or peeling skin. Doing so can lead to tattoo cracking, and even ink loss. Don’t disturb the healing process that’s going on in your skin, let the excess skin fall off naturally.  

5) Hydrate and eat a healthy, balanced diet

A healthy diet can do wonders for your skin. Avoid eating junk food and anything that will harm your skin. Instead, start eating foods that are rich in antioxidants and vitamins. Broccoli, tomatoes, green leafy vegetables, fatty fish, avocados, and sweet potatoes are examples. Oh, and don’t forget to drink lots of water everyday!

A word of caution if your tattoo cracks unexpectedly…

You need to retrace your steps. Where exactly did the tattoo crack? What were you doing at that particular time? What got into contact with the scab to cause it to crack? This is important because if your tattoo cracked in a dirty environment, then there’s a chance it can become infected!

There’s a chance the crack may bleed. If it does, clean up the area with warm water and gentle soap. Then wait for it to dry up thoroughly before applying a thin layer of antibacterial ointment to prevent infection.  

Conclusion

Follow the tips we’ve shared in this article to prevent your new tattoo from cracking. A cracked tattoo only looks bad on the surface (it’s mostly superficial damage). But don’t worry, it’s going to fall off eventually and be replaced with a new layer of skin. As long as you don’t do anything to disrupt the ongoing healing underneath the scab, your tattoo will turn out fine!  

Why do new tattoos bruise?

The bruising on this tattoo looks bad. Hopefully, it didn’t last too long. (Photo by Nikki on Flickr)

Not all tattoos actually bruise, but it’s not all that uncommon either. As you can see in the picture above, the upper arm tattoo is bruised quite badly. You can see the red, swollen area in and around the tattoo – that looks really painful, doesn’t it?!

But don’t worry, most bruises disappear within a week or so. It’s usually nothing to get freaked out about. Tattoo bruising is normally harmless and won’t do any lasting damage to your precious tattoo.

So, why do new tattoos bruise?

You know that during the tattooing process, needles pierce the skin so that ink is deposited in the dermis layer. Unlike the topmost layers of skin, the dermis doesn’t shed, so it’s possible for tattoo ink to stay there forever.

Here’s a graphic of the different layers of skin:

Now, the thing with the dermis is that it houses a lot of structures, like hair follicles, sweat glands, oil glands, blood capillaries, and more. When needles penetrate the dermis, it tends to hit a lot of these tiny capillaries which then causes red blood cells to leak out. Some blood cells go up and exit the skin, others pool into the surrounding tissue.

The blood on the surface dries up relatively quickly, however, underneath it’s a different story. The internal bleeding goes on for a bit longer and the volume of blood will depend on the number of capillaries broken by the needles.

Initially, the bruising will appear reddish in colour. But pretty soon, the tiny space becomes cramped and oxygen starts running out. This turns the red blood cells into a blue colour (hence why you see bruises turning bluish after some time).

The body then breaks down the leaked blood cells and eventually absorbs them back into the body (and skin colour returns to normal). This entire process occurs over a period of several days (usually up to a week or more).  

Confused? Here’s an easy to understand video from Operation Ouch:

Why are brand-new tattoos prone to bruising?

Not everyone’s going to bruise after getting a new tattoo, but a lot of people will. Here are the most common reasons why many experience tattoo bruising:  

• The tattooist’s skill and technique

A tattooist – who has worked on his craft for several years – will have a much more refined technique than his less experienced peers. They’ll know how to position their tattoo machine properly, so it doesn’t inflict unnecessary damage to the skin. No tattooist is perfect, of course, but experienced ones will know not to put too much pressure on the skin to reduce capillary damage.  

• Some people are naturally prone to bruising

You’d know yourself if you bruise easily. If you do, then chances are you’re also going to bruise when you get tattooed. People who have underlying medical conditions such as iron deficiency anaemia, diabetes, leukaemia, haemophilia, and malnutrition, bruise more easily than others who don’t have these conditions.

• Tattoo location

Some parts of the body are relatively quick to bruise. For some people, they tend to bruise faster in fatty areas. So, for instance, if you decide to get tattooed on your buttocks, then you may experience bruising. For others, they tend to bruise easily over less fatty spots. If they get tattooed on their wrist and ankles, for example, then they’d bruise easily, too.

Related article: Tattoo Pain Chart: How Bad Do Tattoos Hurt?

• Taking blood thinning medication

If you’re taking medication that can thin blood (like aspirin), then chances are you’ll bruise right after your tattoo session. These medicines are useful for preventing life-threatening blood clots, but when it comes to tattoos, it can cause lots of issues. For instance, aspirin can make you more susceptible to bruising and a slower tattoo healing process.  

Related article: Can You Get A Tattoo While On Antibiotics?  

• Early sign of tattoo infection

A bruising alone is not necessarily a sign of infection. But if you’re experiencing other symptoms as well like pain, swelling, fever, bad smell, and/or pus, then you’ve got a problem on your hands.

Related article: Infected Tattoo 101: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment Options

What’s the cure or remedy for tattoo bruising?

Treating a bruised tattoo is different from treating a normal bruise. This is because a fresh, healing tattoo is technically an open wound, so you need to be extra careful.

That said, these are some suitable treatment options for a bruised, healing tattoo:

• Elevate bruised area

Elevate the bruise (Photo by Sereja Ris)

When more blood pools to the bruised area, it can cause even more swelling. Elevating the bruise helps reduce the blood flow to the area, thus speeding up the tattoo healing process.  

What you need to do is to raise the affected area above the heart. So, if you’ve got a tattoo on the lower part of your body, you can lie down and put some pillows underneath your buttocks to raise your lower extremities. You can do this whilst you sleep or rest throughout the day.

• Take lots of rest

The more your body gets to rest, the faster your tattoo is going to heal up. Now, if you got tattooed on an often-used body part like your hands, then you need to lay off a bit. Also, depending on where you got inked, you may need to think outside the box to avoid working the area so much.

Rest includes avoiding exercise, at least for the first few days or so. You don’t want to overwork your body. And your heart will have to pump harder to supply blood throughout the body (which can worsen the bruising).  

• Apply ice

For normal bruises, you can apply ice or a cold compress directly to the spot. But for healing tattoos, you need to apply a barrier cloth between the ice and skin to prevent bacteria from infecting the tattoo. This method helps restrict blood flow and prevents blood from leaking too much into the surrounding tissue.  

• Take some ibuprofen

If you find the bruising painful and it’s affecting your daily activities, then taking some ibuprofen may help reduce the pain and swelling. It will also help the tattoo bruise to disappear faster.

• Stop smoking

Smoking has a lot of well-documented ill effects on the body. When it comes to bruising, healing tattoos, smoking can delay tissue repair and decrease blood supply. Obviously, not ideal for a healing tattoo. So, skip the cigarettes a week before tattooing and a couple of weeks after getting inked.

• Get more iron and vitamin C

Iron-deficient people are more prone to bruising. Knowing this, you should eat foods rich in iron and vitamin C (it helps the body absorb iron) to help with faster bruise recovery.

Tattoo bruise vs tattoo blowout: what’s the difference?

During the first few days of the healing process, a tattoo bruise and a tattoo blowout may look similar. But you’ll notice the bruise will slowly disappear over several days, and the colours may change too – from reddish to bluish to yellowish and finally back to normal.

Here’s a picture of a bruised tattoo:

A tattoo blowout, on the other hand, isn’t going to disappear anytime soon. In fact, unless you have it forcibly removed, it’s going to stay in your skin forever! Basically, a tattoo blowout happens when the ink gets far deeper than the dermis layer, e.g. it goes into the fatty, hypodermis layer.

Here’s an example of a blowout (see top photo). The bottom photo is after a laser removal session:

When this happens, the ink does not stay in one place like it does in the dermis. Instead, it spreads out over the surrounding area. The colours will bleed into each other. And depending on how bad the blowout is, the tattoo can look like a total mess!

So, which is better? Well, neither really. But if push comes to shove, I’d personally choose a bruise any day of the week. At least, I know it is but a temporary thing and will disappear soon enough. Whereas with a blowout, I’d need to have it laser removed or have it covered up with another design (and hope it won’t blowout as well)!

How to minimise tattoo bruising?

There are a few proactive techniques you can follow to hopefully minimise the chances of your new tattoo bruising:

• Choose an experienced tattoo artist

I know this isn’t a guarantee, but the odds of bruising at the hands of an experienced tattoo artist is lower than working with someone less experienced. Of course, the more skilled and experienced an artist is the more expensive their services become. So, you may need to save up some serious cash if you want to work with an ‘expert.’

That said, you can also ask past clients if they’ve experienced bruising at the hands of your preferred tattooist. This will take a bit more time, but if you’re really worried about bruising and want to avoid getting one at all cost, then you need to do your due diligence. This includes doing research on tattooists and their past work.

• Get some rest prior to appointment

Gym bunnies are advised to stay away from the gym or from exercising in general for at least a day before their tattoo appointment. This is because exercising prior to getting a tattoo can increase their chances of bruising.

• Stay away from alcohol

Alcohol thins the blood. It’s therefore important to stay away from drinking any at least 24-48 hours before your appointment. You can have the best tattooist working on your tattoo, but if you drank alcohol prior to the tattooing session, then chances are you’ll still end up bruised. (Don’t go blaming the tattooist then!)

• Load up on iron and vitamins prior to appointment if you’re prone to bruising

If you know you’re prone to bruising, you may want to make sure you replenish your body’s store of iron. Eat healthy foods rich in iron and vitamins so when tattoo time comes, bruising will be kept to a minimum, if any.

Is it okay to tattoo over a bruise?

Technically, you can. But it’s not an ideal situation for both you and your tattooist. The bruised skin will be tender and will thus cause extra pain when needles puncture the area thousands of times. A tattoo is already painful enough as it is with non-bruised skin. Imagine how much worse it’s going to be with a bruise!

Many tattooists would prefer not to tattoo over a bruise. Aside from increased pain, there’s a strong possibility the tattoo ink will be rejected by the body. There’s also an increased risk of infection since the blood is much closer to the skin surface. Lastly, skin discolouration may affect the artist’s ability to determine the most suitable colours.  

So, to sum up this section, avoid getting a tattoo while bruised. You can either move the appointment to a later date or have the tattoo done on a non-bruised spot.

Conclusion

A new tattoo bruising is nothing to be worried about generally. It’s your body’s normal reaction to getting punctured by tiny needles thousands of times. It will clear up on its own eventually, but if you want it to disappear faster, follow the tips outlined in this article. If the bruising seems to be growing worse, have it checked by a qualified medical professional.

But first, what are ingrown hairs?

