Start with the aftercare guide
How your tattoo looks in ten years depends a lot on the first few weeks. Read the tattoo aftercare guide first. It covers washing, moisturizing, what to avoid and the signs of infection, day by day.
Which guide to read next
- Pain. The tattoo pain chart ranks body parts from least to most painful and has tips for getting through a long session.
- Exercise. Sweat, friction and stretching slow healing. Exercise after a tattoo tells you when to go back to the gym, by placement.
- Fading. The sun is the biggest cause of fading. Does color ink fade faster explains which colors last and how to protect them.
- Etiquette. What to bring, how to talk to your artist, tipping and rescheduling are in tattoo etiquette.
A quick healing timeline
The surface usually heals in 2 to 3 weeks. Peeling and itching are normal in the first two weeks. The deeper skin keeps healing for a few months after that. Keep the tattoo out of pools and the sea for about 4 weeks, and use a high-SPF sunscreen once it has healed. Always follow your own artist's aftercare advice. If you see spreading redness, pus, a fever or pain that gets worse, see a doctor.
