healing tattoos
If you’ve ever looked online to see how to heal a tattoo you’ll find a ton of different opinions, conflicting ideas, and straight up bad advice. I get that its confusing and difficult to find trustworthy information, so lets take a deep dive into the healing of tattoos.
Let us not act like medical science doesn’t know exactly how to heal tattoos- we know why scabs form, we know why infections happen, and we know how and why ink stays under the skin. If we take a science based approach, we will begin to understand why some weird advice works, and some logical ideas don’t.
Firstly lets talk scabs- because thick, cracking scabs are kryptonite for a healing tattoo, in other words- very bad. Ink can leak out of the cracks, allow dirt to get it, and cause excess trauma to the skin. So, how do scabs form?
According to johnhopkinsmedicine.org,
“When your skin is cut, scraped, or punctured, you usually start to bleed. Within minutes or even seconds, blood cells start to clump together and clot, protecting the wound and preventing further blood loss. These clots, which turn into scabs as they dry, are created by a type of blood cell called a platelet.”
Further more, the article goes in to explain the healing process further,
“Once the wound is closed with a clot, the blood vessels can open a bit to allow fresh nutrients and oxygen into the wound for healing…Another type of blood cell, a white blood cell called a macrophage, takes on the role of wound protector. This cell fights infection and oversees the repair process. You might see some clear fluid on or around the cut at this time. That is helping clean out the wound.”
Well, this explains all the clear fluid that leaks from your fresh tattoo! Its good to keep this fluid on the tattoo for a while, which is why we tell you to leave your bandage on for 6-12 hours after your tattoo!
And one last very important thing:
“Once the wound is closed with a clot, the blood vessels can open a bit to allow fresh nutrients and oxygen into the wound for healing.”
Keep in mind this does not say “once the wound is closed with a scab”. Above you will see that clots turn into scabs as they dry, and drying is a product of oxidization, which happens when clots are exposed to air.
So what does this mean? It means that we want clots to form, so the tattoo can heal- but we don’t want scabs to form.
This is why washing your tattoo properly 6-12 hours after receiving it is extremely important (and why I do not recommend putting second skin on immediately after tattooing, but we’ll get to that). You are washing off the white blood cell build up, which contains dirt and grime it has cleaned from your pores. You are also washing off platelets and red blood cells that would contribute to your scab formation.
But, you say, Mr. Liam, don’t we want the clots? Just not the scabs? Worry not my dear friend- your body will produce more right away! The old stuff had dirt and grime in it anyway- which would have contributed to a thicker scab.
This is now the point where I would use second skin style bandages if available.
Putting on second skin style bandages right after tattooing is not ideal for a few reasons.
It does not allow for the washing step 6-12 hours after your tattoo as you should not take it off for at least 3-5 days. Taking it off too early will damage the skin and tattoo underneath, extending the healing process, and potentially taking ink out if scab formation has started but not finished. Scab formation will also be worse as you never washed it 6-12 hours after receiving it, increasing the possibility of ripping them off early when you take the second skin off.
Often, if extensive tattoo work has been done, it will just fall off after it becomes saturated with fluids you body has been producing for the healing process. If it doesn’t just fall off, you’ll have to take it off once it becomes saturated or ink sacs form because, as we learned above, the body needs oxygen to heal. Again, taking the second skin off early causes unwanted trauma to the tattoo and skin around it.
Putting the second skin on after the first washing step usually stops this and you are able to wear it for a full 3-5 days after with no fear of “ink sacs” forming in the bandage. This also gives the tattoo ample time to heal and the risk of pulling scabs off early (and part of your tattoo with them) is much lower.
I believe that second skin style bandages done this way are the best possible way to heal a tattoo, but there are other ways.
Maybe you can’t afford second skin. Maybe your artist doesn’t use it. Maybe they did use it but what I mentioned above happened and you had to take it off. Maybe you just messed up putting it on and now you don’t have any left!
Fear not, plenty of tattoos have healed wonderfully without it. Theres a few ways to do it, and some are much better than others.
Dry heal it, the classic traditional way. Do the washing step 6-12 hours after getting your tattoo, and don’t touch it after that.
Don’t moisturize, don’t wash it, hell, don’t even get it wet.
It scabs quickly, so the risk of infection isn’t horrible, but if you are prone to infections its probably not a good idea. If you got lots of shading or colour work you will probably end up with thick scabs.
Risk of infection: Medium. Risk of damage to tattoo: High. Chance of well healed tattoo: Medium to low.
The other traditional way- I don’t know what to call it, wet healing? Its similar to dry healing in a way but instead of washing it once and leaving it, you wash it twice to three times a day and moisturize regularly.
I think the intent behind this is to stop thick scab formation. In practice, it doesn’t really work that way. The moisturizer doesn’t really stop the scabs from forming, and shouldn’t, because any moisturizer that isn’t allowing oxygen in is prolonging the healing process.
Also, because its constantly moist, the body seems to overproduce clotting agents, thus making scabs thicker.
Unless you’re using hospital grade anti-bacterial soap and gloves, you’re also running the risk of infecting it while you’re washing it. You are also running the risk of infecting it when you apply moisturizer without clean gloves. Dirt and grime also stick to moist surfaces easier.
Risk of infection: Medium to High. Risk of damage to tattoo: Medium to High. Chance of a well healed tattoo: Medium to Low.The plastic wrap method, the “crazy uncle” of healing methods. Disclaimer: this is what I use when I have no second skin, tattoo is too large for second skin, or for whatever else. It works like a charm, but it is a bit labour intensive and chance of infection is technically higher than the other methods. The whole idea is to let as much healing happen before scabs form, so when scabs do form, they will be super thin and non-damaging.
After the first washing step, wrap your tattoo with plastic wrap. This seals it up, keeps it wet and stops scab formation. Some people even put moisturizer on it before they wrap it. Now, repeat the washing step 3-4 times daily and change the plastic wrap each time.
Now if you’re thinking “All this is great, but if its sealed, how does oxygen get at it to help healing?” you’d be correct- it doesn’t really allow oxygen in. This is why second skin is better, but in a pinch I still believe this is much better than dry healing.
Also, since you’re still touching it a lot and sealing it up afterwards, the chance of infection is inarguably higher than other methods… but, your tattoo will heal perfectly if done right.
Risk of infection: High. Risk of damage to tattoo: Low. Chance of a well healed tattoo: High.