Just like the name suggests, ingrown hairs are hair strands that don’t break the skin. Instead of growing outwards and breaking through the skin pore (like normal hair), ingrown hair tends to grow sideways and curve downwards (when it grows long enough).

They look similar to acne in appearance, but more often than not, you’ll see a bit of hair peeking just under the skin surface. That’s usually the easiest way to tell it apart from a pimple. Here’s an example:

Ingrown hair on little finger (Photo by Brett Vachon on Flickr)

As you can see in the picture, the pimple-like bump on the little finger has a slightly visible strand of hair trapped inside. You won’t see that on a pimple. So, that’s one way to know for sure you’re looking at ingrown hair, and not acne.

So, where do ingrown hairs usually appear?

Well, people with curly hair tend to have this condition. But anyone who shaves, plucks, or waxes can get ingrown hair. It’s pretty common in body parts we like to keep hair-free.

• For men, this can include the face (beard area) and the head (especially for balding guys who like to shave).
• For women, the most common places for ingrown hair are in the underarms, legs, and pubic area.

Check out this before-and-after Instagram image of ingrown hair that got treated by laser:

Why do ingrown hairs appear on tattoos? What causes it?

So, prior to getting inked, your tattooist will be shaving the area to clear their working space. This makes it easy for them to see what they’re doing. The fewer obstacles there are, the better your tattoo is going to turn out!

Tattooing does get messy, especially for larger tattoos. Your tattooist will be wiping blood and ink off your skin repeatedly, and having hairs in there can only slow down the entire process.  

Some people are just predisposed to it

Your racial and genetic background may make you more susceptible to ingrown hair. As mentioned earlier in this article, if you’ve got curly hair, then you’re likely to get more than a few!

Shaving technique

For others, it may be due to the shaving technique – some tattooists prefer to dry shave. Unfortunately, this shaving technique can cause irritation, razor burn, and eventually, razor bumps (a.k.a. ingrown hair) when the hair grows back.

Here’s what happens when the hairs grow back…

Some hair strands poke the skin from underneath instead of growing out through the pores. Since the hair isn’t strong enough to create an opening in the skin, it has no choice but to grow inwards. This causes a reaction from your immune system. It now thinks the stray hair is a foreign invader, and it makes the area red and inflamed. Occasionally, there’ll be pus involved as well.   

An alternative scenario is the skin got clogged with dead skin cells. This prevents the hair from growing out of the blocked pore. Instead, the hair grows sideways, thus causing it to become ingrown. 

Here’s a video with useful illustrations to help you understand ingrown hairs and how they form:

Why you shouldn’t remove ingrown hair from a healing tattoo

It’s going to be tough if you find yourself in this situation. First of all, your tattoo’s most likely already itchy even without the ingrown hair. But add an itchy (and sometimes painful) ingrown hair, and you’ve got a recipe for disaster. Well, not if you can control yourself!

In times like these, you need lots of patience and self-control to stop yourself from scratching and removing that errant hair. Touching and disturbing the area can lead to even more inflammation and irritation.

That said, you shouldn’t attempt to remove ingrown hair from a healing tattoo. In all likelihood, it’s not going to interfere with the healing process. So, try your best to leave it alone.

Can you spot the 2 ingrown hairs on the tattoo? (Photo by fuzzz on Flickr)

Here’s what could go wrong if you attempt to pluck, squeeze, or shave the hair:

• You could introduce an infection

Removing the hair will result to another gaping (albeit tiny) hole in your skin. Depending on what you used to remove the hair, it may introduce bacteria and germs to the site which can cause an infection.

• You could cause scarring

Yes, it’s possible to get scars from ingrown hair removal. And it’s definitely not going to look good on top of a brand-new tattoo.

• You can delay the tattoo healing process

Ideally, you want the tattoo to heal as fast as possible. Depending on the size of the tattoo and your immune system, it can take anywhere from 2-4 weeks for skin to heal on the surface. And forcibly removing ingrown hair can push back that much-awaited day.

How to treat ingrown hairs on a tattoo

Since you shouldn’t remove ingrown hairs on a healing tattoo, what else can you do to remedy or treat the problem?

Well, not much, really. Just go about your usual tattoo aftercare regimen – cleaning and moisturising the area. And the ingrown hair should clear up and go away on its own after a few days.

For old and fully healed tattoos, however, you’re free to remove the hair all you like. If you haven’t tried removing one before, I promise it’s going to feel great afterwards!

Here’s a video clip showing how you can safely remove ingrown hairs:

How to prevent ingrown hairs on a tattoo

You may not be able to totally stop ingrown hairs from making an appearance on your tattoo. But these tips should help minimise the occurrence: 

• Use the right shaving technique

Knowing how to shave the tattoo area properly is key to an ingrown hair-free tattoo. For instance, dry shaving can be problematic for many people. It can irritate the skin, cause razor burn, and promote ingrown hair.

It’s recommended to hydrate the skin before shaving to make the skin more supple. Also, when shaving it’s best to use a shaving gel or foam to protect the skin and make the razor blades glide more smoothly.

Here’s a tattoo care tips video from Gillette showing you how you can shave over a tattoo:

• Exfoliate regularly

As I’ve mentioned earlier, clogged pores are a leading cause of ingrown hair. To combat this, you should exfoliate your skin regularly to remove all the dead skin cells on the surface. Exfoliating also has added benefits of improving your skin’s appearance and increasing blood circulation as well.

That said, there are basically two ways you can exfoliate your skin: physical and chemical exfoliation.

Physical (or mechanical) exfoliation involves the use of accessories like exfoliating sponges, brushes, gloves, and scrubs. On the other hand, chemical exfoliation involves the use of acids like alpha-hydroxy acids (AHA’s) and beta-hydroxy acids (BHA’s) to peel the skin.

Depending on where your tattoo is, you may need to do more research on the best type of exfoliating product to use on your skin. After all, skin thickness varies from one body part to another.  

For the most part, however, you can’t go wrong with a pair of exfoliating wash gloves that you can use in the shower. Check out Temple Spring’s affordable, eco-friendly, microfibre glove on Amazon (click on picture to buy):

• Don’t put on a thick layer of healing ointment or lotion on a healing tattoo

If you’re dry healing, you can totally skip this section. But if you’re not, then you should ensure only a thin layer goes on your skin.

So, in the early healing stages when your tattoo is still ‘weeping,’ a thin layer of Aquaphor, A+D Ointment, or Hustle Butter will do. (Please avoid using Vaseline as this is pure petroleum jelly and will definitely block your pores).

When you get past the weeping stage, you can start applying some moisturising lotion to the area (we recommend After Inked Vegan Tattoo Aftercare Lotion – it’s the best non-greasy tattoo lotion on the market right now!). Here’s what it looks like:

Again, make sure only a thin layer goes on your skin, just enough to moisturise the skin, but not block the pores.

Frequently asked questions about ingrown hair on tattoos

• Can ingrown hairs ruin a tattoo?

No, ingrown hair won’t ruin a tattoo as long as you leave it alone. Wait for it to clear up on its own. Then once your tattoo’s all healed up, you can go to town removing any ingrown hairs that grow over it!

• Is folliculitis the same as ingrown hair? Can it affect my tattoo?

Hair grows from the hair follicle. Folliculitis occurs when the hair follicle becomes infected. An ingrown hair is not an infection. But if germs and bacteria get into the follicle and infect it, then it can progress to folliculitis.

• Will hair grow back over my tattoo?

Yes, of course. Tattooing doesn’t kill off the hair follicle. Tattoo ink is only deposited at the dermis level, the hair follicle is situated at a deeper level. This means the hair is going to grow back. Hopefully, when it does grow back it won’t be ingrown.

• When can you shave over a tattoo?

Well, definitely not while your tattoo’s still unhealed (it will be tantamount to opening a can of worms with all the skin problems you might encounter)! I know the stubble is going to look unsightly for a few weeks, but leave it be if you want your skin art to look good forever.

Once your tattoo is all healed up, then you can go back to shaving the area as you normally would. Just make sure you follow the tips we’ve shared above – hydrate your skin, use a shaving gel, and moisturise afterwards. It will help prevent ingrown hair and keep your tattoo looking good as well!

• What about waxing or epilating? Can I do that on tattooed skin?

Of course, you can do all sorts of hair removal techniques as long as it’s done on fully healed tattoos. Either waxing or epilating would be painful, but hair does grow back a bit slower compared to shaving.

It’s all about your personal preference, really, and your pain threshold. Though I imagine, since you chose to get a tattoo, the pain brought about by an epilator or hot wax won’t be a big deal for you!

Conclusion

Ingrown hair on tattoo isn’t as bad as it sounds. It won’t harm your fresh tattoo as long as you leave it alone. I know it’s much harder than it sounds. But I promise your tattoo is going to fare so much better if you resist the temptation to pluck or squeeze that errant strand of hair!

What exactly does a tattoo blowout mean?

From the very definition of the word ‘blowout’, a ‘tattoo blowout’ literally means ink leaking, bleeding or getting blown out from its spot. This is painfully obvious in tattoo outlines and borders, basically areas where there should be no obvious ink. It’s also easily identifiable in multi-coloured tattoos where the colours ‘bleed’ into each other, and into surrounding areas too.

Here’s an example of a tattoo blowout:

As you can see, tattoo blowouts don’t look very nice at all. Depending on the tattooist, you may be entitled to a free fix. Why? You’ll find out the reason in the next section.  

Top causes for tattoo blowouts

When do tattoo blowouts occur? Well, there are basically three categories for the reasons behind blowouts: tattoo location, artist error and aftercare issues. Let’s break it down here:

1. The tattooist pushed the needles too deep into the skin

A skilled and experienced tattooist will know exactly how deep his tattoo needle needs to go into the skin. Too shallow – and the ink will disappear in a few weeks. Too deep – and the ink will bleed into nearby tissue.

Now, the skin has 3 layers:

• the epidermis (topmost)
• the dermis (middle)
• the hypodermis (bottom layer where all the large blood vessels, nerves and fat cells are)

For tattoo to stay on your skin permanently, the ink needs to go in the dermis. This is because the epidermis gets shed every few weeks. And the hypodermis… well… if ink gets into the hypodermis, it’s practically guaranteed to cause a blowout.

• Tattoo needles are inserted at awkward angles

The angle by which the artist holds the tattoo machine can also contribute to a blowout. If the machine is held at too steep or too slanted an angle, then the ink may be more prone to leaking into nearby areas.

• Skin got stretched too much during the tattooing session

Sometimes, the artist may need to stretch and pull at the skin to make it flat and even (this makes the tattooing go faster). This is an important technique to ensure the ink gets distributed evenly and there are no blank spots in the design. However, when too much stretching happens, ink gets inserted at odd angles. This then leads to blowouts.

