After getting a new tattoo, the body starts to heal the tattooed area which can sometimes create a scab. In this article we’ll talk about thick tattoo scabbing, and how to deal with it!
Tattoo scabbing after one day
The full healing process of a tattoo can take around 2-4 weeks. But in the early days, the new tattoo may start to develop some kind of flaky, light skin or thicker scab on the tattooed area. It is likely to be accompanied by severe itching, which is quite normal – BUT DON’T ITCH IT! The tattoo can even scab just after getting the tattoo which could be surprising and alarming for some, but there is nothing to worry about.
If you start to develop a tattoo scab, you should not pick or scratch off the tattoo under any condition. To prevent this from occurring, try using some good Tattoo ointments which can be super helpful to avoid tattoo scabbing altogether.
Scabbing tattoo healing stages
It takes some time to heal a fresh tattoo. The visible portion of the tattoo should generally recover within 4 weeks, but deeper layers of the skin may take some more time to heal.
Tattoo scab cracking
It is essential to understand and know how to deal with tattoo scab cracking the first time you experience it. It all comes down to the way you manage your tattoo aftercare regime and take care of any scab should it occur. Whether it is a tiny scab cracking or large tattoo scab cracking, you need to provide proper care to the recovering skin and apply tattoo aftercare creams to keep the skin moisturized.
There could be a few different reasons as to why tattoo scab cracking happens. Some of the most common reasons are improper tattoo aftercare methods, plasma, and blood drying on the tattooed area, infection, or even excessive usage of overly oily tattoo aftercare products.
Be careful which products you are using as well because not all tattoo aftercare products are created equal! You may get targeted Ads on instagram with some new trendy tattoo aftercare brands, but buyer beware! Some of these brands have products that are way too oily for tattoo aftercare and can actually hinder the tattoo recovery process and suffocate your new tattoo. To give your tattoo the best chance of avoiding a nasty tattoo scab, read our tattoo aftercare instructions!
No matter the type and size of a tattoo scab cracking, you really need to pay close attention to it if a scab manifests on your brand new tattoo.
Scab on tattoo years later
It is not uncommon to experience having a scab on a fully developed tattoo, even years later. A new tattoo may go through different stages of healing. But after few months or so, the tattoo becomes fully developed. It is quite common to find minor flaking on the skin at the beginning, but you may even have a scab appear randomly after some years. The scabs that grow in the beginning of a fresh tattoo become dry and fall off naturally, but this is not the case with the scab that develops after years.
Such scabs that appear later on may fade your tattoo color and may even cause patchiness, missing elements and blended lines, etc.
In order to stop the growth of a tattoo scab years later, good tattoo maintenance is essential. Regularly moisturizing your tattoo is known to be one of the best aftercare methods that will ensure the tattoo's good health and durability. Here’s some pro tips to help learn how often should I moisturize my new tattoo?
Abnormal tattoo scabbing
There can be many instances where abnormal tattoo scabbing might happen shortly after getting a new tattoo. Different prevention measures can be taken to stop such things from happening. It’s best to make sure the new tattoo is covered before leaving the parlor after getting the tattoo. Traditionally, artists would just use a regular plastic wrap which could leak and be a mess, but now technology has advanced into innovative Tattoo Film & Spray Dressing which stay on the skin for days and naturally come off once the tattoo is mostly healed. Using advanced products like these will prevent it from external injuries, chaffing and rubbing off on clothing. It also stops microbes and dust from getting into the fresh wound while still allowing the freshly tattooed skin to breathe and heal properly.
Accidentally ripped off tattoo scab
If some tattoo scabs gets accidentally ripped off without falling off naturally, there is likely to be uneven tattoo pigment after it gets completely healed. But whether it will be noticeable or not depends on the chunk of tattoo scab that fell off. If things get worse, then you always have the option to return to your tattoo artist. Some additional tattoo touch-ups can be done on the tattoo area to make it look better, if you’ve lost a significant amount of pigment. This happens rarely, but can still happen if you've used a bad tattoo aftercare product or no tattoo aftercare product at all.
From the moment you get your new tattoo, to washing and moisturizing it, you are really supposed to take the best possible care of your new tattoo if you aim to prevent short term and long term tattoo scabbing. Protecting the tattoo from sunlight is also critical. Hence, you should use a good tattoo afteercaree product.
We hope this article has helped alleviate any worries you may have about tattoo scabbing. It’s a pretty normal occurrence when getting new ink, but it definitely requires attention. Your tattoo will be with you forever, so give it love, make sure to follow proper tattoo aftercare, and pay attention to it daily.
