Open wound · Days 0–3
Day 1: weeping, swollen and shiny
The first full day is usually the messiest. Plasma keeps seeping and dries tacky on the surface, and the area is sore and warm. Washing it off gently stops it drying into thick scabs, which can take ink with them when they come off.
What to do today
- Wash 2–3 times today, pat dry, then a very thin balm layer
- Sleep on clean sheets in loose clothes
- Take a photo in good light to compare against tomorrow
Under second-skin (Saniderm, Tegaderm)?
Under second-skin, fluid pools into a bubble under the film. Clear to pale yellow is normal and protective, so leave it alone. If an edge lifts, reseal it with medical tape rather than pressing it down with a fingernail.
Saniderm peel, day by day →Normal in the open wound stage
The tattoo is an open wound. It weeps, swells a little and feels warm. All of that should be easing off by day 3.
- Redness around the tattoo, up to about an inch out
- Clear or pale yellow fluid (plasma), thin and odorless
- Mild swelling and warmth, more at the edges than the middle
- A glossy, very saturated look
Care for this stage
- Wash 2–3 times a day with fragrance-free soap and lukewarm water
- Pat dry with a clean paper towel, then a very thin layer of balm
- Clean sheets and loose clothing over the tattoo
Go deeper: Tattoo healing stages