If you have got a tattoo on your body first time in your life then some questions may be in your mind regarding aftercare of tattoo. Nobody wants to ruin the beautiful ink mark on their body in which they have spent their time and money.
At the time of getting your first tattoo done, you don’t have much knowledge regarding the further care and affects of the tattoo and sometimes we got worried when something unexpected happen to our tattoo which we never even thought of. Here unexpected means infections. Yes, many people have to face infections after getting a tattoo.
Tattoo scabbing is also considered as a kind of infection in many cases. Here in this article, I am going to tell you all the information regarding tattoo scabbing. You will get to know about the reasons behind tattoo scabbing, its precaution and you will also come to know that is it a matter of worry in your case.
Is Tattoo Scabbing Normal?
Now, you have got an awesome tattoo on your body, which will be on your body for lifetime. But you may be wondering that why your tattoo scabbing?
We all know that getting a tattoo is a medical procedure and a new tattoo is like an open wound on your body. If you don’t know about the tattoo healing process then I can tell you that this open wound can take upto seven weeks to heal properly.
At the time of tattoo healing, you can see a light white skin developing over it. This is tattoo scabbing but if the scabbing is light then you don’t need to worry about it because it happens when your skin is repearing and it is a part of tattoo healing. It will be itchy but it is good for your tattoo.
But if the scabbing is extremely high then it is a matter of worrying because if you will not cure it properly then your tattoo will fade and look patchy.
So, now it is clear that when should you worry about tattoo scabbing and when to not. Now, I have described a lot of information about tattoo scabbing in detail. So, keep reading.
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Do all tattoo scabs?
Before describing the reason behind tattoo scabbing let me clear one thing which might be in your mind that “Do all tattoo scabs? and if not then what type of tattoo scabs?”.
The answer for your question is yes but don’t be nervous. If you are thinking that you will get thick scabs and blood-filled skin then you might be wrong because each and every tattoo scabs but it forms just a light layer over the tattoo.
Why do tattoo scabs?
Usually, it start happening on day 3 or 4 because after getting a tattoo the skin starts healing and a thin layer of scabbing starts raising over the tattoo and it hardens day by day. This process continues till the skin heals.
Once the skin heals completely then the scabs will completely cover the tattoo and will start flaking away itself. Peeling will generally start on day 7 because the skin almost get repaired in a week and peeling will be continued till day 10 or more. One thing you have to keep in mind that it totally depends on the thickness of the scab that how much time it will take to peel off.
You will see more scabs over the dark shading area because the artist uses the needle again and again on that area to make it dark. If you have got your tattoo from an expert artist then only a thin cloudy layer will slightly raise over your tattoo which is a good sign of repairing of your skin and there is no need to worry about it.
What not to do to prevent tattoo scabbing?
Going to direct sunlight
A new tattoo is always unprotected. If you do want want to fade your tattoo then never take it directly to the sunlight. If you will directly expose your tattoo to sun then you will feel a burn on it and if your tattoo is feeling hot then avoid going in sun. If you have to go in sunlight then keep your tattoo cover to protect it from loosing it’s beauty or at-least apply sunscreen on your tattooed area.
Submerge it Under Water
After getting a new tattoo you are suggested to keep your tattoo away from water atleast a month. If water will contact to your tattoo then the scabs will observe the water which will result in longer healing and a dull tattoo. Water also contains a lot of bacterias which will attack on the wound and you may have to suffer.
Peeling Your Scabs
Most of the people have this bad habit of peeling the scabs themselves. Healing and scabbing are natural process which takes time and if you will start picking the scabs yourself then most probably you will pick out the ink which is still on the upper layer of the skin.
Also never scratch your tattoo because it damages more then pulling the scabs. When you scratch your tattoo then you are pulling all the scabs at once and your finger nails also have many bacterias which may cause infection.
Once you did this mistake then the tattoo will no longer look cool. It will look like a patchy tattoo and you will have to visit your tattoo artist again to get it fixed. So, never pull and scratch the scabs yourself, let them peel off naturally and this will make your tattoo look more beautiful.
