How to Take Care of a New Tattoo

Tattoos are becoming more and more common. As of 2019, 35% of the United States’ population has at least one tattoo. A new tattoo is actually a wound. It needs time and proper care to heal properly. Read on to learn about what to do after you get a tattoo, as well as some things you should avoid while your new tattoo is healing.

What skin care routine should you follow after getting a new tattoo?

You should treat your new tattoo like a new wound. That means you want to keep a close eye on the area and keep it clean. Here are some things you can do: 

• Keep it clean by washing the area twice a day with a gentle, fragrance-free soap. 

• Apply a thin layer of a cream-based moisturizer or Aquaphor healing ointment to prevent it from drying out.

• Avoid pure petroleum products (like Vaseline), which can fade tattoo pigment.

• Avoid touching the area until it is healed — keeping it covered can help with this. 

Continue this regimen until your tattoo is fully healed, usually between 1 and 3 weeks. 

What are the best practices for sun exposure following a new tattoo?

It’s important to always protect your tattoo from the sun and tanning beds. Ultraviolet light can slow wound healing, fade your tattoo, and increase your risk of sunspots and skin cancer. There’s also a reaction called photoallergic contact dermatitis, where you develop an allergy to tattoo pigment that’s exposed to the sun.

In terms of sun exposure, it’s best to cover your tattoo with sun-protective clothing. Otherwise, apply a sunscreen that’s SPF 30 or higher. Reapply every 2 hours when in the sun. Seek shade, minimize your time in the midday sun, and avoid tanning beds. 

What should you avoid while your new tattoo is healing?

As an open wound, your tattoo is prone to irritation and infections. It’s best to avoid swimming, hot tubs, and excess sweating during the healing process. Chemicals and salt water can irritate and dry out the skin. Bacteria from the water can cause an infection.

What are some of the things that can go wrong after you get a new tattoo?

Tattoo inks are considered cosmetic products, so they’re not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This means there’s a lot of variation in how tattoo artists practice and in the aftercare instructions they give. Without proper aftercare, you’re more likely to have a complication like an infection or skin reaction. 

What are the signs of a skin infection from a tattoo?

A new tattoo can become contaminated with bacteria. Signs of an infection could include:

• Spreading redness

• Pain or warmth

• Pus bumps

• Swollen glands

• Fever

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Typically, these symptoms show up within a week of tattoo placement. 

An infection within your tattoo can damage the skin and, rarely, even spread into the bloodstream, so it’s important to seek medical care right away. 

What other skin reactions can happen after getting a tattoo?

You can get an allergic reaction to the ink in your tattoo or to something you’re applying on it. The reaction can appear as an itchy, bumpy rash just in the area of the tattoo, and in one particular color (most often red). 

You can also be allergic to something you’re applying to the tattoo or the adhesive, if you’re using a bandage. In this case, an itchy rash would take the shape of where you’re applying the topical or the sticky part of the bandage.

Other tattoo reactions include:

• Foreign body reaction: This is rashes or bumps within the tattoo due to your immune system reacting to the ink.

• Skin diseases appearing within the tattoo: Trauma from tattoo placement can trigger flares of skin conditions like psoriasis, vitiligo, or eczema

What causes scarring after getting a tattoo? How do you prevent it from happening?

People prone to thick (hypertrophic) scars and keloids are at risk of getting these at the site of a tattoo. Infection or inflammation within the tattoo can add to this risk. Proper wound care can help, but there is no way to completely prevent it from happening.

When should you see a dermatologist for problems after getting a new tattoo?

See a dermatologist right away if you notice any type of skin reaction or notice a new growth or bump on or around your tattoo.

How can you prepare your skin before getting a new tattoo?

In preparation for your tattoo, make sure your skin is clean and shaved. Stop using retinoids and alpha or beta hydroxy acids on the area at least 1 week before. This includes any over-the-counter products like those for acne. Don’t get a tattoo on any part of your skin that has a rash or other active skin conditions like acne or psoriasis. It’s best to avoid tattooing over moles or other skin growths. 

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Written by:

Maryann Mikhail, MD

Maryann Mikhail, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist and medical writer based in South Florida. She is the founder of Waverly DermSpa in Fort Lauderdale and holds a voluntary faculty position at the Dr. Phillip Frost Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery at the University of Miami MIller School of Medicine.

Edited by:

Sophie Vergnaud, MD

Sophie Vergnaud, MD, is the Senior Medical Director for GoodRx Health. An experienced and dedicated pulmonologist and hospitalist, she spent a decade practicing and teaching clinical medicine at academic hospitals throughout London before transitioning to a career in health education and health technology.

Reviewed by:

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH, is a medical editor at GoodRx. She is a licensed, board-certified pediatrician with more than a decade of experience in academic medicine.

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