It's safe to scratch your tattoo once it fully heals, or after 4 weeks. Allow your tattoo to scab, peel, and recover from damage before giving in to any itchiness.
It is important not to scratch a tattoo while it's healing. If the itching is accompanied by pain or other symptoms, see your healthcare provider so they can determine the underlying cause.
Yes! You should be good 2 weeks after really. Of course you want it to heal as much as possible first, so if it is sore, hold off. You could ask them to use coconut oil or another blend that is great for healing as well.
It's generally not advisable to scratch a tattoo, even lightly, especially during the healing process. Scratching can irritate the skin, potentially lead to infection, and affect the appearance of the tattoo.
By the end of the second week, you should see your open wound transition to a closed wound. The scarring will get smaller, and you'll start to see what your healed tattoo will look like. Keep your tattoo out of the sun for the first 14 days until you're able to safely put sunscreen on it.
Tattoo Care After 2 Weeks (Days 15 to 30):
If your tattoo looks dry and dull, continue to moisturize to rehydrate the skin. It may take another month or two for the lower layers of skin to completely heal, at which point the tattoo should look as bright and vivid as expected, and as the artist intended.
How fast can a tattoo get infected? Some infections occur shortly after getting a tattoo. Others develop over time, and you might not notice them until months later.
Do not rub it. It is common that a new tattoo may be sensitive, red or slightly inflamed.
It's normal for a raised tattoo to go down after one to two weeks with proper aftercare. If it's taking a lot longer than that or if the situation is getting worse, you may have an infection. The best way to avoid an infected tattoo is to follow your artist's aftercare instructions down to the letter.
Avoid abrasive soaps or loofahs and hot showers, and allow your tattoo to fully heal for 3-4 weeks before swimming or taking a bath. If you make sure to gently clean and rinse your tattoo and avoid submerging it in the bath, pool or ocean, you'll keep your tattoo vibrant for years to come and avoid bacterial infection.
It's also important to avoid scratching the area, according to Nesheva. “Avoid stretching and pulling the tattooed skin,” says Nesheva. “Stretching and pulling can promote spreading of the ink beyond tattoo lines, which can create the blowout effect.
Aftercare & Aging
Fine line tattoos are applied with less ink. While the ink is still embedded in the second layer of skin, the single needle does not penetrate as deeply or deposit as much ink. As a result, it is common for fine line tattoos to fade with age.
-As your tattoo is healing it might begin to scab and itch. It's extremely important to not pick, scratch, or peel your tattoo! If you do you will lift the scab and pull the ink out leaving your tattoo with missing ink and scars. If your tattoo is itchy you can lightly slap it or apply an ice pack.
Use the Aquaphor for the first 2-3 days then switch to a regular FRAGRANCE-FREE lotion such as Lubriderm, or any other fragrance-free brand. 5. Fresh tattoos sometimes “weep” during the first couple of days, meaning that plasma and ink form a thin moist coating on the skin. This can be DABBED with a clean paper towel.
Is it OK to wear clothes over a new tattoo? Yes, but try not to after the few initial days after application. If you do, make sure you change your clothes frequently. In our experience, tattoos can weep onto the clothes and if you don't change them, it can cause infection.
The scabbing stage can last a few days. The tattooed area is unlikely to still feel sore after about two weeks.
Sometime between two to four weeks after getting a new tattoo – when your tattoo scabs and/or peels - your new ink may appear more faded and duller than expected. Don't worry, this is completely natural.