• Tattoo is done on bony areas with thin skin

Locating the dermis is tough enough. But trying to do it on bony areas with not much skin to go on is extremely tough. For instance, tattooing someone on their thigh versus their feet isn’t the same thing. Skin on the thigh is thicker than, say, the midfoot.

Which do you think will be easier for the tattooist to work on? If you answered thigh, you’re absolutely right.

That said, try to avoid getting tattooed on bony areas like fingers, wrists, hands, ankles, and feet. The probability of a blowout occurring is much higher than on other tattoo-friendly body parts.

• Excessive movement or stretching of skin during the healing process

Tattoos that haven’t fully healed yet is still at risk of getting blown out. This is especially true for tattoos done in areas that get moved around a lot, like fingers, hands, wrists, and skin over joints. Frequent movement or stretching can cause the ink to move and spread under the skin.

Possible tattoo blowout fixes

In some cases, you don’t need to do anything drastic to fix a blowout. Depending on how bad it is and the colour(s) used, you can give it enough time to fade on its own (or at least become less pronounced and less noticeable).

Also, with a fresh tattoo, bruises are commonly mistaken as blowouts. Give it a few days – if the bruising’s disappeared, then it’s obviously not a blowout.

So, here are ways you can fix tattoo blowouts:

1. Cover it up with makeup

Permanently fixing a blowout is possible, yes, but if you just want a quick fix, there’s no faster way than to cover it up with some makeup and concealer. Of course, you can also cover the entire tattoo with clothing, but that’s no fun, is it? Especially if you still want to show off the tattoo (minus the blowout).

That said, there are several makeup tricks you can use to hide the blowout. Check out this video:

2. Cover it up with another design

For this fix, you will need to go back to a tattooist – preferably, a highly skilled one. Your previous tattooist may agree to a free fix if it was his fault, so if you’re in a tight spot, try asking them first.

But if you think the tattooist still isn’t going to do a good job, then best move on and look for a better artist. The last thing you want is to have another blowout happen on top of your blowout! 

Common fixes involve adding some background or gradient shading to make the blowout blend in. Alternatively, the tattooist may recommend covering it up with another design to totally hide the blowout. The choice is yours.

3. Get the blowout laser removed

If you’re not interested in having your current tattoo covered by yet another design, then laser removal is your next best option. Just take note, however, that this process can be painful (even more painful than getting a tattoo). It may also take several sessions before the blowout is fully removed.

Here’s an example of a tattoo blowout that got laser removed (before and after):

How to avoid tattoo blowouts

Nobody wants to get tattoo blowouts. Ever. But it happens even to the best tattoo artists who already know how deep a tattoo needle is supposed to go. Sometimes it’s unavoidable.

For example, clients wanting to get tattooed on blowout-prone areas against the tattooist’s advice. Or the tattooist’s just not feeling it and is not completely focused on the task at hand, and he’s digging far too deep into the skin.

That said, here are some more tips you can follow to avoid blowouts:

Don’t get tattooed on areas with thin skin

As mentioned above, some areas are more prone to blowouts than others. If you want to minimise the risk, stick to ‘safer’, more ‘normal’ areas. It will put less strain on your tattooist as well since they can better estimate the correct depth the needles need to go into.

Avoid stretching, pulling and twisting the skin whilst it’s healing

Tattoo aftercare is important for your new ink to heal properly. But in addition to all the things you need to do to ensure proper healing occurs, you should also avoid stretching or pulling at the skin because the ink can get moved around.

Too much movement can cause the ink to bleed into nearby tissue. I know restricting movement on frequently used body parts like hands and skin folds is tough, but you chose that tattoo location.

If you’re a physically active person, you’ll need to tone it down a bit during the tattoo healing process. If your work requires you to pull and stretch that freshly inked skin, then consider getting a tattoo whilst you’re on holiday. Give your skin and your body a rest. After all, you technically had a minor medical procedure.

Conclusion

Tattoo blowouts are pretty common. In most cases, it will be out of your control. Hopefully, the fixes and pre-emptive measures suggested in this article will give you a better idea on how to handle one, should you ever fall victim to this unfortunate circumstance.

But let’s backtrack for a bit here. There’s a far more sinister reason why you should rethink getting a tattoo. It’s called tattoo ink poisoning. So, why exactly is this something to be afraid of? Well, this is what you’re going to learn in this article.

What is tattoo ink poisoning?

As the name suggests, ‘tattoo ink poisoning’ is someone getting poisoned by tattoo ink. This is what happens when tattoo ink is inserted into the dermis layer of the skin (as is the case with the normal tattooing process).  

Tattoo ink poisoning is different from an infection. Infections usually occur when the ink is contaminated with germs and bacteria, or the tattooist wasn’t all that hygienic with his equipment and tattooing tools.

Why ink poisoning happens

The answer lies in the ingredients used to make tattoo ink. You may be surprised to know that many tattooists don’t even know what’s in their ink.

But you really can’t blame them. Why? Because many ink manufacturers don’t even bother listing what’s in their ink! An honest-to-goodness ink company will list down the pigment base and ink carrier used, but they’re far and few in between.

The unfortunate truth is that dodgy manufacturers use heavy metals in their ink, and they don’t even bother informing their end users about it. In my opinion, this practice is very irresponsible. After all, that heavy-metal-laced ink will live in the skin forever. Think about how dangerous it is.  

That said, this is mainly why ink poisoning happens. If people are aware they’re going to have mercury, lead, chromium, cadmium, and other heavy metals inserted in their skin, then I’m sure they’re going to change their minds about getting tattooed at that very instant!

Why ink poisoning sometimes appear to be delayed

Tattoo ink molecules are large enough to not get broken down by the body’s immune system immediately. But over time and with frequent sun exposure, the ink particles get broken down into smaller chunks which then get absorbed into the body. When this happens, there’s a chance some particles end up getting lodged in the lymph nodes.

And here’s where it gets interesting:

Since ink particles don’t usually get broken down right away, it can take several months or years before poisoning actually occurs. So, don’t be surprised if you experience ink poisoning symptoms well after you got your tattoo!

What are the symptoms of ink poisoning from a tattoo?

Tattoo ink poisoning symptoms are most similar to tattoo ink allergies. In most cases, they’ll start off as mild symptoms. But as more toxic ink particles get absorbed into your lymph nodes and other parts of your body, then the more severe the symptoms become. The symptoms may also vary depending on the tattoo ink ingredients used. These include:

• Joint pain and body pain
• Swelling in tattooed area as well as lymph nodes
• Rashes and skin bumps
• Fever and chills
• Nausea and vomiting
• Post tattoo headache and migraines
• Delayed healing – if poisoning occurs on an unhealed tattoo

What to do if you have a reaction to tattoo ink?

If you suspect you have tattoo ink poisoning, you should talk to your GP straight away. If your symptoms are rather severe, head to the nearest hospital. You don’t want to risk your condition worsening with each passing hour.

Also, now is a good idea to contact your tattooist and ask him for information about the ink used on you (if you didn’t get the information beforehand). Details like the brand name, colour, batch number and manufacturer’s contact details may help your doctor diagnose your condition.

Your tattooist will also appreciate you cluing him in on your situation, so he and his peers don’t use the same type of ink on future clients.

How to avoid tattoo ink poisoning?

In the grand scheme of things, there’s very little chance you’re going to get tattoo ink poisoning. You’re more likely to get an infection or an allergy rather than poisoning.

An infection can be avoided by making sure the tattooist operates in a sterile environment – and by you observing proper tattoo aftercare.

To minimise the risk of allergies, you can ask your tattooist to do a patch test to check if you’re allergic to the ink.

Lastly, the only sure-fire way you can protect yourself against ink poisoning is… by not getting a tattoo in the first place. You may not like this tip, but it’s the honest truth.

Conclusion    

Don’t let the remote possibility of tattoo poisoning scare you from getting inked. Unless, of course, you already have pre-existing medical conditions or known heavy metal allergies that will cause issues down the line. But if you’re healthy, go get inked and live your life to the fullest!

What to do BEFORE you get your tattoo

Oh, yes, before you go to the tattooist’s, you should be prepared for the session ahead. A tattoo is technically a minor medical operation, you need to be of sound mind and body for the tattooing process to go smoothly. Follow these tattoo healing tips to ensure optimum healing for that tattoo you’re about to get.

1. Drink plenty of water

Water may be flavourless, but it’s called liquid gold for a reason. Our bodies NEED water. Soda, fruit juice and even alcohol may taste better than water, but when it comes to health benefits, no other liquid comes close to water.

You can buy tons of beauty products to make your skin glow. But if you don’t drink enough water daily, your skin’s still going to end up dry and wrinkly.

Water helps hydrate and moisturise skin. It increases skin elasticity as well which will make your tattooist’s job a lot easier. Additionally, water helps fight sickness and infection, which will obviously be great for your tattoo to heal fast. 

According to this report, men should drink at least 3.7 litres daily, whilst women’s recommended minimum is 2.7 litres a day. To help you reach your water goals, try using a daily water bottle with time markers.

2. Refrain from drinking alcohol and caffeine

Alcohol and caffeine will have an opposite effect than water. Instead of helping your skin stay supple, it’s going to make it go dry. This is because alcohol and caffeine are well-known dehydrators. Plus, alcohol even has an undesired effect – it thins your blood and makes you more prone to bleeding! So, if you don’t want to make your tattooist’s job a difficult one, stick to drinking lots of water.

3. Avoid aspirin and other blood-thinning medication

Image source: Volodymyr Hryshchenko

Some people rely on blood thinners to protect themselves from strokes and heart attacks. This is because blood thinners help blood flow smoothly through the arteries and veins, and help reduce life-threatening blood clots. If you need blood thinning medicine, you may need to re-think your plans of getting a tattoo.

Aspirin is a pretty common over-the-counter medicine, and people take it all the time for minor ailments. However, when taken before a tattoo session, it can dangerously thin the blood, which will make clotting a more difficult task for the immune system.

For tattoos to heal properly, clotting needs to commence ASAP so the bleeding can stop as well. Therefore, avoid taking aspirin and other blood-thinning substances to ensure your fresh tattoo heals normally.  

4. Wear comfortable clothing on the day of

Use common sense when choosing what clothes to wear to the tattooist’s. If you know you’re going to get inked on your inner arm, wear something sleeveless. If on your legs, wear shorts. If on a normally hidden body part, wear something loose and comfortable, so it doesn’t rub too much on your brand-new tatt when you make your way home. If your tattoo gets irritated or infected, it can seriously affect the rate at which your tattoo heals.

5. Ask your tattooist for ink ingredients

Don’t be shy. Ask them what sort of ingredients are used in the ink. If they can’t give you the info, then perhaps you’re better off looking for another tattooist. The last thing you want is to have a tattoo ink allergy – it’s absolutely no fun, at all!

