The short answer is about two (2) weeks.

Generally, your new tattoo will go from an open wound that might be seeping fluid, to closing over, to peeling like a thin, sunburn type peel, revealing fresh new skin over the tattoo. This could take between a few days and a few weeks depending on what was done the day of your session, and can vary based on an almost innumerable amount of other factors.

Although the rough average would be about two weeks for the tattoo to peel and be closed over with fresh, new skin, this skin will likely take months before it is fully regenerated and back to “normal”. Once the tattoo has peeled, it might appear shiny or waxy, and it may still feel tight or sensitive during the few months afterward. For this reason, it is really important to take it easy on your new tattoo and take good care of your healing body keeping your sun/UV ray exposure to a minimum.

It is not uncommon for a part or parts of your fully healed tattoo to appear slightly raised, or even a bit itchy occasionally, even years after being fully healed. Although this can be a bit uncomfortable, this is very common due to a tattoo being a very minor scar and interruption to the normal skin tissues. Tattoo pigment is technically a foreign object in the body, so on very rare occasions, you might even experience very minor irritation or what seems like your body trying to push tattoo pigment out long after the tattoo has healed. Contributing factors could be diet change, increased sun exposure, or allergies. However your body is also really good at healing and maintaining itself if you take care of it by striving to be healthy.

The more you take care of your skin and body, the better your tattoos will look and feel during the healing process and for the rest of your life.

Yes! Your artist will let you know a specific way to you heal your tattoo based on what they did on you during that session.

You or someone you know has likely healed a tattoo in a different way, but your artist will have the best direction for your specific tattoo based on your specific session, as each person, part of the body, style of tattooing, health of the client, among many other factors can affect how a session goes and how healing could be.

Please listen to what your tattoo artist suggests for healing. Scroll down for written instructions and information on some different ways to heal, so you can make sure your tattoo heals the best it can.

We offer free touch ups within 6 months of your tattoo session, but only on tattoos that were healed how we’ve specified. We will do touch ups at our shop minimum and/or hourly rate for tattoos where it is clear they were not taken care of how we specified.

Initially created for burn victims, this medical grade adhesive bandage is waterproof but breathable, allowing it to be worn for up to 7 days while your body heals itself underneath. After getting tattooed, your body will be seeping fluid at the tattoo site that would normally build up and form a scab, increasing the chances of losing pigment or even causing scarring of the skin while healing. This bandage will allow the tattoo to heal from the inside, minimizing the formation of thick scabs and protecting the tattoo from contamination during the most critical healing period.

It will be a couple months or so before your skin has fully regenerated over your new tattoo, but the first hours and days after getting tattooed are the most crucial part of the aftercare process. Following your artists instructions and those written here (not your friends’ or someone else’s) will allow for proper healing.

//IMMEDIATELY AFTER GETTING YOUR TATTOO//

Your artist will apply a transparent, adhesive bandage over your tattoo ensuring there is about an inch around it for the bandage to adhere to “dry”, un-tattooed skin. This extra material will ensure it stays sealed during the healing process protecting the tattoo from bacteria and debris and your linens from ink and plasma.

During this time, and especially during the first 24 hours, there will likely be a build-up of liquid plasma under the bandage. This is normal and is part of your body’s healing process.

//WHILE WRAPPED//

Avoid vigorous exercise and heavy sweating while bandaged. A build-up of sweat under the bandage can cause the adhesive to disconnect from the skin and allow your tattoo to be exposed to bacteria and debris.

Your tattoo is very sensitive to sun exposure while healing and should not be exposed to direct sunlight for more than a few minutes. If you know you will be in the sun for an extended amount of time, cover the tattooed area with loose fitting clothing that will block the sun, and/or keep the tattooed area in the shade during this time.

Although your bandage is waterproof, it is best to avoid submerging/soaking it in the bath, pools, hot tubs, etc. Showering and good hygiene while healing is highly recommended while healing with the bandage, but avoid prolonged exposure to very hot water on the tattoo site.

You may notice the fluid built up under your bandage starting to dry out after a few days under the bandage during the healing process. Although uncomfortable, this should not affect your healing.

//THREE TO SEVEN DAYS AFTER GETTING YOUR TATTOO//

This step can be helpful while done in the shower. Roll up an edge of the bandage. If this proves difficult, you can attach medical tape to the edge of the film to help lift it. Slowly pull the film off, stretching it out to the side and away from the tattoo (rather than straight up away from the skin), holding the skin taut for support.

Wash your tattoo with warm soapy water, using your fingertips, to remove any residue. You may experience some redness on the un-tattooed skin from the adhesive. This is normal.

After 24 hours of bandage removal (once the tattoo is no longer an open wound), apply a thin layer of moisturizer as you feel necessary. Your tattoo may peel during the next week or so after the bandage is removed. Avoid scratching or picking at any flaking skin.

Once fully healed, the longevity of the quality of your tattoo will generally correlate with the condition of your skin. Regular moisturizing and applying a high s.p.f. sunscreen to your tattoo, even if you don't anywhere else on your body, can protect your investment in order to keep your colours bright and your linework clean!

At any time during the healing process, if you notice increasing pain at the tattoo site, increasing redness in or around the tattoo, a worsening odour, thick yellow discharge, or fever-like symptoms, remove your adhesive bandage and clean the tattoo as described previously, and let the tattoo air out. If symptoms persist or increase, consult a physician.

