Getting a tattoo from the best tattoo artist can later turn out to be a bad tattoo if proper aftercare steps were not followed. A common thing people do is when they notice a bad tattoo, faded or distorted tattoo the first thing they do is blame the tattoo artist. But in reality, an aftercare routine can make or break a tattoo. Even after following proper aftercare steps, you noticed your tattoo is turning white. Why is that?
A tattoo does not matter how bright the ink color is used, it will never look the same after healing. Tattoos usually lose 20 percent of their color after it is healed. So it won’t look the same as it looked the first day after getting the tattoo. Apart from this mild fading, your tattoo may turn white. Many people get upset after seeing their tattoo turning white because they think it could be a sign of infection or their tattoo has lost its color for good. In this article, I will explain why tattoos turn white and why you shouldn’t worry about them.
Key Takeaways
- The tattoo turning white also known as the milky tattoo phase is a healing phase of your tattoo.
- The milky tattoo goes away naturally around 14 days.
- Our body creates dry skin over the healing or new skin as a defense mechanism hence the whitish appearance.
- During the milky tattoo phase use moisturizer, avoid emerging in water, and avoid sunlight and scratching to ensure the tattoo does not get damaged.
- Tattoo appearing dull is normal during the milky phase, but if the dull appearance stays after the milky phase is over, talk to your tattoo artist as you may need to do a touch-up.
Tattoo Turning White
Tattoo turning white or milky is normal and it happens during the healing period. You may notice white transparent lines on your tattoo during the healing period, there is nothing to worry about. After the scabbing and peeling phase is over that’s when this white or milky appearance on the tattoo can be noticed. It usually happens after 7 days of getting the tattoo. It is called the milky tattoo phase of healing. And after this milky phase is over you get the final outcome or healed tattoo.
Your tattoo requires healing time just like any normal wound. You cannot rush the healing process. Your tattoo may have scabs, a little itchiness, skin tightening, peeling, and lastly milky tattoo. So you won’t see the milky appearance before the scabbing and peeling phase is over. All of these conditions are normal during the healing phase as long as they are mild. If you see excessive scabbing, unbearable itchiness, and the tattoo becoming so white that you can’t even see the design anymore, then it is a problem. The usual reason behind such conditions could be overly dry skin or infection. To avoid such extreme situations, use healing ointment or soothing lotion on your tattoo and wash the tattoo using a non-fragrance soap twice a day. If the condition does not improve then you should talk to your tattoo artist and may even have to see a doctor.
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The Time It Takes for Milky Tattoo to Go Away
Noticing a milky tattoo or white appearance on a tattoo is not bad at all, instead, it is a good sign that your tattoo is healing normally and it is very close to completely healing the epidermis layer of the skin. After this layer of skin heals you won’t be feeling any discomfort regarding the tattoo.
Healing a tattoo can take more or less time depending on the individual’s strength of immune system. But in general healing of a tattoo can take 14 to 21 days and it may take around 14 days for the milky appearance of the tattoo to go away. This milky appearance will go away on its own and you do not have to do anything to remove it.
How Does Tattoo Turn White?
Your tattoo turning white during the healing phase is not permanent, the milky appearance goes away naturally and will not affect the brightness of your tattoo. But why it occurs in the first place?
The moment the tattoo needle inserts ink pigment deep into your dermis layer, your body starts the healing process. Scabbing is the first phase of healing where you notice scabs on the tattoo. The second phase of the healing is when it peels. And the third and last phase of healing is a milky tattoo where the tattoo appears to be white. As your body is healing and making new skin it tries to protect the new skin by forming some dry skin over it. It is a form of defense mechanism. This dried skin looks white and is responsible for the white appearance of your tattoo. Do not try to rush the process or try to pick the dry, white skin. It will go away on its own within a short time. It may take a bit longer than 14 days for some people because of the slow healing process. Regardless give it some time and as a result, you will get a bright and vibrant tattoo after the milky phase ends.
Steps to Follow During the Milky Tattoo Phase
I cannot stress the importance of aftercare for a tattoo enough. There are aftercare steps for the milky phase of your tattoo too. Make sure to follow the steps below to take care of your tattoo during the milky tattoo phase.
1. Avoid scratching
I know the feeling very well when you notice some dried or whitish skin and just want to pick or scratch it. But for the longevity of your tattoo and to end the healing phase without causing any issues you have to avoid scratching or picking on the whitish skin of your tattoo.
The dried or white skin is there as a defense mechanism of your body. It is to protect the healing or new skin under it. Picking or scratching the skin will cause it to fall prematurely. As a result, you may face facing the scabbing phase once again. It will delay the healing process a lot. Not to mention you may cause scarring, bleeding, or even cause infection. Because your nails may have germs or bacteria in them which could go into the wound.
