When you get a tattoo, you should know that every person will go through a different healing process. Even when you go to the best tattoo shops, you may sometimes experience weird healing symptoms like wet-looking tattoos or flaky and dry ones. All of these are normal, but we understand if you’re getting anxious, especially because of the way it looks.

So, if you’re worried about why your tattoo looks wet, don’t panic because you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll share with you everything you need to know about wet-looking tattoos and if it’s something you should be worried about. Let’s dive into it!

What does it mean to have a wet tattoo?

To fully understand what a wet tattoo means in terms of healing, you first need to understand that it is because of your body’s natural healing response. Whatever tattoo you have, big or small, colored or black and gray, getting a tattoo is still a traumatic skin injury.

When you’re getting a tattoo, you’re allowing your skin to get pricked by countless tiny needles in repetitive movements for hours or even days and weeks.

And since each body is different, the healing process for every individual may be different as well. Some may have a smooth healing experience, while others might be like you and experience wet tattoos. So what goes with wet tattoos?

Is my immune system connected to my healing process?

Whenever something foreign affects your body, your immune system will naturally react to this and respond to the sustained trauma.

When you get a tattoo, the needle injects ink into the second layer of your skin, which is the dermis. While that happens, the top layer of your skin, the epidermis, falls off. Your bone marrow will then produce platelets to heal the skin’s traumatized area, which will then form a scab and fall off over time to reveal your new tattoo.

What do I need to know about wet tattoos?

1. Your tattoo hasn’t started to exfoliate yet

Exfoliation happens naturally to your skin every day, and when your tattoo looks shiny and wet, this just means that your skin hasn’t gone through this process yet.

Before your skin experiences exfoliation, the tattooed area will start to shed off the dry skin and scabs, which will then reveal your new and healed tattoo. And then, after this, your skin will begin to exfoliate itself. 

2. Your tattoo is healing normally

Although it may look a bit alarming, a wet-looking tattoo signifies that your tattoo and skin are doing everything right to heal. When you’re starting to notice that your tattoo is looking wet, it’s best to help the healing process by using a tattoo-friendly moisturizing lotion.

However, remember to not over-moisturize your skin because it may lead to bubbling, which could ultimately cause permanent damage to your tattoo.

3. Allow your tattoo to heal naturally

One of the most important things that the best tattoo artists will tell you is to allow your tattoos to heal naturally. This means that no matter how itchy it’s starting to feel or if you see scabs, stop yourself from picking it off. Instead, allow it to fall off naturally because if you peel it off, it will affect your tattoo’s healing process and look.

4. Follow your aftercare routine religiously

After getting a tattoo, your tattoo artist will recommend ointments and give you aftercare tips for a smooth healing process. It’s important to remember these tips and follow them until your tattoo completely heals.

Skipping your aftercare routine can affect how your tattoo will heal and damage your tattoo’s overall look.

Conclusion

If you’ve recently gotten a new tattoo and it’s looking a bit wet, don’t worry. This is part of the healing process, and you’re on the right track to revealing an awesome tattoo soon. To ensure that you won’t have any problems during your tattoo journey and get the best aftercare tips, have it done by the best tattoo artists in town.

Are you looking for the best tattoo shops in Buffalo, NY? Visit Lucky DeVille. We specialize in state-of-the-art tattooing in color, black and grayscale, or even realistic photo work. If you want quality and creative skin art, come and visit our shop!