I Accidentally Scratched My Tattoo In My Sleep – Warning!

Getting a new tattoo is always exciting. Then comes the healing stage where you need to follow quite a few aftercare steps. We all try to follow aftercare steps and try to be cautious not to damage the tattoo. You are staying cautious and vigilant to protect your new tattoo but all of a sudden you may notice your tattoo got scratches on it. You don’t even know when it happened. Now, before you get frustrated with yourself, I can tell from my experience it may have happened when you were sleeping.

Accidentally scratching tattoos in sleep happens more often than you think. Yet you won’t see much of a discussion on this topic. Scratching may affect your tattoo negatively in many ways, such as causing delayed healing, infection, distorted shape of the tattoo, etc. Why you may scratch your tattoo in your sleep, what happens if you do, and how to fix and prevent it, I will shed light on every aspect of this topic in this piece.

Key Takeaways

• Accidental scratching can cause inflammation, infection, delayed healing, oozing, fading, and distortion of the tattoo.
• You may accidentally scratch your tattoo because of scabs, extreme dryness, ink contamination, allergic reaction, eczema, and blisters.
• Soothing the tattooed area, keeping it moist, and wrapping it before sleeping with a breathable cloth can prevent it.
• Cleaning the area, applying healing ointment, and touch-up can fix any damage done by accidental scratching.

Scratching Tattoo In Sleep: Possibility & Damages It Does

There is a fair amount of possibility of you scratching your tattoo in sleep. But scratching does not always damage the tattoo. A slight scratching may not affect your tattoo at all. That is why many people do not realize they scratched their tattoo in sleep because they do not see any visible sign of it after they wake up. But the scratching of tattoos in sleep does happen to a decent number of people.

Accidentally scratching your tattoo in your sleep may not cause permanent damage as you won’t be scratching that hard. But there is always a chance of facing permanent damage to tattoos.

Here I listed:

Exposing sensitive skin

A tattoo usually takes around 10-14 days to heal the first layer of the skin which is the epidermis and 2-3 months to heal the second layer of skin where the ink is which is the dermis. Searching the area will expose the dermis layer of your skin. Exposing the unhealed dermis layer has a chance of distorting the tattoo and prolonged healing.

Distorting tattoo

If you damage the dermis layer of the skin by scratching the tattoo then the tattoo may get distorted. As the ink will lose the precise placement and the design will be ruined.

Infection

Scratching the tattooed area increases the chance of infection. Because your nail may have germ or bacteria in it which will enter into the wound if you scratch it.

Delayed healing

Scratching the tattoo may cause delayed healing, which is bad for many reasons. I always provide advice to my clients to take the necessary steps to fasten their healing. Faster healing reduces the chance of any possible damage to your tattoo. On the other hand, delayed healing means the wound will stay for a long time. It means the wound can easily attract bacteria and cause infection, get faded by sunlight, or get distorted by bubbling or over crusty ness.

Inflammation

Feeling a little inflammation is normal as any open wound would have a little inflammation. But scratching it would increase the inflammation and cause you discomfort.

Oozing

A small amount of oozing and fluid coming out from a healing tattoo is natural. But accidentally scratching may cause too much oozing which could distort your tattoo.

Fading

If you scratch hard enough it can potentially fade the tattoo. Scathing damages the sensitive tattooed skin and scratching hard enough can easily reach the layer of skin where the ink is. As a result, you may be left with a faded tattoo.

Financial loss

Accidentally scratching your tattoo can distort or fade it. Nobody wants to roam around with a faded tattoo or damaged tattoo. So after fully healing you will most probably go for a touch up which can cost you a decent amount of money. A touch-up can on average cost around 70$.

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7 Reasons Why You May Scratch Your Tattoo In Sleep

There could be multiple reasons behind the accidental scratching in sleep.

Here I listed 6 of them.

1. Itchy scabs & crust

Scabs and crust forming on healing tattoos are natural. These scabs become very dry and itchy. When you awake you can stop yourself from fulfilling the urge to scratch the tattoo. But what happens when you sleep? If the tattoo is very itchy there is a high chance you will end up scratching the tattoo in your sleep.

2. Dryness

Healing tattoo becomes dry on its own or it may become overly dry because of washing frequently. Any normal dry area would itch, now imagine how an overly dry tattooed area would itch. If you do not treat the dryness there is a possibility of you scratching the area in your sleep.

