Most people are so worried about the pain of a tattoo that they forget or have no idea how much care has to be done to ensure your tattoo is set properly. The ink in the skin is constantly attacked by your body which is all part of the natural healing process. A tattoo is like an open wound because of how many times you are being punctured in a minute. As a result, you might notice that your new tattoo looks a bit dull, almost cloudy!
So why does my tattoo look cloudy? Often times the actual tattooing process might be done incorrectly. This might result in the tattoo looking cloudy after a few days. But there is more than just a bad tattooing job to cloudy tattoos. That is why I’m here to clarify why your tattoo might look cloudy.
Key Takeaways
- There are many reasons why a tattoo might look cloudy, but they fall under 5 main reasons for being like this.
- Cloudy tattoos can last anywhere from 1 week up to 6 weeks! It will all depend on the aftercare and how the tattooing process went.
- A tattoo should not remain cloudy after the healing phase is over during the 4th and 6th weeks. But there is still a possibility of it being cloudy even after this!
- Caring for your new tattoo is important. Following the tips mentioned can help you look after your cloudy tattoo properly.
5 Reasons for Cloudy Tattoos
While there might be many small reasons why a tattoo appears cloudy on your skin, they can be categorized under 5 main reasons. So let’s have a look at these 5 reasons.
Packed ink incorrectly
When you get a bad tattoo job, it shows when you reach home. This can be a number of reasons why the tattoo might look fine at the shop but starts becoming cloudy in a few hours.
The major reason here is the packing of the tattoo ink. As you are getting pierced, the ink is being deposited into the skin at the dermis layer. The needles help to guide the tattoo ink there. If the ink is not properly injected into the skin, it will cause more of it to leak out in a few hours.
Sadly, there is not much you can do for a tattoo that might look cloudy. The ink will start to leak from your tattoo and you will notice a large ink sack being formed in the derma wrap on your tattoo. While this might be a natural process that your tattoo will go through if too much ink leaks, it will mean that your tattoo will look dull and cloudy afterward.
Ink rejection
Packing the ink is completely up to the artist, maybe some on you if you move around a lot during the session. But what might not be completely up to the artist is your body rejecting the ink. Tattoo ink is made from heavy metals that give some color to the pigments.
That pigment you see on your tattoo has a lot of heavy metals such as iron and titanium. While it might be safe to be under your skin, some people could be allergic to the metals which cause their bodies to outright reject the ink! This will contribute to your tattoo looking cloudy as a result.
Skin injuries
A tattoo is an open wound; we have long since established that. But what about external injuries on your skin with your new tattoo? If you have such an injury, it will definitely be the cause for your tattoo to look cloudy!
Your exposed skin will start to peel and scab, ruining the appearance of your tattoo and preventing it from healing. These injuries can also be caused by skin conditions such as eczema! The flaky skin from such skin diseases can make your tattoo appear cloudy.
Improper aftercare
Now, something that is completely up to you is your tattoo aftercare! It is the most important part of your tattoo process as it will determine how the tattoo will heal and the ink will set in the skin. If done incorrectly, for example over-moisturizing or using scented lotion, it will hinder the healing process.
This can lead to the tattoo not only looking cloudy but could as well lead to infections! This will ruin both your tattoo and your skin together, something you definitely don’t want. Always listen to what instructions your tattoo artists give and follow their advice on what products you can and cannot use!
Sun damage
The greatest enemy of tattoo ink is the sun. The UV rays from the sun interact with the pigments in the ink and cause a reaction. This leads it to be broken down which will definitely lead to your tattoo looking blurry, cloudy, as well as disfigured, and dull!
The ink will start to heat up too and this might lead to some skin damage, contributing to a cloudy tattoo! So always stay away from the sun if you can help it, and cover your tattoo with sunscreen when you go out!
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How Long Does the Cloudy Tattoo Last?
While your tattoo is undergoing its healing process, chances are that your cloudy tattoo will as long as that will happen. This is because the skin on the tattoo is constantly repairing, scabbing, peeling, and leaking which will lead to your tattoo looking dull and cloudy.
You can start to expect your tattoo to stop looking cloudy after just the first week! It is not meant to last long if everything goes perfectly. However, you can also expect the cloudiness to persist till the first month! It all depends on how well your tattoo is healing after getting tattooed. Some people will notice the cloudiness disappear after the first week but some others in my experience have stated it lasted a whole month.
This is why taking care and making sure your tattoo is getting the most optimal aftercare is important. If the tattoo is healing nicely, your tattoo will start to look sharp very soon. Otherwise, you will notice the blurriness and cloudy tattoo for a while.
Tattoo Looking Dull After Healing Phase
After the first 4 to 6 weeks you can expect your new tattoo to be fully healed and ready to be shown off! But there are some rare occasions where the tattoo might still look dull and cloudy even after the healing phase is over! This can be for a number of different reasons.
Firstly, your tattoo healing process might have been hindered during the healing phase. Maybe it might have been an itchy tattoo that you scratched off the scab. Or it could be because you didn’t let the tattoo breathe properly. Either way, these are what I like to call client-side mistakes. There is not much a tattoo artist can do about this.
But what the tattoo artist does have in their power is the materials and techniques they have used. If the technique was lacking due to inexperience, it could lead to prolonged healing. The worst case scenario is your tattoo artist using poor quality or expired ink when they are tattooing you! This can be devastating to hear but it can happen due to a lack of concentration on the part of the artist. As a result, you will face a tattoo that might always look dull and cloudy.
Caring for Your Cloudy Tattoo: 8 Tips
Because tattoo aftercare is so important, let’s look at 8 tips you can follow to care for your cloudy tattoo. They are all important so be sure
- Moisturize using fragrance-free lotion and moisturizers.
- Avoid the sun or wear sunscreen with an SPF rating of 30 and higher when outside.
- Short showers (maximum 10 minutes) in lukewarm to cold water.
- No itching or scratching of the tattoo.
- Drink plenty of water and maintain a healthy diet.
- Be patient during the healing phase.
- Wear appropriate clothing.
- Avoid sweating over the tattoo and blocking the pores.
FAQs
Can a fresh tattoo look blurry?
Yes, it will blurry. It is all part of the healing process of the tattoo as the ink settles into the dermis layer of the skin.
Can cloudy tattoos be a sign of infection?
While cloudy tattoos may be natural, an extended period of cloudy tattoos especially after the healing stage could be a sign that it is not healing properly due to an infection.
Will moisturizing help make tattoos less cloudy?
Dry skin can make the tattoo look blurry and cloudy, so moisturizing the skin after the first two weeks of the new tattoo can help to reduce the cloudiness.
Final Thoughts
Sometimes a cloudy tattoo is just out of your hand. You maybe could have picked a more experienced tattoo artist for your design or spent more time being thorough about the situation with ink. Whatever the case might be, the cloudy nature of a tattoo is a part of the healing process. Cloudy tattoos tend to last only the first week, but that is only when all the processes of the tattoo have gone perfectly. It might be natural but prolonged cloudiness needs to be checked after. Contact your local physician or dermatologist in case your cloudiness is not going away.
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