Drying and itch · Days 4–7
Day 7: one week in, peeling likely underway
By the end of week one most dry-healed tattoos are flaking. Larger or more saturated pieces can take longer to get going. The initial soreness should be mostly gone. Anything that is hurting more than it did on day 3 is a reason to get it looked at.
What to do today
- Keep washing gently. Flakes will rinse off in the shower
- Thin moisturizer after each wash
- If you work out, keep it loose and wash right after
Normal in the drying and itch stage
The surface dries and tightens. Itching starts, light flaking may begin and the colors look a bit faded. This is the top layer of skin, not your ink.
- Tight, slightly stiff skin
- Itching that ranges from mild to maddening
- Light flaking starting, sometimes earlier on small tattoos
- Colors looking duller than on day 1
Care for this stage
- Keep washing and keep the balm layer thin
- Pat or tap when it itches. Do not scratch
- No swimming, baths or soaking
Go deeper: Tattoo healing stages