3. Allergic reaction

Tattoo ink or color pigments uses various component. Some of these components can trigger an allergic reaction in some people. Symptoms of allergic reaction are:

You may end up scratching your tattoo in sleep if you face this allergic reaction.

4. Eczema

Eczema is a skin condition that causes issues such as itchiness. If you have eczema and got yourself a tattoo your itchiness of the tattoo will increase by a lot. And as a result, you may scratch the tattoo in your sleep.

5. Sun allergy

Let’s say you got your tattoo done and after a few hours fall asleep because of the exhaustion. Now if by any chance your tattooed area develops an allergic reaction to sunlight, you may scratch the tattoo in your sleep. The thing about this allergy is that it can happen right after you get your tattoo or a few hours later of getting the tattoo.

6. Blisters or bubbling

If you get blisters or bubbling on your tattoo you will feel discomfort and itchiness in the area. You may stop yourself from scratching when you are awake but you may accidentally scratch the area in your sleep.

7. Ink contamination

If your tattoo artist uses contaminated ink to do your tattoo you may face many issues and itching is one of them. The contaminated ink may trigger itchiness in your sleep and you may accidentally scratch the area.

3 Steps You Can Take to Prevent Accidentally Scratching Your Tattoo

All accidents may not be preventable but this one sure is. You can prevent accidentally scratching your tattoo by following

Moist your tattoo

Itching occurs mainly because of dryness. So make sure to keep the tattoo moist by applying moisturizer. A moderately moist tattoo is less likely to scratch.

Precaution: Over saturating a tattooed skin can cause issues such as bubbling which can distort your tattoo. So make sure to use a moderate amount of moisturization on the skin. If you apply too much moisture make sure to whip the excess moisture by a towel or paper towel.

Wrap the tattoo before sleep

Wrapping the tattoo with a breathable cloth can greatly reduce the chance of it getting damaged. If the tattoo is wrapped by a cloth, even if you scratch it, it won’t be damaged.

• Precaution: Make sure to use a light and breathable cloth as your tattoo will face delayed healing if it does not get air.

Apply soothing loition/ointment

Itchiness, inflammation, and burning may occur during the healing process of your tattoo. So make sure to apply soothing ointment or lotion that will reduce itchiness and inflammation. Any sort of burning or uncomfortable feeling can trigger scratching in your sleep. So keeping the area nice and cool is important. You can use aloe vera-based lotion which will soothe the skin and fasten the healing.

• Precaution: Make sure to go for a lotion or product that does not contain any chemical that can be harmful to your tattoo. Also, avoid any product that has fragrance as it can be too harsh for your tattoo and may end up burning the wound.

3 Ways You Can Fix Accidentally Scratched Tattoos

If you fail to prevent the scratching and have accidentally scratched your tattoo then follow these 3 methods to fix it:

1. Clean The Area: Your nails probably have bacteria or germs, which can enter your wound if you scratch the area. So the first step is to clean the tattoo. Make sure to use antibacterial soap to clean as it can get rid of any germ, bacteria, or dirt that you have put on the tattoo.
2. Healing Ointment: Instead of going with a random ointment, I recommended you consult with your doctor or tattoo artist as they can suggest the best one that is suitable for you.
3. Touch Up: If your tattoo got faded or distorted because of scratching you can fix it after you are completely healed by touch-up. A touch-up can fix even the worst damage done to a tattoo.

FAQs

Will accidentally scratching a tattoo in sleep ruin it?

Scratching a tattoo in sleep has the potential to ruin it. But it has to be a vigours scratch, very light scratching will not damage the tattoo permanently.

What happens if I accidentally scratched my tattoo in my sleep?

Accidentally scratching your tattoo may lead to delayed healing, infection, inflammation, fading, and tattoo distortion of the tattoo.

Can I mess up a tattoo by sleeping on it?

It is recommended not to sleep on tattoos. Because your newly done tattoo requires fresh air and pressing it on a bed sheet may end up infecting it.

Should I cover my new tattoo when I sleep?

You should cover up your new tattoo before sleeping with a breathable cloth to avoid accidental scratching.

Final Thoughts

You may have accidentally scratched your tattoo, but in general, scratching doesn’t do permanent damage. Unless it is vigorous scratching that can cause serious issues such as infection, distortion, and fading of your tattoo. Not to mention delayed healing, which is very annoying. One of the most effective methods to avoid this scratching issue is by keeping the area moist. As dry tattooed skin tends to be itchier and it is more likely for you to scratch it in your sleep.

I have mentioned prevention and fix to this issue. Just follow them and you should be fine.

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