The best tattoo inks use non-toxic, organic and vegan-friendly ingredients. You want to avoid ink that uses heavy metals like cadmium, mercury, lead, iron, nickel, cobalt, etc.

Cadmium, especially, is a well-known culprit that reacts with the sun, even years later! Cadmium is used in red and yellow tattoo inks, so if you plan on getting inked in these colours, make sure cadmium isn’t on the ingredients list!

Alternatively, if you’re not sure whether or not you’re allergic to any of the ingredients, you can ask your tattooist to do a simple patch test on your skin. They’ll either put a drop of ink on your skin or tattoo a tiny dot. If you see a reaction in 24 hours or so, then you’re better off using another colour or brand (you need to do another patch test then).

6. Assess yourself if you have any underlying skin conditions

If you have pre-existing skin conditions such as psoriasis or eczema, then you may need to have a chat first with your doctor to see if a tattoo’s something you can get. Also, if you’ve got keloid-prone skin, you should rethink your decision – getting a tattoo may cause you more harm than good!

An underlying skin condition may cause issues with your tattoo. Instead of healing in a matter of weeks, you may experience flare-ups and reactions which will delay the healing, if at all!

7. Get a good night’s sleep

Image source: Matheus Ferrero

Tattooing is a physically stressful activity, especially if you’re going under the needle for several hours! You need to be well-rested before the event. Otherwise, you may not have the mental fortitude to withstand the pain (because, yes, tattoos are painful especially if it’s your first time)!

Tattooists also appreciate clients who come prepared. It’s easier to work on their skin, which minimises mistakes from happening. Ultimately, being well-rested will have an effect on how fast your brand-new tatt heals.

8. Choose tattoo location wisely

Where you choose to have the tattoo done will have an effect on how fast it heals. For example, tattoos that get lots of contact and movement will most likely heal slower than tattoos in more-or-less stationary areas.

For example, palm tattoo healing will most certainly be slower than a more common arm tattoo. This is because the palm gets a lot more contact than your arm – you wash your hands all the time and you hold things with your palm. All these can slow down the tattoo healing process.

9. Hire a licensed professional tattooist

Image source: Allef Vinicius

Don’t ask your friend to do a tattoo on you, unless that friend’s a licensed tattooist. There may be talented scratchers, a.k.a. illegal tattooists, out there. But operating without a license is a huge red flag. The tattooing industry is regulated in the UK and if you want some level of protection, go with a licensed tattooist.

You can book appointments online, but I would highly recommend paying the studio a visit well before your appointment, so you can:

• Check how clean the premises are
• Ask to see their registration certificate (if it’s not displayed somewhere in the shop)
• Ask to see their portfolio or pictures of past work
• If possible, ask to observe a tattooing session from a distance

Licensed tattooists rely on their good name and reputation for their livelihood. Scratchers don’t – they’re most likely in it for the experience and the money.

 10. Do plan your tattooing session on weekends or during holidays

One of the best ways to allow your tattoo ample time to heal is to actually have it done on holidays or weekends. You don’t want to get a tattoo on the first day of your work week. 

As you very well know, tattoos are going to live on your skin forever. Don’t rush it – plan it so you can rest for at least 2 days after getting the tattoo.

The days immediately following the tattooing is the most crucial stage of the healing process. You need to keep the tattoo clean and well-aired. Protect it from the elements so it will heal properly.

Tattoo healing tips during the early stages of the healing process

So, now you’ve finally got your tattoo – congratulations! The tips shared in this section will definitely help speed up tattoo healing – this is the most critical stage, after all. Remember to follow your tattooist’s aftercare instructions carefully.

 11. Keep your tattoo clean

A fresh tattoo is going to be weeping and oozing blood, plasma and ink. It’s going to be nasty, especially when viewed through the clear plastic film your tattooist is going to wrap your new tatt in. Simply put, it will be gross. This is why it’s recommended you remove the cling wrap a few hours after getting the tattoo. You don’t want all that fluid to congeal and stick to your new tattoo, right?

12. Use fragrance-free, antibacterial soap

To avoid irritating your still-very-much tender skin, use fragrance-free soap. Look at the list of ingredients. If it says parfum, perfume or fragrance, put it down and look for one that says unscented or fragrance-free.

Fragrances are common skin irritants, but most people aren’t aware of the hidden dangers. For brand-new tattoos, it’s especially important to steer clear of scented soaps, lest your skin develops a rash which can obviously cause issues with the healing process.

Important note: Make sure you wash your hands first before you do anything with your tattoo.

Related article: Our Top 10 Best Tattoo Soaps To Wash Your New Ink With

 13. Use warm water to clean your tattoo

Room-temp water is fine, but warm water works best at washing the goo off your skin. Actually, some tattooists recommend using hot water to wash the tattoo. And by hot, they’re referring to the tolerable kind of hot, which would vary from one person to the next. For best results, test the temperature first and if you’re happy with how hot it is, then go ahead and wash your tatt with it.

 14. Never use a washcloth to clean your tattoo

Washcloths are great for rubbing out the dirt and grime in your skin after a hard day’s work. However, when it comes to tattoos, best put the washcloth aside. Instead, use your bare hands to clean your tatt. This is because washcloths are the perfect breeding ground for germs and bacteria. If you’re not careful, these can easily enter your still open wounds and cause a tattoo infection!

Related article: Infected Tattoo 101: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment Options

 15. Let your tattoo breathe

It’s not just our noses and mouths that breathe, you know.  Our skin does, too. However, it’s not typically like how you’d imagine skin breathing – you’re probably picturing tiny pores sucking air like hungry, newborn babes. No, it’s actually blood that carries much-needed oxygen throughout the body.

When we say letting the tattoo breathe, we’re referring to not blocking it with occlusive substances. This is why Vaseline is a big no-no in tattoo healing because it’s pure petroleum jelly that blocks oxygen from getting into skin.

That said, once you’ve cleaned out your tattoo, try not to wrap it up again (you risk infecting the wound). But if you must, make sure there’s still room for your tattoo to breathe.

 16. Use kitchen roll to dry out your tattoo

Don’t use cloth towels, no matter how clean you think it is. Kitchen rolls or kitchen towels are the preferred drying material for brand-new tattoos. This is because it’s highly sanitary (provided you store it in a clean place), and it absorbs water and goo well.

Unlike cloth towels, you don’t need to worry about loose fabric and threads sticking to your tattoo, which could be an infection starter.

 17. Apply healing ointment

So, now that your tattoo’s clean and dry, it’s time to put some ointment on it. Of course, if you’re following the dry healing route, then you can skip this tip.

When it comes to healing ointments, you’ve got a few choices. The most popular and cheapest ones are Aquaphor and A+D ointments. You can find these at the chemist nearest you or at the supermarket.

There are two reasons why you want to put ointment on a healing tattoo:

Firstly, it protects your skin from bacteria and germs. But at the same time, it still allows oxygen to enter the skin. Secondly, by protecting the skin’s surface, your body can go about its business of healing your wound. Please refer to the image below to see how this works:

Image source: https://www.aquaphorus.com/how-it-works/

Of course, not all ointments are created equal. As we’ve mentioned earlier, Vaseline is highly occlusive and should not be used on healing tattoos.

Also, if you’re not a fan of petrolatum-based ointments like Aquaphor and A+D, then an organic ointment like Hustle Butter or Saniglide may be more to your liking. Either way, by protecting your tattoo, you’ll help speed up your tattoo healing time!

 18. Don’t sleep on your tattoo

Just like with any other wound, you also don’t want to apply pressure on your brand-new tattoo. If you do, you can irritate the area, and depending on what your tattoo’s rubbed up against during the night, can also cause an infection.

That said, a good night’s sleep is essential to tattoo healing. So, you want to find a comfortable spot to rest, and at the same time, let your body recover from the ordeal it just went through!

 19. Don’t soak your tattoo in water

Don’t soak your new tattoo! (Photo by Naomi August)

During the wound healing process, it’s highly recommended to stay away from swimming in tubs, pools, lakes, seawater, and any body of water actually. This is because the tiny puncture wounds brought about by your tattooist’s needles are still very much open. And until these wounds are all closed up, it’s best to avoid soaking in water.

Bathtubs and pools are notorious for bacteria and germs – a quick dip can mean an infection. Seawater and other natural bodies of water are home to an unknown number of microorganisms that can quickly find their way to your wound.

 20. Only take quick showers

Quick showers are perfectly fine even with a brand-new, weeping tattoo. It will help remove the goo and allow you to, of course, clean your entire body. Proper hygiene is important to the wound healing process. Just remember the key word here is ‘quick.’ If you take too long, you may end up soaking your tatt just the same as if you’ve taken a bath.

 21. Protect your tattoo from the elements (going out, physical job, etc.)

It’s all about not getting your pretty tattoo infected. If you do need to go back to work the next day after getting inked, then make sure your tatt is well-protected. Wear loose clothing so it doesn’t rub against your raw skin.

If you need to wear tight-fitting uniform over it, perhaps wrapping it in sterile cling film will help. Just make sure it’s actually sterile and that it’s bacteria-and-germ-free underneath. Else, you’ll be leaving them trapped inside – free to wreak havoc on your tattoo!

 22. Wear sun-protective clothing (don’t apply sunscreen yet)

Sunscreen lotions work great on partially healed tattoos. However, when it’s still raw and oozing, you don’t want to put any kind of lotion on it. During the early stage of the healing process, it’s better to just wear sun-protective clothing.

Not sure which fabrics offer sun protection?

Hold up your clothing to the light. If you can see through, then it won’t do a good job of protecting you. However, if the fabric blocks out the light, then UV radiation won’t easily penetrate the fabric, thus protecting your skin.

Examples of sun-protective clothing are densely woven fabric like wool, canvas, and denim.

Related article: Can You Put Sunscreen On New Tattoos?

 23. Avoid going to the gym or any strenuous physical exercise

Image source: Alora Griffiths

This tip is especially important if you got a multi-hour, extra-large tattoo. You need all the rest you can get. You just got through a mini-surgical session, after all.

For gym bunnies, you can try squeezing a quick workout BEFORE the tattoo session. But personally, I don’t agree with this. You need all the rest you can get before getting tattooed. But I suppose if you’re physically fit, then you can get away with a quick workout.

That said, take at least 48 hours off from strenuous physical exercise as it can do more harm than good at this point. Depending on where you got your tattoo, it can stretch the skin and disrupt ink placement in the process.

Beyond the 48-hour period, you still need to be careful when doing exercise, so try to keep your sets light and avoid getting anything in contact with your tattoo.

Tattoo healing tips during the middle stage of the healing process

At this point, your tattoo’s healing quite nicely, and you should be seeing scabs form. Don’t worry though if no scabs appear – it’s quite rare but it does happen in the real world. That said, here are some tips for taking care of your (very itchy) tattoo during this stage.

