A tattoo may look healed within a few days. However, it’s important to stay consistent with aftercare: The healing process can actually take as long as 6 months.
We’ll go over the healing stages of a tattoo, what types of tattoos take longer to heal, and the best aftercare practices to keep it clean.
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Tattoos go through stages that are a natural and important part of the healing process. The healing process can be divided into four distinct stages:
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Your tattoo artist will bandage your tattoo. They’ll tell you when to take it off, anywhere from a few hours to a week.
Once you remove the bandage you may notice fluid coming from your tattoo, or that the surrounding skin is very red. It’s also normal to see ink coming out of the tattoo, sometimes called “weeping.”
This will likely last for a week or so, but if the redness and oozing doesn’t subside after a week, you’ll want to check in with your doctor.
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In the first and second week, your new tattoo will likely start to itch and flake. Resist the urge to scratch it. Applying gentle lotion should help. You can also put an ice pack
In the second, third, and fourth weeks, your tattoo will probably begin to peel. This skin is sloughing off as the body’s natural response to what it perceives as injury.
The tattoo itself won’t flake off. It’s just a normal part of the process. In fact, it shows your tattoo is healing well.
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After the first month, your tattoo will look vibrant and fully healed. It’s easy to remember aftercare in the first few weeks, but it’s essential to keep it up for several months. Doing so will help the tattoo stay clean and look its best.
The length of healing time depends on your tattoo’s location. For example, a tattoo near a joint (like the hand or ankle) or anywhere that flexes (like a wrist) will take longer than a place that doesn’t move much.
Keeping your tattoo clean is essential to avoid infection. Use a fragrance-free, hypoallergenic soap to clean it. If you live in an area where the
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To drink, wash your tattoo with distilled water instead, or boil your water first and let it cool. Let the tattoo fully dry before applying moisturizer.
Your tattoo artist will likely give you a thick ointment to use in the first few days, but after that you can switch to a lighter, gentle drugstore moisturizer like Lubriderm or Eucerin. It will also help with the itching.
Some people even like to use pure coconut oil, which is an antimicrobial. Just be sure to avoid products that contain fragrance, which can irritate your healing skin.
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In the first few months after getting a tattoo, keep it covered with sunscreen or sun-protective clothing. Direct sunlight can cause your tattoo to fade, which can’t be reversed.
Your tattoo will likely scab over and itch. Avoid the temptation to pick or scratch at the scabs. Scratching may change the look of the tattoo or cause scarring. You can apply moisturizer to help ease the itching.
Every tattoo heals slightly differently depending on each person and where the tattoo is located. The healing process follows a four-stage healing timeline that includes oozing, itching, peeling, and continued aftercare.
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It’s important to be consistent and strident about aftercare so your tattoo doesn’t get infected. If you see any signs that your tattoo isn’t properly healing, see your doctor as soon as possible.
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Rachel is a board-certified dermatologist and Assistant Clinical Professor at Mount Sinai Hospital Department of Dermatology. She has contributed to , as well as Harpers Bazaar, Marie Claire, Allure, Vogue, and the New York Times, and more
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If you’re anything like me, pop culture has familiarized you with both the tattooing process and the final product, but not so much what happens in between. Naturally, questions about this in-between stage linger: How long does a tattoo take to heal? Is the healing process painful? And what are some signs that a tattoo isn't healing properly? As a dermatologist, I can tell you that these are perfectly normal questions to have. So ahead, I sat down with my board-certified colleague Dr. Liza A. Moore and tattoo artist Adam Makharita to demystify the tattoo healing process.
It is normal for a tattoo to be red, swollen, and tender for the first 48 to 72 hours. There may also be some oozing of blood and/or ink during this time period. Makharita notes that these symptoms should improve significantly each day. Prolonged symptoms should be evaluated by your tattoo artist and/or a physician.
As the healing process continues, the top layer of skin peels, flakes, scabs, and itches—similar to the response the body makes as it recovers from a sunburn. This is a normal, healthy recovery process. Avoid scratching, rubbing, picking at scabs, and physically removing peeling skin. Doing these things might only cause more injury and prolong the recovery period.
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The visible signs noted above have typically resolved by the third week post-procedure, in our experience, however, the tattoo will may remain dull and dark appearing until approximately one month after the tattooing procedure. At the one-month mark, the tattoo may have taken on its permanent vibrant color. Remodeling of the skin underneath the tattoo will continue for three to six months when tattoos are fully healed.
In general, it takes approximately one month from the time of tattooing for a tattoo to take on its permanent form in a young, healthy individual, though as mentioned above, tattoos are considered fully healed around 3 months. However, there are some factors that can influence healing time. For one, tattoos with more saturated color areas may take slightly longer to heal. Makharita explains that saturated pigment requires more needle pricks to deposit ink than finer tattoos. This may create a larger inflammatory response, potentially requiring a longer recovery phase.
Both experts have slightly different post-care instructions, but the core of their routine is the same: The body is capable of healing the wound as long as we don’t get in its way. Makharita emphasizes that improvement should occur daily, and that lack of daily improvement may be a sign of delayed wound healing or infection.
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There are a few tell-tale signs that your tattoo isn't healing properly. Namely, if you're experiencing any redness, puffiness, or itching beyond a few days, consult with your physician. Also, if you notice any fluid or pus oozing from the tattoo, this may be a sign of infection.
The tattoo healing process is fairly straightforward. Swelling, pain, and oozing typically resolve by day three and are followed by itching and peeling for another week, in our experts' experience. Your tattoo may even look darker and duller than expected for the first month. Follow the proper course of care from your dermatologist and/or tattoo artist, as proper care may help protect you from infection and create a better tattoo result.
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