Can i peel my tattoo off

Skip navigation! Story from Beauty. After months of scrolling through thousands of Instagram photos for inspiration, you finally did the thing and got your first tattoo. You did the research, you saved up the money, and you booked the appointment. A few days later, you start to notice something strange: The tattoo ink is peeling.

There are few things as alarming as seeing your own skin peel; whether it's weeks after a brutal sunburn has subsided or you just used Baby Foot for the first time, the scene is always straight out of a horror film.

Fortunately, peeling skin isn't necessarily a bad thing — in the case of a tattoo, peeling is a good sign, and all a part of the tattoo healing process.

To ease your worries and understandable panic , we consulted the pros — L. Their answers, ahead. Why is my tattoo peeling? However, most tattoos will continue to peel for roughly a week.

Tattoos on more overused areas of skin like the wrists and elbows will likely take a little longer to completely peel, but tattoos on more soft and supple areas could be done peeling after just a few days. Sometimes, tattoos will actually peel twice. Normally when this happens, there will be one relatively heavy peeling phase, followed by some very light peeling that is sometimes barely noticeable. In most cases, this is nothing to worry about, and your tattoo will still in fact be healing just as it should be.

Again, all this does is cause skin to get ripped off prematurely, potentially leading to patchy areas of ink dropout where ink has been drawn away. Scratching your new tattoo could turn out to be disastrous if an infection is caused. Wait until the tattoo has completely healed before attempting to scratch it. Your tattoo may also feel quite tight as the scabs form, so moisturizing helps to bring some elasticity back.

The dried, flaky pieces of skin will soak up moisture and start to look more like the surrounding areas of healthy skin, camouflaging them somewhat. While stopping any scabs from drying out and cracking too much , the extra moisture will soak up the flaky pieces of skin so they lie flat against the body so no unsightly chunks of dead, dried skin are poking out. Moisture also helps them fall off at the right stage of healing.

This also serves to prevent them from getting accidentally ripped off when brushing against various objects. This stuff works amazingly well during the healing process; not only by keeping your tattoo really well hydrated but also by soothing any annoying itching and irritation. When using it from the very start of the healing process, this lotion will help to decrease tattoo healing times and work towards eliminating any lingering dryness and scabbing.

However, not to worry. For the first three days after you get your tattoo, you should be cleaning your tattoo and washing, drying, and putting ointment on it regularly. On the fourth day, you can begin to use a recommended lotion for tattoos to keep your fresh ink moist and your healing skin hydrated while it continues to repair.

One of the most popular products for moisturizing tattoos is Hustle Butter Deluxe. Apply the lotion two to three times each day for the next 25 days or until it no longer peels or feels tight and taut on your skin. When you apply lotion to your tattoo, apply a thin layer over your skin. There is no need to put a thick coat of lotion on your tattoo, in fact it can be counter productive. Doing so will clog your pores and may cause other problems for your skin. If you are experiencing intense itching, there are a few things you can do to relieve it.

Try gently slapping your tattoo. It sounds quite silly, but it often works. Limit your use of it, only using it when the itchiness is unbearable. Relax, tattoo scabbing and peeling go hand in hand. When this happens, just remember to keep your scabs moisturized, and never under any circumstances pick at them!

You might also enjoy knowing that more than often, the last scabs that fall off are usually in spots where the heaviest ink has been laid. Scabbing goes hand in hand with the tattoo peeling process. Allow your skin to heal and peel outside of a bandage even if it feels sensit ive.

Throughout the peeling process, and especially as it comes to an end, you might notice the tattoo color looks different from when you left the shop. The reason your tattoo might look dull and cloudy is due to a dead layer of skin that is still present. It takes a while for tha t new skin to reach the surface, though, so be patient with your skin.

Allow it to do its thing naturally and effortlessly. Read also: Tattoo fading how to prevent it. The peeling process is an extremely delicate time for you r tattoo. All that new skin is fighting and pushing to make it s way to the surface of your body, and all that old dead skin is getting ready to leave forever.

Exposure to sunlight during this process could cause a shock to your skin cells and prolong or even restart the healing process. Your skin may start to blister and could potentially lead to an infection. We strongly recommend to avoid the sun the first 2 weeks after getting tattooed. Once your tattoo is healed, wear sunscreen and loose clothing to cover your tattoo if you are going out in the sun.