Open wound · Days 0–3
Day 2: still red, should be weeping less
Weeping usually tapers off over day 2 and 3. Redness and warmth are still expected. What you are watching for from here on is direction: the redness should start shrinking back toward the tattoo edges, not creeping outward.
What to do today
- Keep up the washes and thin balm
- Compare with yesterday’s photo: is the redness the same size or smaller?
- Avoid tight waistbands, straps or sleeves rubbing on it
Under second-skin (Saniderm, Tegaderm)?
Fluid under the film often darkens on day 2 and the skin may start to itch. Darker ink-tinted plasma is normal. Green or brown fluid is not: that means the seal let bacteria in.
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: Infection signs vs. normal healing