 24. Don’t pick and pull at scabs

Scabs may look unsightly, but they’re actually one of the good guys – the ‘hard shell’ protects the healing skin underneath. It’s your body’s natural band-aid, so to speak.

I know that when scabs start to form, it’s also the beginning of an itchy tattoo! I also know it’s easy to say “resist the urge to scratch” than to actually do it.

But here’s why you should leave your scabs alone:

When you pick and pull scabs off prematurely, you also risk exposing the still-unhealed skin underneath. Another downside is that some ink from the dermis could also be pulled out! This could lead to ‘patches’ or blank spots in the tattoo which would obviously affect the design.

 25. Apply lotion on normal-sized scabs

With the tiny punctured wounds now all closed up, it’s now time to begin moisturising your tattoo. Just like the soap you use to wash your tattoo, choose a non-fragranced lotion or moisturiser.

We highly recommend After Inked Tattoo Moisturizer and Aftercare Lotion. It’s enriched with grapeseed oil plus a few other ingredients to help nourish your skin. It’s guaranteed to hydrate your tattoo like no other!

Related article: The Best Tattoo Aftercare Lotions, Ointments, and Creams

 26. Apply lotion on the surrounding area of giant, non-normal scabs

Don’t apply lotion directly on a giant scab (Photo by Amanda from Flickr)

Giant scabs aren’t normal for a healing tattoo. If you followed our tattoo healing tips during the early stages (tips # 11 to 23), then scab formation would have been kept to a minimum.

But if it’s already there, what you can do apart from not forcibly pulling it out is to make sure you don’t apply lotion directly to the scab. This is because scabs are super absorbent. Lotions can cause the scab to go soggy which may lead to it falling off prematurely.

To avoid this scenario, it’s best to just apply lotion to the area surrounding the scab.

27. Eat a healthy diet

This advice may be a bit cliche, but the saying “healing starts from within” is real. Drinking lots of water and eating healthy food can solve a lot of health problems, and it can accelerate tattoo healing.

That said, if your diet is somewhat lacking (ehem, too much junk food), consider taking a multivitamin. We recommend Intelligent Labs’ Adult Multivitamin. Each bottle contains 60 vegetarian capsules (so it’s good for 2 months), with each capsule containing 25 essential nutrients in their most bioavailable forms.

 28. Avoid wearing tight clothes

The weeping and the oozing may have stopped, but the area is still very much tender. Tight clothes should still be avoided at this point. You don’t want anything rubbing against your tattoo – and the scabs. So, if possible, wear loose and comfortable clothing. Your tattoo will thank you!

 29. Start applying sunscreen when you go out

As you’ve learned earlier, sunscreen shouldn’t be applied to a weeping tattoo. But now that it’s stopped weeping, you can apply some SPF lotion when you go out into the sun.

The only downside to using this type of lotion is that it doesn’t last as long as other moisturising lotions. You’ll need to re-apply every two hours or so (will depend on the brand, too, so check the bottle’s packaging).

How to deal with an itching tattoo

This stage of the healing process is going to be insanely itchy! Here’s how you deal with the itch:

30. Apply a cold compress

Cold compresses work not just for reducing fevers, but it’s also great for relieving super itchy tattoos. Of course, you can only apply a compress when the surface of the skin’s no longer broken, a.k.a. it’s healed. Otherwise, you risk germs and bacteria from making a grand entrance and infecting your wound! To minimise the risk of infection, it’s better to put some clean cloth in between your tattoo and the compress.

 31. Tap or pat the itchy spot

This technique works for a lot of people. When the itch strikes, gently tap or pat the area. You can use a bit of force, but try not to hurt yourself, alright? The relief it will bring you will only be temporary, so you may need to slap yourself several times before the itch finally goes away (until the next flare-up, of course).

 32. Get busy with something

List down all the favourite things you like doing. It can be part of your job or a hobby, perhaps. Whatever it is, it should keep your mind off the itching. With your mind occupied with something more interesting and more exciting, you’ll soon forget your tattoo’s even there.

 33. Mind over matter

With positive thinking, self-discipline and extraordinary determination, you can resist the urge to scratch. You can start a mantra like:

• I can do this – I can make it through this itchy period.
• I will not scratch my tattoo.
• I will not ruin my tattoo by scratching it.   

Of course, you need to believe in the mantra to make it work. Otherwise, you’ll be really, really tempted to scratch your tatt.

“Mind over matter” will help you control your impulse to scratch. It will take a lot of self-awareness – you’ll probably catch yourself in the act of scratching a few times – but with practice, you should be able to get the itch under control.

Important note for Tips #33 and 34: Please consult with a medical professional before taking antihistamine or hydrocortisone for your itchy tattoo.

 34. Take antihistamines

Histamines are natural chemicals produced by the immune system. It protects us from perceived threats such as allergens and irritants.

Now, tattoo ink is obviously a foreign object, and as such, it’s not surprising that your immune system will try to get rid of it; hence, the production of histamines. It will stimulate the area surrounding the ink pigments to try and get the ink out. This is why your tattoo will itch so much during the healing process.

Fortunately, antihistamines do work against itchy tattoos. It comes in a variety of forms – creams, ointments, syrups, tablets, and more. For still-healing tattoos, oral antihistamine is better suited as a topical application may cause an infection (especially if the skin surface’s still not fully healed).

 35. Use hydrocortisone

This is another popular OTC medication that’s supposed to help relieve itchy tattoos. A thin layer of 1% hydrocortisone anti-itch cream should do wonders, but again, make sure the skin isn’t broken where you apply it!

Tips to help your tattoo heal faster during the late stages of healing

Finally! You’re almost done with the tattoo healing process! Without further ado, here’s what you should do to ensure your tattoo goes through the last stage successfully.

 36. Don’t peel off the flaking skin

Photo of a peeling tattoo (Image by Kat Selvocki)

The scabs are eventually going to fall off. And it’s going to happen here at this stage. The scabs will reveal the new layer of skin that your body’s been creating the past several days.

It can be so tempting to pull the flaking skin now, but please don’t! There’s still a risk of pulling some ink out as well. Let everything peel off in its own time.

If you’re wondering how long a tattoo takes to stop peeling, the answer is anywhere from a couple of days to a week.

37. Continue hydrating and moisturising your tattoo

Now’s not the time to stop moisturising your tattoo. In fact, by this time, you should have made lotioning a part of your daily skincare routine, and turned it into a daily habit.

Your tattoo will eventually fade over time. But if you moisturise properly, then you’ll also be preserving your tattoo’s appearance far longer than if you didn’t! Start living a healthy lifestyle if you aren’t already – your skin and your tattoo will thank you!

Bonus Tip

If you made it this far, you deserve a bonus tip! I wrote an article on why coconut oil is great for your skin, you can check it out here. Better yet, here’s an infographic summarising the benefits of coconut oil on tattoos:

Conclusion

Each and every single person on this planet is unique, but your tattoo sets you apart from everybody else. Showing your skin art off is your prerogative – there’s certainly nothing wrong with that. But before you do, make sure it’s fully healed so you avoid risking infection. That said, I hope the 36 tattoo healing tips you’ve learned in this article will help you heal your tattoo faster!

P.S. Feel free to share this article with your friends, so they too can experience faster tattoo healing!

You’ll go through a few weeks of discomfort. And if you didn’t think the entire thing through, you’ll probably feel some regret. That said, you’ll feel much better once your tattoo’s fully healed. So, read on to know all about the complex world of the tattoo healing process! 

The 4 Stages of the Tattoo Healing Process

To make the healing process easier to understand, we will need to divide it into four distinct stages. During each stage, your tattoo will change appearance. The symptoms you’ll experience will also improve as the healing progresses.

Here’s a quick summary of the 4 stages:

• Stage 1: Your tattoo will be extremely tender and will be oozing fluids and ink
• Stage 2: Your tattoo will be scabbing and itching
• Stage 3: Your tattoo will be flaking and peeling (and yes, still very much itchy)
• Stage 4: Your tattoo is now healed on the surface

We will be providing rough timelines or estimates for each stage, but these are in no way fixed or set. Tattoo healing times will vary due to a lot of factors, such as:

• The size of your tattoo
• Location of your tattoo
• The tattooist’s technique
• Your body’s immune system
• Your overall health condition

Also, if you think your tattoo doesn’t quite feel right, you may be having an allergic reaction to the ink. Or worse, you may be experiencing a tattoo infection.

Alright, let’s begin with the first stage:

Stage 1: Tender and oozing tattoo

Timeline:

Begins a few minutes after tattoo needles puncture your skin up until scabs start to form.  

What happens during this stage? And what to expect from a new tattoo?

This just-finished tattoo is now in the first stage of the healing process. (Image source: Allef Vinicius)

More often than not, the healing process begins whilst you’re still getting tattooed. This is especially true for tattoos that take anywhere from several minutes to a few hours to finish.

So, what happens during the tattooing process is that your skin is punctured thousands of times by tiny needles. If you feel lightheaded at the mere sight of blood, turn your head away. Or better yet, re-think your desire to get inked as you’ll likely see lots of blood during the tattooing process!

Now, while your tattooist is doing his job, your immune system (specifically the white blood cells) is trying its hardest to fight off the perceived “threat.”

These white blood cells, also known as macrophages, then absorb the ink deposited in the skin. It tries to do away with the ink, but the ink particles are too big for it to fully dissolve. This is why tattoos can last for years and years – all thanks to macrophages that thinks it’s doing a swell job protecting you from foreign invaders, a.k.a. the ink.

So, all these happen at the inner layer of skin – the dermis.

Meanwhile, in the epidermis…

Once the needles break the skin and it starts bleeding, your immune system will kick into action. In medical terminology, this is called the haemostasis stage.

Basically, your blood cells will clump together in the punctured area to try and protect the wound. It starts forming a blood clot to prevent further blood loss. 

Depending on the size of the tattoo, this clotting stage can last anywhere from half a day to a few days. During this time, your wound will be oozing blood (technically red blood cells) and plasma (the liquid component of blood that’s light yellow in colour).

Eventually, the clotting will effectively stop the bleeding. After some time, the clot will dry up and harden, and will be known in the next stage as a scab.

Tips for managing stage 1 of the healing process:

Obviously, this stage is the most sensitive – and need I say, painful – part of the healing process. Your skin has got hundreds or thousands of tiny holes drilled into it – all perfect entry points for germs, bacteria, and other harmful pathogens.

If you’ve had a relatively tiny tattoo done, then you may not experience some downtime. But if you suffered through a few hours of needle poking, then you may feel feverish and sick. It’s totally normal and the pain should subside gradually over the next several hours. Also, tattoo redness after 24 hours is still completely normal.

