Active peel · Days 7–14
Day 12: almost through the peel
Most of the visible flaking should be finishing up. Redness at this point should be gone. Redness that is new, or growing, on day 12 is not part of normal healing, and neither is a rash that spreads past the tattoo.
What to do today
- Check for anything new: rash, bumps, raised itchy patches
- Light gym work is fine if you wash right after
- Keep it covered or in the shade outdoors
Normal in the active peel stage
Thin flakes come off, often tinted with ink, and the tattoo looks patchy and dull. Itching usually peaks. The pigment sits below the peeling layer and is intact.
- Thin, translucent flakes like a sunburn peel, tinted with your ink color
- Patchy, dull or "missing" looking spots
- Thin, soft, light amber scabs over linework or dense color
- Peak itch, often somewhere around days 6–10
Care for this stage
- Do not pick or pull flakes. Let them come off in the shower or under moisturizer
- Keep moisturizing thinly
- No swimming, no shaving the area
Go deeper: Tattoo allergic reactions