Basics · 2 min read
Aftercare: the first 30 days of a new tattoo
What to expect day by day as a tattoo heals, what helps, what to avoid and when it's worth asking your artist (or a doctor) for advice.
M.D Cost, Copywriter, DyeDem ·
A tattoo is a small, controlled wound, and for the first few weeks it heals like one. Your artist's instructions come first, because they know their technique and the products they trust. What follows is the general shape of healing, so nothing in the weeks ahead takes you by surprise.
Days 1 to 3: keep it clean
Leave the wrap or film on for as long as your artist tells you. Once it comes off, wash your hands first, then wash the tattoo gently with lukewarm water and a mild, unscented soap. Use your fingertips, not a cloth or sponge, and pat it dry with clean paper towel.
It is normal for the area to be red, warm and a little swollen, and for some ink and clear fluid to weep out. A very thin layer of the balm or lotion your artist recommends is plenty; too much keeps the skin soggy and slows healing.
Days 4 to 14: itching and peeling
This is the stage that tests everyone's patience. The skin tightens, then flakes and peels much like a mild sunburn. The tattoo may look dull or cloudy; this is a fresh layer of skin settling over the ink and it clears up.
- Don't scratch, pick or peel. Pulling off flakes early can pull ink with them.
- If it itches, a light tap or a cool compress helps more than you'd think.
- Keep washing it once or twice a day and moisturise thinly when it feels tight.
- Wear loose, clean clothes over it, especially to bed.
Days 15 to 30: almost there
The surface usually looks healed somewhere between two and four weeks in, but the deeper layers of skin carry on repairing for longer. Keep moisturising and keep the tattoo out of strong sun. If your artist offers a free touch-up, this is when you'll see whether any spot needs it.
What to avoid until it has healed
- Soaking: swimming pools, the sea, baths and hot tubs.
- Direct sun and tanning. Cover it with clothing; save sunscreen for once it has healed.
- Tight clothes, straps or shoes that rub the area.
- Heavy sweating and gym equipment pressing on the fresh tattoo.
- Shaving over it.
When to ask for help
Some redness and tenderness are expected in the first days. Pain that gets worse instead of better, spreading redness, pus, a bad smell, red streaks or a fever are not. Contact a doctor promptly if you notice any of them, and let your artist know too.
The artist puts the ink in. How it heals is mostly up to you, and the effort lasts only a few weeks.
Afterwards: sunscreen for life
Sunlight is the main reason tattoos fade and blur. Once the skin has fully healed, use a broad-spectrum sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher whenever your tattoo is out in the sun. It keeps black lines crisp and colour bright for years longer.