The tattoo healing process begins right this very moment (Photo by Angie Torres)

So, right after your tattoo is done, your tattooist will sterilise the tattoo with antibacterial cleaning agent, like green soap. And then he’ll wrap his handiwork in a fresh, clean sheet of cling film. This is to protect your tattoo from the elements as you head on home from the tattoo parlour.

Step 1: Remove the cling wrap from the tattooist’s

After a couple of hours, you should remove the cling film to let the wound breathe. The film will look extremely dirty thanks to the blood, plasma, and ink that would have congealed at the surface.

Step 2: Wash your hands

But don’t touch the tattoo with your bare hands just yet! Make sure you wash your hands first before you even attempt to clean the tattoo.

Step 3: Wash your tattoo

Once you’ve ensured your hands are no longer filthy, wash your fresh tattoo with warm water and antibacterial soap. Don’t use soap that has ‘fragrance’ listed as ingredient because this can irritate your skin. A gentle, non-fragranced, antibacterial soap like Dial Gold Hand Soap is a good option.

Related article: Our Top 10 Best Tattoo Soaps To Wash Your New Ink With

Step 4: Dry your skin

Your skin’s still very much tender at this point. So, please don’t rub it dry. Instead, pat it dry or let it air dry. If you choose to pat it dry, use kitchen roll to do so. Avoid towels as loose threads can stick in your still-oozing wound.

Step 5: Apply healing ointment

You can use something like Aquaphor, A+D, or even Hustle Butter (if you’re not a fan of petroleum-based products). These ointments will protect your skin from the elements while promoting healing underneath.

Step 6: Repeat steps 2-5 a few times daily

You want to avoid step 1 (re-wrapping the tattoo in cling wrap) because you want to let oxygen in and do its magic in the healing process. Repeat steps 2-5 maybe twice or thrice daily until you see scabs forming.

More tips for protecting your fresh tattoo:

The first few days are the most crucial part of the healing process. In addition to keeping it clean and well-aired (steps 1-6 above), here are some more tips to protect your tatt and prevent infection:

1. Don’t soak your new ink in water

Swimming and bathing are not options, at least not while your tatt is still weeping. A quick shower is all you can take at the moment, and even then, make sure it doesn’t get soaked. Don’t forget to not use a towel to dry out your tattoo. Instead, pat it dry using a few sheets of kitchen roll, or air dry it.

2. Don’t cover it with anything that can infect it

When you go to sleep or go out to work or wherever, make sure you protect your new tattoo. You can use a bandage or cling film to do so. But as soon as you get home, let your tatt breathe!

3. Use sun-protective clothing if you do go out in the sun

Shield your ink at all costs from the sun! You shouldn’t be applying SPF lotion at this stage with the puncture wounds still open, so sun-protective clothing is your best bet the first couple of days.

Stage 2: Scabbing and itching tattoo

Timeline:

From when scabs start to form until it starts falling off.

What happens during this stage?

Scabs on a new tattoo (Photo by Kim Laurenson)

As your wound continues to heal, you’ll feel it starting to itch. This feeling starts off as a slight itch that you can probably ignore. But as the days go by, the itch will become unbearable! And you may end up feeling like you need to be in a straitjacket just to avoid scratching your tattoo (it’s that intense)!

So, what’s happening here? Why is your tatt crazy itchy?

Well, let’s see here.

The skin is the largest organ in the human body. It contains blood vessels, oil glands, sweat glands, and nerve endings. When your skin is irritated, as is the case with a healing tattoo, it sends signals to the brain. In normal wound healing, this signal often comes in the form of itching.

Your tattoo is basically healing at two different layers – the dermis and the epidermis. Well, three if your tattooist applied too much pressure and stuck the needles in the hypodermis layer of skin.

So, at the epidermis, your skin is continuously collecting all the clear plasma that’s oozing from your tattoo. This is why it’s important to keep on cleaning the area, so the plasma doesn’t get too thick. If you fail to clean regularly, then chances are all that plasma is going to turn into thick scabs!

Scabs are normally fine, but when it comes to tattoos you want it to be as thin as possible. Otherwise, it can delay the healing process and even take out some ink in the process, thereby causing ‘patches’ or blank spots in your tatt!

There are a couple of theories why scabs itch:

• One of those is that the hard scab pulls at the new, healing skin underneath which irritates it.
• Another theory is that the scabs are too dry which can irritate the skin, and thus cause unbearable itching in the process.

Meanwhile, below the skin’s surface….

As a response to the ink, your immune system is also making histamines, a chemical whose main role is to get rid of ‘foreign objects’ or ‘allergens.’

Histamines cause the all-too-common itching in a healing tattoo (this is why antihistamines are effective at stopping the itch).

Of course, by now, the ink is well embedded in your dermis thanks to the macrophages, so you’re left scratching at something your fingernails can’t get to.

How to manage the scabs and relieve the itch:

Take great care not to let your scabs get this thick! (Photo by Amanda from Flickr)

This stage of the healing process will test your determination and your discipline. Just how badly do you want this tattoo to stay in its full form?

If you say you want it bad enough, then you need to do two things:

1. Protect the scabs at all cost. Under no circumstances should it be pulled off prematurely. It will fall off on its own when it’s ripe and ready.
2. Resist the temptation to scratch the itchy scab. I know this is easier said than done, which is why I said this stage will test your determination and discipline.

Alright, for the specifics of helping your tattoo survive this stage:

For scabs

1. Avoid wearing tight clothing, or basically anything that can cause the scabs to get pulled off prematurely. Just like the woman in the picture below. She’s wearing a sleeveless shirt, so her tattoos are in clear view:

Image source: Johan De Jager

• Apply a thin layer of moisturising lotion to hydrate and moisturise your skin. Spread it out evenly and include surrounding areas as well. Don’t slather on too thick a layer as it can cause your scabs to get moist and soggy, and cause damage to your tattoo when it falls off. See example of thick application below:

Image source: Anastasiia Ostapovych

For the itching

1. Apply a cold compress. At this point, the cold compress should only be applied on top of fabric or clothing. This is to protect the scab and prevent it from getting too moist.
2. Tap or pat the scab gently, just enough to divert your attention from the itching.
3. Occupy yourself with something very interesting. Watch some riveting movie on Netflix, or go play a round of your favourite card game with your friends. Anything (that won’t damage your tattoo) to keep your mind off the itching.
4. Use antihistamine to counteract the histamines your body’s producing. For unhealed wounds, take oral antihistamine as a topical application can do more harm than good.
5. Mind over matter. Tell yourself you can rise above the itch. For this to actually work, you need to believe in what you’re saying.

Our favourite aftercare products that can help minimise scabs and relieve itching

You can use these products in stage 2 and beyond. In fact, these products are ideal for long-term use because of how effective they are at moisturising the skin!

After Inked Tattoo Aftercare Lotion

This lotion, by far, is the best in terms of moisturising power and overall value. It’s made with grapeseed oil, shea butter, jojoba seed oil, and infused with vegetable glycerine to protect your tattoo.

A small application will last you an entire day, so you really only need to apply this lotion once a day. Of course, if the weather’s too cold and your skin dries up real fast, then multiple applications may be needed.

It’s also priced very fairly, which is quite surprising seeing how most vegan and organic products are so much more expensive than their mass-produced counterparts!

Hustle Butter Deluxe

Many tattooists swear by Hustle Butter. Some of them use it before and during the tattooing process, in addition to using it for aftercare, too. It’s made from shea, mango and aloe butters as well as coconut oil, so it does have a lot of moisturising ingredients in. Only downside is this product is quite expensive, so a small jar isn’t going to last you very long, especially if you’ve got multiple large tattoos.

Lubriderm Daily Moisture Lotion

Lubriderm is a common enough lotion that you probably already have a bottle at home. This is fragrance and lanolin-free, so it’s great for healing tattoos. Plus, it also lasts up to 24 hours, so a once-daily application is all that’s needed! A large bottle like the one shown in the photo can last you a long time!

Stage 3: Flaking, peeling, and yes, still itchy

Timeline:

Once the scabs have fully matured, it’s going to fall off. This normally happens in the second or third week (again, depends on your body’s healing rate).

What happens during this stage?

Photo of a peeling tattoo (Image by Kat Selvocki)

Nothing too exciting’s going on in this stage – everything happening now is the product of what happened in the previous healing stages. That said, you can now see the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel.

You can now start saying goodbye to the scabs that made your new tatt look cloudy, wrinkled and ugly. But don’t get too excited and pick them off one by one – let the scabs fall off in their own time. You don’t want to risk pulling some ink off when you do so!

Also, if your tattoo is still peeling after 3 weeks, but you’re not experiencing infection-related symptoms, then it should be totally fine. You’re probably just a slow healer. For peace of mind, however, you may want to consult with your tattooist or your GP.

How to manage this stage so you can move forward to the next one?

Moisturising lotions are your best friend at this stage. Your almost-healed tattoo is still going to itch like crazy. But with a bit of itch-management, you should be able to pull ahead and successfully resist the urge!

Continue using your favourite lotion and apply it as often as necessary. Some lotions advertise 24-hour moisturising power, so if you’re using one like that, then a once-a-day application is fine.

Stage 4: Healed tattoo (on the surface)

Timeline:

Once the scabs have all fallen off. This stage occurs on the 3^rd or 4^th week.

What a healed tattoo looks like:

Image source: Annie Spratt

At this point, the skin surface looks like it’s back to normal. You’ll know it’s healed because the scabs will have all peeled and flaked off. The dry, wrinkled skin is now all gone, replaced by smooth, new skin. The intense itch you’ve suffered the past several days is now gone, too. And the ink in your dermis is now very much visible thanks to the new epidermis layer!

However, the layers underneath are most likely not done yet. Experts say the inner layers of skin don’t fully heal until 2-3 months later. So, while the outside now looks great, your body’s still working hard to repair the damaged nerves, blood vessels, etc. below the surface.

How to take care of a healed tattoo:

Maintaining a tattoo is easier said than done. Whilst the wound is still healing, you get constant reminders to take care of your tattoo thanks to the tenderness and itchiness you’ll feel in the first few weeks. But once it’s healed, it’s a bit harder to maintain it. If you want to see your tatt live on and look good forever, then maintain it you must!

Moisturise, moisturise, moisturise

We can’t stress enough just how important moisturising your tattoo is. Whether it’s been a month after getting the tatt or two decades later, you still need to apply lotion on a daily basis. If you’re not used to putting lotion now, then you best get used to it. Make a habit of applying lotion to your skin on a regular basis.

