When Can I Scratch My New Tattoo?
You have taken the plunge and got some new ink; very cool, congrats! But your new tattoo is driving you crazy because of how itchy it is. If you're wondering when you can scratch your new tattoo, the answer is it's not safe to scratch your new tattoo until it's completely healed.
When you get a new tattoo, it will take some time for the skin to recover. During this particular time, feeling some itching is very standard around the tattooed area. You should avoid scratching it excessively because it can do a lot of damage.
Why Your Tattoo Will Itch:
When getting a new tattoo, the tattoo needles penetrate the five layers of your upper part of the skin so that the ink can reach the dermis tissue. Dealing with fifty to three thousand micro needle penetrations filled with ink is quite a lot for your skin to handle. Your skin is naturally going to need some recovery time once the tattoo is complete. The time of recovery may vary for one reason or the other. Within this recovery period, you may have some of the common side effects. Tattoo itching is one of them. The amount of tattoo itching is different for every person, and it depends entirely upon the person's skin and tattoo type. Around weeks two to three, the amount of itching may increase. It's advised you do not scratch or itch the tattooed area, as this could interfere with the recovery process. Learn When a tattoo is fully healed.
Why You Should Avoid Scratching Your Tattoo:
One of the most obvious reasons you should avoid scratching your newly tattooed skin is because it can eventually damage the tattoo. If you have scratched your tattoo during this recovery period, you may see that certain parts of the tattoo have entirely faded away once the recovery process is complete. Secondly, you should treat a new tattoo as if it were an open wound. Like all the other open wounds, it can potentially catch the ill effects of the bacteria. Even with clean hands, your nails can always be a direct source of bacteria. So, if you scratch your tattoo with your nails, it can cause severe infection. Scratching your new tattoo can also increase the recovery period and make this entire process more painful than it needs to be. It's important to mention (again) that scratching your tattoo can also lead to permanent damage. So, after getting a new tattoo, it is strongly suggested not to scratch the tattooed portion of the skin during the recovery process. It's essential that you fully understand and Tattoo aftercare products after getting a new tattoo!
Keep The Tattooed Skin Clean:
If you've read our Tattoo Aftercare guide, then you already know that keeping your newly tattooed skin clean and tidy during the recovery process is very important. Your tattoo artist is undoubtedly going to tell you the same. It would be best if you cleaned the area with clean and warm water. After cleaning the area, you should pat the area with a clean towel. After that, you can use Tattoo Aftercare Creams which can work as a moisturizing protection layer for the tattooed skin. At the same time, these creams can help enhance the recovery process.
Prevent Scratching and Keep Your Tattoo Hydrated And Moisturized:
To make the tattoo itching phase pass by faster, you should always keep your tattooed skin hydrated and moisturize. Learning How often to moisturize a tattoo is easy, although it will depend on the size of the tattoo and the place where you have made your new tattoo. If it's a bigger tattoo covering a larger area, be sure to moisturize with tattoo aftercare creams several times a day to maintain healthy skin moisture. Even if the tattoo is smaller, you should consider moisturizing more than once per day. It all comes down to a little bit of self-discipline and controlling your mind to stop yourself from itching! You can do it! To learn more cool facts about anything to do with tattoos check out our tattoo tips blog!