//for the first 4 to 24 hours//

Leave your bandage/wrap on until told by your artist.​ This will usually be between 4 and 24 hours. Although it’s tempting to unwrap that new piece to show your friends or family, don’t do it before the time your artist has specified.

Wash your tattoo well after removing the bandage/wrap.​ After the period your artist has specified, wash your hands before unwrapping your tattoo. Once clean, wash your tattoo thoroughly with warm water and a fragrance free, liquid hand soap, using your hands, to remove any blood, ink, or plasma. It is important not to use a washcloth or anything else that might harbour bacteria.

Pat your tattoo dry after cleaning it.​ Using a clean paper towel, pat your tattoo dry. You can also let it air dry if you’d like.

//for the next couple days//

Keep it clean but leave it alone.​ Your body is great at healing itself. Once you’ve unwrapped, cleaned, and dried your tattoo in the preious step, leave the tattoo unwrapped for a day or two. Wear loose fitting, CLEAN, clothing over your fresh tattoo to avoid excess rubbing on your new piece. Avoid moisturizers at this stage (including lotions or petroleum products like Vaseline) as your tattoo is an open wound that needs to form its first layer of skin over your new tattoo.

After a couple days, apply a thin layer of lotion.​ Once your tattoo is feeling dry and tight, your skin will benefit from being moisturized with a fragrance free hand lotion. Avoid using Vaseline or any products that won’t easily absorb into the skin as your tattoo needs to breath as it heals. Apply lotion as it feels dry.

//for the next couple weeks//

Don't pick at the flaking/scabbing skin.​ Let your body shed flakes or scabs on its own. Prematurely removing these from your healing tattoo can delay healing, increase the chances of infection, and cause you to remove bits of ink making it more likely that you will need a touch up. We guarantee our tattoos and want them to look their best, so we do touch ups for less than our shop minimum price during the first year. However, this only applies if the aftercare instructions have been followed properly.

Wash your tattoo regularly.​ Continue to wash your new piece using a fragrance free soap and warm water a few times a day until it’s done peeling, but avoid long showers and soaking the tattoo until it is fully peeled (no lakes, pools, etc.). This is usually between a week and a month depending on your tattoo and its placement.

//during healing and forever afterward//

Avoid sun exposure.​ The sun can do major damage to a fresh tattoo. Avoid sun exposure to the tattooed area while healing especially, and once healed. The less you’re in the sun the better and brighter your piece will look long term. Sunscreen can help reduce the aging of your tattoo, but nothing will help as much as keeping it out of the sun. Don’t forget, UV rays can penetrate through clouds and some clothing and do damage.

Once fully healed, the longevity of the quality of your tattoo will generally correlate with the condition of your skin. Regular moisturizing and applying a high s.p.f. sunscreen to your tattoo, even if you don't anywhere else on your body, can protect your investment in order to keep your colours bright and your linework clean!

At any time during the healing process, if you notice increasing pain at the tattoo site, increasing redness in or around the tattoo, a worsening odour, thick yellow discharge, or fever-like symptoms, remove your adhesive bandage and clean the tattoo as described previously, and let the tattoo air out. If symptoms persist or increase, consult a physician.

Once your new tattoo has fully peeled and is no longer flaking, you are welcome to submerge it in water. This could take a few days, up to a few weeks or more. If your tattoo is still peeling, submersion or prolonged exposure to liquid can cause any flakes or scabs present to soften and come off prematurely, potentially leading to scarring and/or loss of pigment. We do not do free touch ups due to negligence or not following your artists aftercare instructions.

The UV rays from the sun can quickly damage a fresh/healing tattoo, and even a fully healed tattoo. Not only will you feel the heat especially strong on freshly tattooed skin, it can slow or hinder the healing of your tattoo, or even cause blisters and leave you more susceptible to infection. During the first two weeks as your tattoo may be peeling, it is especially important to avoid prolonged sun exposure. There is no exception to this.

Even after fully healing, your tattoo will benefit from not over exposing it to the suns rays. Once your tattoo is fully healed and settled into the skin, high SPF sunscreen can help slow damage to the skin and thus the tattoo, if you can’t avoid prolonged sun exposure. Although rare, even years after your tattoo has been settled into your skin, heavy sun exposure can cause your tattoo to become irritated, itchy, or inflamed.

Because the pigment in a healed tattoo is under the outermost layer of your skin, your natural skin pigmentation/melanin and condition of your skin will be the “lens” that you see your tattoo through. If your skin is burnt, dry/ashy, or calloused, your tattoo will reflect this. The opposite is true as well. If the skin over your tattoo is healthy and moisturized, is well exfoliated, and is not overexposed to sun, your tattoo will look the most true to what it did initially after it was completed and will typically look less aged over time.

The fluid produced by your own body is the absolute best thing to heal your fresh tattoo. The Hypafix adhesive transparent film bandage is the best we’ve found to allow your own body’s healing fluid to do it’s work, while keeping bad things out and the good things in. We will provide and apply this at the end of your session. After sufficient time wrapped as specified by your artist, once your tattoo is no longer an open wound, applying a VERY thin layer of a moisturizing product like Hustle Butter Deluxe can help keep you comfortable for the duration of healing and onward.