Protect your tattoo from the sun

Have you ever seen tattoos from people who stay out in the sun for long periods of time? Think sailors and those who work in outdoor environments. If they’ve been lax about protecting their tattoo, their tatts will look faded and old. Using high SPF lotion can offer some protection, but you need to apply it every single time you go out into the sun.

The reason why the sun does so much damage to tattoos is because sunlight can break down the ink pigment that are trapped in the dermis. This results to ink that no longer look as vibrant, and lines that look blurry and faded.

This is also why it’s not recommended to get tattoos in body parts that are frequently exposed to the sun – your face, your neck, your hands, etc. For best results and longer lasting tattoos, choose a spot that doesn’t get as much sunlight on.

Eat healthy and drink lots of water

Your tattoo can only look as good as the skin it’s on, right? So, if you smoke a lot and you don’t drink plenty of water everyday, then chances are your skin’s going to look much older than it should be.

One of the best ways to take care of your tattoo is to nourish it from the inside out. By eating healthy and hydrating properly, you’re extending the life of your tattoo as well!

Not sure if you’re getting enough nutrients from your diet? Consider taking a complete multivitamin like this one from Intelligent Labs.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Tattoo Healing Process

Is coconut oil safe to apply on a healing tattoo?

Virgin coconut oil is one of nature’s most effective moisturisers. It’s rich in medium chain fatty acids that will not only protect your tattoo from infection, but also nourish it from the inside out. I recommend you start applying the oil once scabs start forming, not before. Contrary to some people’s fears, coconut oil won’t fade a tattoo (as long as it’s applied once scabs form).

How long does a tattoo heal?

The length by which your tattoo heals depends on how healthy you are, the location where you got inked, your tattooist’s skill, and how well you follow tattoo aftercare instructions.

Here’s an infographic to show you how proper tattoo aftercare works:

How long does it take for a tattoo to scab?

If it’s a smallish tattoo done by a skilled artist, and you meticulously clean and air out your wound, then you’ll see scabs starting to form in as little as 1-2 days. For others, it may take more than a couple of days for scabs to show up.  

What to do when your new tattoo is peeling?

Don’t do anything, apart from continuing to moisturise your tattoo. Don’t pull, don’t tear, don’t pick. Protect the peeling skin from anything that will cause it to prematurely fall off.

Do tattoos fade after healing?

Tattoos look a bit faded after healing, doesn’t it? It’s not as vibrant and as shiny as when you had it done at the studio. But that’s all totally normal because as the top layer of skin sheds off (the epidermis), new skin replaces it. The old skin would have had traces of ink in it due to the very nature of tattooing, but once it’s replaced by new skin, all ink in the epidermis will disappear.

Why does my black tattoo ink look grey now?

There are plenty of reasons why your black ink may look grey. During the tattoo healing process, it could be because the silvery scabs are covering up the ink in the dermis. Or, once it’s fully healed, it could be because of too much exposure to the sun. Alternatively, low quality ink may have been used in the tattooing.

Why does my tattoo feel hot?

Quite frankly, a tattoo feeling hot within the first 24-48 hours is normal. Your skin just went through some rough time, and it’s your body’s normal reaction to raise temperature to potentially save you from an infection. However, if after 2 days, you still feel unwell and you experience symptoms such as swelling, pus, and foul odour, then your tattoo may be infected.

When will my tattoo stop hurting?

Pain should normally subside within a week, much faster if it’s just a small tattoo. Also, if you got tattooed on an area with lots of fat underneath the skin, then the pain should be more manageable. However, if you had it done on a bony part, then the pain may last longer.

Conclusion

The tattoo healing process is but a normal consequence of getting a tattoo. Observe proper aftercare and the entire healing will go along smoothly. Of course, when I say smoothly, take it with a grain of salt. During the scabbing and the flaking stages, you’ll experience immense itchiness that will test your patience. Just do your best to ignore your instinct to scratch, and you’ll soon see your tattoo fully healed up!

Why are you on antibiotics?

Photo by Volodymyr Hryshchenko

You’re most likely on antibiotics because your doctor advised you to. If you’re suffering from a bacterial infection, then one of the first things they will recommend is for you to take antibiotics for several days (the length depends on the infection).

Antibiotics treat infections by killing bacteria – or at least slow down its growth. They don’t work as well against viruses though; this is why antibiotics are also known as antibacterials.

Can you get a tattoo while on antibiotics?

Well, technically, you can. But you shouldn’t. Why? Because your body’s already fighting off an infection. If you get a tattoo, you’ll just add more work for your immune system.

An overloaded immune system can slow down the tattoo healing process. What may only take a few weeks at most to fully heal can drag on for a few months!

Don’t be impatient. Your tattoo will live on your skin forever. If you rush it – even if you’re not feeling a hundred percent – then you can ruin your tattoo BEFORE you even get it!

So, here’s how tattoos work. Basically, your tattooist makes thousands of tiny puncture wounds on your skin so that ink can be inserted. And those tiny openings on your skin make for perfect entry points for germs, bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens.

E. Coli bacteria (Photo by Gerd Altmann)

Of course, the antibiotics you’re already taking will take care of bacteria. But what about the other pathogens it’s not effective against? Those will wreak havoc on your body!

Additionally, when your immune system’s already got such a heavy workload, it will most likely lead to your body rejecting the ink. This is because the antibiotics will try to neutralise the perceived threat – the tattoo ink.

When the ink’s rejected, it will cause your tattoo to look misshapen, distorted and blurred. And when this happens, you’ll move on to the next very much optional stage of the tattooing process – tattoo regret.

When you start feeling bad about how your tattoo looks, you’ll think of getting it removed. Unfortunately, tattoo removal isn’t as easy as scraping the ink off your skin. It’s a lengthy, painful, laser-assisted process that will cost you lots of time and money. Oh, and it’s also more painful than the tattooing process itself! That said, all these can be avoided if you wait until you’re done with the antibiotics.

With your immune system already working hard to contain your pre-existing infection, your health can seriously suffer. Do you want to compromise your health just to get some ink on your skin? I sure hope not.

Also, if you’re thinking of getting a scratcher (a non-licensed, amateur ‘tattooist’) to work on you while you’re on antibiotics, then you could be opening yourself up to a world of danger.

The same thing goes if you’re planning on getting a cute, hand poke tattoo done by your friend from the comfort of your living room couch. Why? Because getting tattooed in a non-sterile environment by an inexperienced person will likely lead to tattoo infections!

Can you get a tattoo while sick?

Just like with antibiotics, the answer is yes, but you really shouldn’t. The same reasons why not (see previous section) also applies in this case. When you’re sick, your body’s not well-conditioned for healing. Therefore, you should also postpone your tattoo appointment when you’re sick on the day of. Getting well instead of getting inked should be your top priority! 

What should you do instead?  

Move your tattoo appointment to a later date (Photo by Mockaroon)

Talk to your tattooist and reschedule to a later date. But what if your tattooist is booked for months?  Well, you’ve got a few choices at this point:

• You can hire another tattooist with a less busy schedule; or
• You can wait for the same tattooist; or
• Just don’t get a tattoo.

Your tattoo can wait. And if it’s your first time getting inked, you should be thinking it through – now’s your chance to do so.  

Alternatively, if you’ve yet to start taking your antibiotics, then perhaps you can get a tattoo first then take an antibiotic later? Of course, you better consult with your doctor first before you plan your next move. You don’t want your infection to get worse just because you can’t wait to get inked!

That said, if you are taking antibiotics, don’t forget to take probiotics as well to help restore balance to your gut microbiota. Antibiotics don’t differentiate between good and bad bacteria, so high-quality probiotics are definitely a must when taking antibiotics!

Look for a brand that has a good probiotic strength (50 Billion CFU is a good start), contains patented probiotics (these are scientifically researched strains with proven health benefits) and prebiotics (so the probiotics don’t die off whilst in transit). Here at TattooMoisturiser, we’re huge fans of the Intelligent Labs Adult Probiotics with Prebiotics!

Conclusion

Most, if not all, licensed tattooists would prefer to work on fully healthy clients. You are displaying their skill and craftsmanship on your body, after all. They’d want their art to look as good as it possibly can. Unfortunately, getting a tattoo while on antibiotics can compromise both your health and your new tattoo. Remember to think before you ink!

What’s a tattoo allergy?

A swollen tattoo (Photo by Kim Laurenson)

Tattoo allergies are usually localised reactions to tattoo ink (and in rare cases, even the tattooing equipment used). It’s ‘localised’ because it will usually only appear at the tattooed area. More often than not, it will be located directly above the tattoo (colour) ink you’re specifically allergic to.

Say, for instance, you had a tattoo of a fish with red eyes. If you’re allergic to red ink, the symptoms will only show up at the spots where red ink was used (the eyes).

Note, however, that not all allergies will present localised symptoms. Others will affect the entire tattooed area and even the skin surrounding it.

Also, some allergies don’t happen straight away. In many cases, they occur a few hours or a few days after getting the tattoo. In rare instances, they can even appear months or years later!

Obviously, if this happens to you, you’ll be left scratching your head. But remember, tattoo ink is a foreign object inserted in your body. You may think it’s settled in after a while. But the truth is, you can’t ever be 100% certain you’ll never experience a tattoo allergy in your lifetime.

Allergic reaction to tattoo ink: mild to severe signs and symptoms

You know, the milder symptoms of tattoo allergies, tattoo infections and the beginning of the tattoo healing process can look pretty much the same for the first few days. However, it’s when the reactions start becoming severe that you truly need to worry. That said, here are some common presenting symptoms of tattoo ink allergy:

Mild symptoms:

• Itching

Itching is pretty much normal for a healing tattoo, but for a fresh one, not so much. So, if you find your tatt itching like there’s no tomorrow, well, perhaps you’re having an allergic reaction.

• Swelling

A bit of inflammation is normal during the early days, too. But if it shows no sign of slowing down and going back to normal, then an allergy may be responsible for the swelling.

• Scaly skin around the tattoo

Scaly skin shouldn’t be seen around your new tattoo. Unless you’ve got skin drier than the Sahara, then in that case, a nice moisturising lotion might be in order.

• Rashes and bumps

You also get rashes and bumps with an infection. But with a tattoo ink allergy, it’s bound to either go away on its own after a few days or some anti-allergy medicine (e.g. antihistamine) will take care of it pretty quickly.

• Irritation and redness

All tattoos are going to look red during the first 24-48 hours. Your skin just took a beating courtesy of tiny needle pricks (thousands of them!). However, with a tattoo allergy, instead of the redness eventually going away, it may intensify even more.

Severe symptoms:

• Intense itching

Photo by Анастасия Гепп from Pixabay

Itching and intense itching are two different things. Intense itching will feel like something’s crawling underneath, and you literally can’t help but scratch it. But try your hardest and resist the temptation to do so – for your tattoo and your health’s sake!

