TATTOO PLANNERtatspire.

Tattoo guide & FAQ

Where it hurts, how to care for a fresh tattoo, how it heals — and answers to the questions people ask before and after.

How much will it hurt?

Pain is very personal — two people can sit the same tattoo and describe it quite differently. What most people agree on: it hurts most where the skin is thin and lies close to bone or nerves, and least where there is more muscle or fat.

1 · Mild 2 · Mild to moderate 3 · Moderate 4 · Strong 5 · Very strong

Tap a place on the body.

Pain is personal: this shows what most people report, not a promise. Two people can feel the same spot very differently.

WHAT CHANGES HOW IT FEELS

  • Sleep, eat and drink water before you come. Tired and hungry makes everything feel worse.
  • No alcohol the day before or on the day: it thins the blood and you bleed more.
  • Long sessions hurt more towards the end. Ask for breaks, or split big pieces into several sessions.
  • Fine lines, shading and colour packing feel different. Your artist can tell you what to expect.
  • Breathe slowly and tell your artist when you need a pause. Music or a friend can help.
  • Do not use numbing creams without asking your artist first — some change the skin and make the work harder.
  • Places with thin skin close to bone or nerves usually hurt most. Fleshy places with muscle or fat usually hurt least.

Aftercare: a fresh tattoo

Your artist’s instructions always come first — they know their technique and what they used. This is the routine most studios recommend.

DAY 0

The day of the session

  • Keep the film or bandage on for as long as your artist said — often a few hours, with some special films several days.
  • Wash your hands, take it off and rinse the tattoo with lukewarm water and a mild, fragrance-free soap. Use clean fingertips, no sponge or towel.
  • Pat dry with a clean paper towel and let it air-dry for a few minutes.
  • Apply a very thin layer of the ointment your artist recommended. Too much clogs the skin and slows healing.

DAYS 1–3

Wash and rest

  • Wash two to three times a day the same way, pat dry, then a thin layer of ointment if your artist said so.
  • It feels like a sunburn, looks red and may weep a clear or slightly coloured fluid. That is normal.
  • Wear loose, clean clothes and change your bed sheets. Avoid heavy sweating and tight straps over the tattoo.

FROM DAY 4

Itching and peeling

  • The tattoo starts to itch and flake. Do not scratch, peel or pick: you can pull out ink and cause scars.
  • Switch from ointment to a light, fragrance-free lotion or balm — a thin layer, a few times a day.
  • Tap or gently pat if the itching is bad; a cool, clean cloth can help.

WEEKS 2–4

The surface closes

  • The top layer heals in about two to four weeks. The tattoo can look dull or cloudy (“milky”) for a while — that is normal.
  • Keep moisturising. Avoid long hot baths, swimming pools, sauna, sea and lakes until the skin is closed and no longer peeling.
  • Stay out of the sun and sunbeds. Cover it with clothes. Use high-SPF sunscreen once it is fully healed.

MONTHS 1–3

Settling in

  • Deeper layers keep settling for a few months until lines and colours show their final look.
  • From now on: sunscreen on healed tattoos, and moisturise regularly. Sun is what fades tattoos fastest.

DO NOT

  • Scratch, pick or peel it.
  • Soak it in a bath, pool, sauna or the sea while it is healing.
  • Wrap it again at home in cling film unless your artist told you to.
  • Use thick petroleum jelly, scented creams, alcohol or disinfectant sprays unless your artist said so.
  • Wear tight clothes over it, or let pets lick it.
  • Expose it to the sun or a sunbed.

See your artist or a doctor if…

  • the redness spreads or gets stronger after the first days
  • it swells a lot, feels very hot, hurts more every day or oozes yellow or green pus
  • you get a fever or chills
  • you get a rash, hives or blisters that look like an allergic reaction
  • it has not clearly improved after two weeks

This is general information, not medical advice. If you are unsure, ask.

Unpaid recommendationNot sponsored, no cooperation with the brand. Tatspire gets no money for this.

A product many people like: Skin Stories Tattoo Repair Balm

From about day 4 — when the first wound phase is over and the skin starts to itch and peel — a gentle, fragrance-free balm can help to keep the skin supple. One that is easy to find in Germany is the Skin Stories Tattoo Repair Balm (a Beiersdorf brand, sold for example at dm and Rossmann).

According to the maker it contains 5 % panthenol and chamomile extract, is vegan and fragrance-free, and is meant to be applied thinly up to six times a day for about ten days; afterwards the brand’s daily lotion can follow. In the first days after the session follow your artist’s recommendation instead.

Always check the label for the current ingredients and instructions. Skin reacts differently: stop any product that irritates your skin and ask your artist.

Healing and touch-ups

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE?

  • Days 1–3 — Wound phase: red, tender, may weep.
  • Days 4–14 — Itching, flaking and peeling.
  • Weeks 2–4 — The surface closes. It can look dull or cloudy.
  • Months 1–3 — Deeper layers settle; lines and colours show their final look.

TOUCH-UPS (“NACHSTECHEN”)

  • A touch-up is common and not a sign of bad work: ink can fall out in places while the skin heals — especially on hands, feet, fingers, ribs and joints, and with fine lines or white ink.
  • Wait until the tattoo is fully healed, usually six to eight weeks. Going earlier hurts more and can harm the skin.
  • Many studios do a first touch-up free or cheaper within a few months. Ask your studio before the session.
  • Good aftercare and sun protection mean fewer touch-ups. Old tattoos fade: refreshing them every few years is normal.
  • Photos in the healing diary (My appointments) make the decision easier for you and your artist.

Frequently asked questions

BEFORE YOU START

CHOOSING A STUDIO

PAIN

PREPARING

AFTERCARE

HEALING & TOUCH-UPS

DESIGN & PLACEMENT

SPECIAL SITUATIONS

LIFESTYLE

REMOVAL & COVER-UPS

USING TATSPIRE

General information to help you plan — not medical advice. For health questions talk to your artist or a doctor.