Are you thinking about getting a tattoo, but you worry about how long it takes to heal or how you should take care of it? Think no more; I have all the answers:
I know that if you did get a new tattoo with some magnificent design as we have in PhiTattoo, you are eager to show it off! But, you will have to wait a little longer for it to be fully healed so it can shine in all its beauty! So, here is how long you will need to wait until a Phitattoo is entirely heald:
How long does the Phitattoo take to heal?
Okay, so the first thing you need to know is that the healing process lasts about 2 to 3 weeks for any type of tattoo. But, in reality, it all depends on the types of aftercare, your life habits, and a few more factors. Actually, some research implies that even though the outer layer of the tattoo is healed, the inner layers of skin will need up to 6 months to heal properly.
Also, the healing process may be longer if the tattoo is bigger! So, if tattoo design is meant to cover a more significant part of the skin, you must be prepared for a longer healing process!
After inking treatment, healing of the skin has some stages and steps in the process. Here is what that is all about:
Tattoo healing stages
The healing stages after the PhiTattoo can be divided into 4 main stages and the care for your tattoo changes as they pass by.
Stage 1
The first stage of the healing process, when talking about tattoos, lasts for about six days.
Your tattoo will be bandaged for the first few hours after the treatment. Actually, your tattoo is considered an open wound in the first stage of healing. So, naturally, your body will respond to injury, and you may notice redness, oozing, slight inflammation or swelling, or a burning sensation.
If the area of the skin where your tattoo is done gets really red, painful, bleeding, or develops inflammation, visit your doctor as soon as possible. These could be the signs of pigment allergy, bacterial inflammation, or other problems.
Stage 2 of the PhiTattoo healing process
This process’s second stage is based on the second week since you got your tattoo. In this period, you may experience some itchiness or flaking. Flaky skin is nothing to be concerned about; it is actually a natural skin response. The light scabs and flaking skin shouldn’t affect the ink or the design of the tattoo!
I have one piece of advice for this stage of healing – don’t scratch or pick flakes, no matter how badly you want to! Instead, try to moisturize this part of the skin as much as possible, and avoid getting it wet! More about skincare and good aftercare you can find in my Phitattoo course on this link:
Stage 3 of the tattoo healing process
This is a stage where your itching problems should stop, but there may be some new concerns to worry about. For example, your tattoo may start to look a little bit faded and unclear. That is because the thin layer of scabs and old skin is formed on top of the design! It will be hard to resist the temptation not to touch it or peel it off, but don’t! Peeling that layer or picking scabs can lead to scarring, and you don’t want that on your new tattoo!
Stage 4
The last stage of tattoo healing includes the time from 2 to 6 months after the inking treatment. This is the deep healing we were talking about. In this phase, your tattoo should look great with vivid colors and sharp lines, itching should be gone, and any other healing signs (redness, scabbing..)
But, even though you are now practically done with the healing process, I would still recommend that you continue to use aftercare measurements. I know that you are wondering what the aftercare should look like, so keep reading:
The best aftercare for Phitattoo healing process
Okay, first things first – good aftercare is not only about the product that you will use; it is about consistency! When you get the tattoo, you need to take care of it daily, with no excuses! With that being said, let’s see what it looks like:
- Aftercare of the tattoo on the first day –
After the tattoo is done, your artist will wrap it up, usually in transparent foil or medical bandage foil. You must leave it on for a few hours or even the day. After the recommended time has passed, you need to remove it and not cover your tattoo again! The skin with a tattoo must breathe, dry off, and have natural airflow over it.
Another essential thing to know about aftercare is that your tattoo shouldn’t get wet, and you need to apply moisturizer. I recommend PhiTattoo products for aftercare! They are specially made with the best natural ingredients and can reduce healing time! More about the PhiTattoo products are on this link:
- First two weeks of aftercare –
When choosing your products for moisturizing and skin care, you must apply them daily, every 6 to 8 hours. Sometimes, even more frequently, especially if your tattoo is itchy. Some skin experts say that a good moisturizing cream can prevent itchiness and irritations and speed up healing. One of the best creams for PhiTattoo aftercare is this one:
You should avoid scratching or peeling sabs from tattooed skin parts during this period. This can prevent scaring or inflammation.
- Aftercare when your tattoo is healed –
This is an especially important part of aftercare because most clients stop with any kind of skin care after the first month. As per the rule, when you stop feeling some changes in your inked skin parts, you forget to take care of it. And that is a big mistake! I strongly recommend keeping your skin moisturizing and keeping your tattoo clean at all times, and you will have a crisp and beautiful piece of art on your skin for a very long time!
Tips and tricks to speed up the tattoo healing process!
My experience as a Tattoo artist and the Phitattoo founder is that the healing process is definite and can not be skipped, but I have learned some tricks on how you can reduce it!
- Always cover your tattoo with cloth ( no matter the season). Fresh and new tattoos are especially sensitive to sunlight! So make sure you wear loose clothes with long sleeves or pants when you are freshly tattooed and about to hang out in the sun! Sunscreen creams are not allowed for use until your tattoo is fully healed!
- When you clean your tattoo, make sure that you use lukewarm weather and alcohol and fragrance-free soaps! Actually, use only fragrance-free products because some studies show that fragrances used in cosmetics can impact the healing process and trigger allergies or inflamations!
- Avoid heavy and greasy products! For example, heavy creams and products like Vaseline can prevent the inked skin from drying naturally and breathing. In addition, oily products can clog up the pores and start up some inflammations. So make sure to use light but moisturizing products for your tattooed skin.
Signs that your tattoo is not healing properly
It’s essential to know the signs that your tattoo isn’t healing as it should be! Here are some symptoms of improper healing:
- Fever or chills indicate that your tattoo has become infected, and you should see a doctor as soon as possible!
- Oozing – If any kind of fluid is still coming out from your tattoo after 2 or 3 days, it may be infected. See a doctor immediately.
- Some types of swollen or red skin can be a sign of bad healing or serious problems! It’s normal for the tattoo to be a little raised for a few days, but the surrounding skin shouldn’t be puffy.
- Severe itchiness or redness can signify that you are allergic to pigments, but in PhiTattoo, we use only hypoallergenic pigments from PhiAcademy!
I hope that I have cleared up some of your doubts about the tattoo healing process, and if not, you can always leave some comments, and I will be happy to answer all your questions!