Why Your Tattoo Is Peeling and What to Do About It

Day four. You're in the shower and there's a flake of your brand new tattoo stuck to your arm, with actual colour in it.

Deep breath. It's supposed to do that.

Peeling looks alarming the first time, especially when you can see ink coming away with the skin, but it's one of the most normal parts of healing there is. Your skin is doing exactly what it's meant to do. Here's what's going on, what's normal, what isn't, and what to do in the meantime.

Why Tattoos Peel

A tattoo is a wound, just a very deliberate one. The needle punctures the skin over and over, depositing ink into the dermis and roughing up the epidermis, the top layer of skin, on the way through. As your body heals, it sheds that damaged outer layer and grows fresh skin underneath. That shedding is the peeling.

It usually kicks off somewhere around day three to five and carries on for a week or so. How long and how much depends on the size and placement of the piece, your skin, and how it's been looked after.

Is It Normal for Colour to Come Off in the Flakes?

Yes, and this is the bit that sends people straight to Google at midnight.

The flakes are dead skin cells from the epidermis, and some of the ink sitting closer to the surface comes away with them. That doesn't mean your tattoo is fading or that you're losing the design. The ink that makes the tattoo sits deeper, in the dermis, and it stays put. What's going down the drain is surface residue, not your tattoo.

What's Normal and What's Not

Normal, and nothing to worry about:

• Light to moderate flaking, a lot like sunburn peeling
• Mild itchiness
• Skin looking dull, cloudy or a bit patchy underneath
• Some colour in the flakes

Not normal. Check in with your artist or a GP if you notice:

• Thick, heavy scabbing rather than light flaking
• Redness spreading beyond the tattooed area
• Heat coming off the skin
• Pus, oozing or a strong smell
• Fever

If anything on that second list shows up, get it looked at properly rather than relying on general aftercare advice. Don't wait it out.

What to Do While It's Peeling

Keep it clean. Wash gently once or twice a day with a mild, fragrance-free wash like Foam Nurse and lukewarm water, then pat dry with a clean towel. Pat, don't rub.

Moisturise lightly. Dry skin peels harder and can crack, which isn't what you want for healing or for how it looks at the end. A thin layer of a lightweight, non-petroleum cream like Ink Nurse Remedy Cream keeps it comfortable without smothering it. Thin and often beats thick and occasional.

Don't pick. You'll want to. Everyone does. Don't. Let the flakes come away on their own in the shower or through the day. Picking can pull ink out unevenly and opens the skin up to infection.

Don't soak it. Baths, pools and the ocean wait until healing's finished.

Keep it out of the sun. Peeling skin is particularly vulnerable, and sun on a healing tattoo is one of the easiest ways to dull it long term.

Wear loose clothing over the area so nothing's rubbing on it while it sheds.

Why Product Choice Matters at This Stage

Heavy petroleum or wax-based products are designed to sit on top of the skin rather than absorb into it. On peeling skin that can leave it feeling greasy and heavy, with moisture trapped against the surface. A lightweight, botanical, non-petroleum cream absorbs rather than coating, which is a lot more comfortable while the skin's in the middle of shedding.

For the full routine from day one, have a read of The Complete 3-Step Ink Nurse Tattoo Aftercare System, and the Tattoo Care Bible has the whole healing timeline.

As always, your artist's instructions come first, since they know your piece and how it was done.

Ink Nurse is available at over 600 Chemist Warehouse stores nationally and at ink-nurse.com. In the United States you'll find it at Spencer's stores nationwide.

People Also Ask

Is it normal for a tattoo to peel?

Yes. Peeling is the skin shedding its damaged outer layer as a tattoo heals. It usually starts around day three to five and carries on for about a week.

Should I moisturise a peeling tattoo?

Yes. A thin layer of a lightweight, non-petroleum moisturiser helps stop the skin getting too dry and cracking, which can make peeling worse.

Why is colour coming off my tattoo when it peels?

Some ink sitting near the surface comes away with the dead skin. That's normal and doesn't affect the ink in the deeper layer of skin, which is what forms the permanent design.

Should I pick the flakes off?

No. Let them come away on their own. Picking can pull ink out unevenly and increases the chance of infection.

When should I be worried about tattoo peeling?

If you notice spreading redness, heat, pus, a strong smell or fever alongside the peeling, check in with your artist or a GP, as these can be signs of infection rather than normal healing.