2. Use moisturizer
Moisturizing a healing tattoo is a crucial part of the aftercare routine. You should moisturize during the milky tattoo phase too. Use a healing ointment or a quality lotion to moisturize the area. Ensure the lotion does not have fragrance or any harmful chemicals in it. I personally recommend using an aloe vera-based lotion, it soothes the tattooed area and speeds up the healing process. A moisturized tattoo would not scab, or itch as much as a dry tattoo. And because of the moisturization, you will see a very minimum whitish appearance on the tattoo. On the other hand, a dried tattoo will have a more prominent whitish appearance.
Make sure not to over-moisturize the area, as over-saturation can delay the healing period.
3. Avoid immerging in water
Until the epidermis layer is completely healed avoid emerging the tattoo in water. So you should avoid immerging during the whitish tattoo period too.
If you soak your tattoo for a long time it may lose some ink and oversaturate the skin. Which can result if faded tattoos.
4. Avoid sunlight
The UV rays of sunlight can fade your tattoo. Especially during the healing phase. As the epidermis layer hasn’t healed yet and sunlight would reach the dermis layer and ink pigment easily.
So during the tattoo turning white phase avoid direct sunlight and use sunscreen if you have to expose your tattoo to sunlight.
5. Maintain healthy diet
Your immune system works hard to heal your wound. Healing a wound such as a tattoo requires time. So your immune system may get exhausted. To ensure optimum healing and a strong immune system you should maintain a healthy diet. Eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, and protein is a must.
Not maintaining a healthy diet can prolong the milky tattoo phase and may even cause infection as your immune system won’t be in peak condition to the flight of germs and bacteria.
6. Be tolerant
Nobody likes milky tattoos. At this point, your tattoo is almost healed and you can’t enjoy or show off your magnificent tattoo just because of the whitish stuff over it. Do not lose your patience and scratch or pick on the white dry skin. Moisturize daily, apply sunscreen when you go out, wash the tattoo daily and follow the routine without missing any step. Be a little bit tolerant of the healing phase and you will be more than happy with the end result as you will get a vibrant and sharp-looking tattoo after healing.
The tattoo Appearing Dull After the Milky Tattoo Phase
Your tattoo supposes to look dull during the healing phase. When the milky phase comes it will look even duller, that’s natural. You will get a bright and crisp tattoo after the milky phase ends. But what if your tattoo looks dull even after the end of the milky phase?
The main reason behind it could be a loss of ink pigment. There can be many possible ways for you to lose ink pigment. Such as:
- Scratching or Picking
You may have scratched or picked during scabbing, peeling, or milky phase as a result some of the ink may have come off with it. - Wrongfully Inserted Ink
You may have gone to an unprofessional tattoo artist who does not know how to do tattoos properly. He may have done uneven ink placement or the ink didn’t even reach deep into your dermis layer of the skin. As a result, most of the ink came out and fall off with scabs and peels. - Expired Ink
Expired ink or poor-quality tattoo ink cannot give you vibrant colors. So if your artist used such ink to do your tattoo you will get a faded tattoo or a tattoo that is dull. - Immune System
Now this one is a bit funny and a bit unfortunate at the same time. Our immune system usually gets rid of 20% of tattoo ink naturally. But in some cases, it may take out more than 20% of tattoo ink, as a result, you will be left with a dull tattoo. Eleven after following a strict aftercare routine and doing everything right, your own immune system may ruin your precious tattoo. You may take laugh at it if it happens or get upset. Either way, I want you to know if this happens it is not your fault, so don’t get upset.
As I have mentioned there can be many reasons behind tattoos staying dull even after finishing the milky tattoo phase. Do not get stressed over this, just talk to your tattoo artist to solve the issue. In most cases, a simple touch-up can fix dull tattoos.
FAQs
Is my tattoo turning white permanent?
No, your tattoo turning white or also known as a milky tattoo is a healing phase and this whitish appearance is not permanent.
Will the whitish appearance of my tattoo go away on its own?
Yes, it is a natural process and will go away on its own. You don’t have to scratch or pick on it.
Can I pick on my milky tattoo?
No, you cannot. Picking or scratching a milky tattoo may prolong the healing, fade the tattoo or cause scarring.
Final Thoughts
A healing tattoo looks a bit dull, which can be a bit frustrating for you as you can’t show off your tattoos yet. And after the scabbing and peeling phase when the milky tattoo phase starts, you might get confused and more frustrated. There is no need to be confused or get frustrated as a milky tattoo or tattoo turning white is a normal healing process. Everyone goes through this phase. And this whitish appearance is not permanent, it goes away on its own in 14 days or so. Make sure to have patience and not scratch the milky tattoo to avoid damaging the tattoo. Follow an aftercare routine like moisturizing and cleaning the tattoo to speed up the healing process and reduce the milky tattoo phase period.
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