• Burning feeling in and around tattooed area

Well, this is obviously a bad sign. If you feel like this, call your GP ASAP.

• Pus discharge from wound

Pus is never a good sign. It can signal either an allergy or an infection. Either way, it’s bad. And if not treated early, it can progress to something so much worse.

• Fever and chills

Some people do get fevers just by getting a tattoo. Perhaps their immune system’s a bit on the weak side and it’s gone on overdrive to protect the body from infection. However, if your body temperature goes to 39C and up, and you’re experiencing chills, seek medical attention.

• Difficulty breathing

Obviously, if you have trouble breathing because of a tattoo ink allergy, then you need to do something straight away! Your airway’s literally telling you to go and present yourself at the hospital, so don’t delay!

Common causes of tattoo ink allergies

If you’re wondering what’s causing all these allergy symptoms to appear right after getting a tattoo, here are the most common causes.

1. Heavy metals

Colourful tattoos sure are nice to look at, especially if it’s on your skin. But it might surprise you to know that some tattoo ink manufacturers use certain heavy metals and chemicals as ingredients/pigments for their ink. This is, unfortunately, the downside of an industry that is not as tightly regulated as it should be.

Here are examples of heavy metals used in tattoo inks:

• Red – can include mercury, cadmium, iron
• Yellow – can include lead, cadmium, zinc, ferricyanide
• Black – can include nickel, carbon, iron
• Green – can include lead, chromium, aluminium, copper, ferricyanide, copper
• Blue – can include cobalt, copper, ferrocyanide
• White – can include lead, zinc, titanium, barium

This isn’t a comprehensive list by any means. Many ink manufacturers don’t even bother listing the ingredients on their ink bottles. They just slap a label saying, ‘Tattoo Ink’ and sell it!    

Now, some of these ingredients are commonly used to make printer ink and automobile paint. Therefore, it’s really not all that surprising to learn that these inks cause severe tattoo allergies in many people!  

2. Photosensitivity

Sunlight is good for the skin. Normally. But with a healing tattoo, sunlight isn’t your friend. In fact, you need to stay well out of the sun’s rays for as long as 4 weeks. Or at least until your skin fully heals.

Depending on how sensitive your skin is, you could get burned. Obviously, this wouldn’t be a great look for your new tattoo. And if you had your tatt done in red or yellow ink, then you need to take this advice seriously. Why? Because these colour inks usually contain cadmium which can cause an allergic reaction when exposed to sunlight!

Here’s the thing though. Your tattoo may already be fully healed, but as soon as it gets exposed to the sun, you could still experience a (delayed) reaction. This is the reason you’ll hear people wondering why they’re still getting bumpy and raised tattoos after months – or even years – of getting their skin inked!

3. Tattoo ink rejection

It’s common for some ink to ooze out when the tattoo’s relatively fresh. Over the next few days, you’ll see ink coming off in bits and pieces – don’t be alarmed, it’s all totally normal.

However, what isn’t normal is when you turn out to be allergic to the ink and your body is trying to reject it. In many places, tattooists don’t exactly tell you what’s in the ink bottle, so if in doubt, don’t be afraid to ask.

Either way, you could be allergic to one or all of the tattoo ink ingredients. The most telling sign would be symptoms that just won’t go away no matter what you do. In cases like these, tattoo removal may be the only suitable treatment option for you.

4. Sensitive skin

It’s true – some people are born with skin so sensitive that a few seconds of contact with an offending allergen can produce angry little red bumps all over the contact area! Now imagine getting a tattoo and having the tattooist’s hand apply pressure on your skin for several minutes at a time. You could be allergic to the gloves, or you could be allergic to the ink.

Some culprits would be skin conditions like eczema and dermatitis. Technically, eczema is just a more generic term for a type of dermatitis called ‘atopic dermatitis.’ According to Dr. David Hauswirth, eczema affects 10 to 20% of the population.

Some people are aware they have it and tell their tattooist beforehand. Others may get a tattoo without knowing they have a pre-existing skin condition that will likely result to flare-ups, increased itching and redness.

Fortunately, eczema and dermatitis won’t stop you from getting inked. Just don’t go to the tattooist in the midst of a flare-up, but also be honest with them about your condition so they’re aware of it.  

How to test if you’re allergic to tattoo ink?

It would be nice to know if you’re allergic to ink, right? It will save you a world of trouble. Unfortunately, there’s no foolproof method yet that can actually 100% confirm you’re allergic to ink or not. But you can try any of the methods below and see if it works for you:

1. Tattoo ink patch test

Ask your tattooist for a simple ink patch test (Photo by Yannic Läderach)

If you’ve got sensitive skin that tends to react to the littlest thing, then a patch test may be advisable for you. Now, some tattooists may ask for your medical history. But just in case they don’t, take the initiative and tell them about your skin condition.

The patch testing process is relatively quick and simple. There are two ways your tattooist may go about this:

1. External – the tattooist will put a drop of ink (it should be the same kind that will be used on your tattoo) on a patch of skin.
2. Internal – the tattooist will actually tattoo a tiny dot on your skin. This will insert the pigment, so you get a more accurate test result.

Either way, you’ll be asked to observe and wait for at least 24 hours to see if you develop a reaction to the ink.

If you don’t develop itching, swelling or redness, then chances are, you’re good with the ink. In this case, you may proceed with the tattooing process.

Take note, however, that if your tattoo design requires a number of colours, then your tattooist should patch test each type of ink on your skin.

Again, this method isn’t a foolproof way of preventing an allergy. Sometimes, even if you pass the patch test with flying colours, you may still experience some allergic reaction a few weeks or months later.

2. Known allergies to ink ingredients

Asking questions is acceptable in tattoo studios. So, please don’t be afraid to ask what’s in the ink bottle. After all, that ink is going in your skin – you’ve got all the right in the world to know!

Of course, this method will only work if you already know what you’re allergic to. If you have contact dermatitis or atopic dermatitis, you’ve probably had patch testing done before. If you have, then you’re in luck.

However, it doesn’t mean to say that if none of the ink ingredients is on your allergen list, then you’re not going to get some kind of allergic reaction to the ink. If you want to be doubly sure (but still not a 100% guarantee), then I recommend you request a tattoo ink patch test from your tattooist as well.

Treatment options for your tattoo ink allergy

Choosing the right treatment option will surely bring a world of relief to your allergy. While this list isn’t comprehensive by any means, the suggestions on this list should help you find some relief – hopefully the permanent kind!

1. Take over-the-counter medicine

A photo of OTC medicine (Photo by Brett Jordan)

Antihistamines can help stop the itching. You can take either the sedating (perfect if you’re just about ready to tuck in for the night) or non-sedating (if the itch strikes while you’re about to head out the door) kind. If you experience a rash along with the itching, hydrocortisone may do the trick for you.

Obviously, we don’t know your exact issue, so before you actually take any of these medicines, please consult with your GP. The last thing you want is for the medicine to cause even more problems for you!

2. Cold compress

A minor allergy can be quelled by applying a cold compress on the affected area. Now, this is often only a temporary solution, and the symptoms may reappear after an hour or two. But try pairing a cold compress with some medicine, you may finally be able to get some long-lasting relief! 

3. Apply itch relieving cream or ointment

These kinds of creams are great for use on fully healed tattoos. But for unhealed ones, you need to check first with your tattooist or your GP as some ingredients may pull out ink from your skin. Obviously, you don’t want this to happen as you could end up with a patchy tattoo! 

4. Hydrate and moisturise skin

Like itch relieving creams, this treatment option is best for tattoos that have at least stopped oozing plasma and are already in the scabbing stage. This is because if moisturising lotion is applied prematurely to a fresh weeping tattoo, then it can get absorbed by the skin. This can lead to an infection (so now, you’re the unfortunate soul with both a tattoo allergy and infection!).

For best results, we recommend you use After Inked Tattoo Aftercare Lotion – this is one of the best hydrating lotions for tattoos in the market right now.

5. Tattoo removal

Tattoo removal (Photo by dfrankg on Flickr)

Obviously, this isn’t everyone’s first choice. But if worse comes to worst, and your tattoo ink allergy doesn’t seem to be improving, then this may be the only option. Now, you should never attempt to remove the ink yourself – it’s not as simple as squeezing the ink out of your skin!

You also can’t go back to your tattooist and ask them to remove the tattoo. For tattoo removal, you’ll need to see a doctor. They’ll use a laser machine to break up the ink particles, which will then be absorbed by your body and excreted as waste later on.

Unfortunately, tattoo removal is more costly and more painful than getting a tattoo in the first place. It also doesn’t happen in one sitting. Depending on how big and how colourful your tattoo is, it may take several sessions before you finally see the last drop of ink. Even then, it’s not a 100% guarantee that it will totally vanish from your skin.

Prevention is better than cure, so here’s how you minimise tattoo allergy risk

There is no guarantee, but here are a few tips you can follow to minimise a tattoo ink allergy.

1. Choose the right tattooist

A professional tattooist at work (Photo by Allef Vinicius)

You don’t need to become best buds with your tattooist, but it’s nice to be comfortable with someone who’s going to inflict a world of pain on you. That said, here’s what you should look for in a tattooist:

• Are they registered? Their registration certificate should be displayed in the studio.
• Are they reputable? They should have a stellar reputation. Ask them for references or check out their website and social media pages. Read what people are saying about them.
• Are they honest? They’ll willingly answer all your questions about the tattooing process – from the preparation (using new gloves, putting protective film on all equipment used), the type of ink used and its ingredients, the tattoo process and aftercare – a true professional won’t hesitate to educate you before actually inking your skin.
• Do they verify your age? If you’re young, they should ask you for ID to prove you’re at least 18 years of age – it’s illegal in the UK to tattoo anyone under 18.
• Do they pass the eye test? Their studio should be very clean and the tattooist himself should wear clean (not bloody) clothes.

2. Don’t get a tattoo if you’re sick

Getting a tattoo whilst you’re feeling ill is a bad idea. A tattoo is basically an open wound, so your immune system will be working doubly hard to protect you. Reschedule your appointment. A reputable tattooist won’t work on you if he or she knows you’re ill as it can compromise their work and your health, too.

3. Find out if you have allergies and/or skin condition

Getting a patch test is a good idea, but it would be even better if you already know what you’re allergic to. You can go to an allergist to find out if you’re allergic to common tattoo ingredients. Or if you suspect you have an existing skin condition that can affect your tattoo, speak to a dermatologist about it.

Conclusion

Allergic reactions to tattoos can happen to anyone at any given time. Some get it right after their tattoo appointment, while others don’t present allergy symptoms until much, much later. Whatever your case may be, don’t panic. If none of the allergy treatment ideas I’ve shared here in this article works for you, please get in touch with your GP.