Not applying moisturized
Keeping a tattoo moisturized and hydrated is the most important part of aftercare. So, you can’t skip applying lotion over your tattoo. It also helps in tattoo bubbling by making the scabs soggy and gooey, so that they get peeled off easier.
Touching It Too Often
Human hands are the most dirtiest part of our body because we use them all the day and touch them everywhere. So, they become the home of infection. Experts says that mostly infection occurs when we touch our tattoo directly with dirty hands. So, keep in mind never touch your tattoo with dirty hands.
How to Prevent Thick Scabs from Forming
You can’t stop scabbing but one thing you can do is to reduce the thickness of the scabs by following some basic steps:
Always remember one thing that choose only best quality tattoo ink. After the ink work is done you need to wash your tattoo with antiseptic soap and let it dry itself.
Wrap your tattoo just after drying because wrapping will protect it from dust and infected bacteria in the air.
Keep the tattoo wrapped until your artist tells you to take it off.
For the next couple of days, you will see some blood and plasma over the tattoo but it is normal.
But if you see clear runny plasma over the tattoo then it is a matter of worry because it will start building thick layers of plasma over your tattoo.
So, in this situation what you have to do is, just wash that area with lukewarm water and remove the plasma gently from the tattoo. you have to do this atleast twice a day to keep your tattoo protected from bacteria and infection.
You may see some ink leaking while washing the tattoo which is just normal but wash the tattoo gently with soapy water using only a finger.
You will also have to keep your tattoo scabs safe during sleeping on the bed because the scabs stick to the bed sheet and later pulled out when you move.
Why Tattoo looks Faded after Scabbing
The scabs may be properly peeled off but still, your tattoo is not clear and sharp. This is because when your tattoo scabs the dead layers of your skin cover your whole tattoo and this layer of dead skin takes at least 3 to 4 months of time to completely flake away.
Once this dead skin layers also flakes your tattoo will return in its original look and now it will look more sharp and detailed. But if it is still faded then you will have to visit your artist again to get if fix because the ink might be pulled out while scabbing or washing the tattoo.
What to do if tattoo scabs are bleeding?
Generally, if any scab is pulled out by sticking with something or by getting pulled out by mistake then it starts bleeding. If the scab is set more deeply into the skin than it will bleed more. More bleeding will result in more ink got out of the tattoo.
At this time you will not have any idea that what should you do. So, you can do some simple treatment of your tattoo. First, wash it with lukewarm water and then let it dry and after drying apply lotion over it to heal the wound quickly. If this doesn’t work then go to your tattoo artist and ask for a touch-up.
Aftercare for Your Tattoo
It all depends on the aftercare of your tattoo that how much cool it will look. People miss out with this step and ruin their new tattoo. If you care your tattoo properly than you will never have to face any issue with your tattoo.
Here we recommend you to use Hustle Butter Deluxe which is the best tattoo aftercare product for your tattoo. It makes the whole tattoo process absolutely comfortable. It helps in moisturizing your skin before, during and after you get your tattoo. Moreover, it also heals all kinds of irritation. You should definitely buy this product if you are facing any kind of tattoo infection or scabbing.
How to Identify Tattoo Infection
It is difficult to find whether your tattoo is infected or not just by seeing scabbing over it. Scabbing is normal and if it is not thick then it is not a sign of infection. Then you might be thinking about how to identify scabbing. So, here are some points that can help you to know if you have an infection on your tattoo.
- Feeling hot over the tattoo.
- Increase in itching and pain instead of decreasing.
- Seeing red lines over the tattoo.
- Swelling on the tattoo.
- Unpleasant smell from a tattoo.
- Yellow and green scabs.
If you see any of the sign on your tattoo than quickly run to your tattoo artist because he will definitely tell you the best way of cure. If this doesn’t work then you should go to a doctor.
Summary
After reading this article I hope this is clear in your mind that scabbing is not a thing to worry. It is a part of healing. But the only thing you should care about is the infection on your tattoo.
You should know how to protect your tattoo from infection and never pull the scabs yourself. If you face some serious issue with scabbing then you must consult with your tattoo artist or a doctor.