How to Treat and Prevent Tattoo Cracking
Posted on
You’ve just gotten your dream tattoo, could you BE happier! No really, what could go wrong? Apparently A LOT.
BOOM! One seemingly normal but bizarre day, you notice your tattoo drying out and cracking, and you start doing what we all do best, PANICING. In that state of frenzy, you Googled about the problem because it has brought you to us, heyya. Take a deep breath and dive right into the read. In the following article, we have discussed in intricate detail about tattoo cracking: the reason for its occurrence, the treatment of a cracked tattoo, and the most important question—how to avoid it.
Tattoo cracking is a common occurrence and usually heals well on its own. It may be an alarming situation for you, but we will still let you know how to treat and prevent the tattoo from cracking.
Why does the cracking occur?
There can be a lot of contributing factors for tattoos to crack. below, we have mentioned a few of the causes of cracking.
➥ Dried skin
This is the most common reason for cracking. Either the skin is dry, which means your daily water consumption is less than eight glasses, which means you are not consuming the suggested amount of water to keep your skin well hydrated, or your tattooed skin is not correctly moisturized. Moisturising and hydration of a new tattoo are very important during aftercare as it encourages proper healing and makes sure the tattoo is not cracking.
➥ Scab formation during the healing process
As the tattoo starts healing, it will start forming scabs and rising. If the scabs don’t become a major issue, which they usually do because they dry out and fall off on their own. However, in the absence of hydration and moisturizing, the scabs may become very dry and larger than usual, which has a major impact on the cracking of the scabs and eventually leads to the cracking of the tattoo.
➥ Allergic reactions or infections
Although it is rare, allergic reactions to tattoo inks or tattoo infections may cause tattoo cracking. It means that bacteria are trying to occupy the tattoo. This condition urgently requires medical attention to prevent any further tattoo damage and health problems.
➥ Cleaning a dry tattoo with warm water
This is a big no-no. This advances the dryness and Allows the tattoo to crack. Especially if you’re not applying any ointment or lotion after the tattoo.
In case of scabs form on your tattoo, do not panic as this is a normal part of the healing process as the tattoo is like an open wound. Regular moisturizing will cause the scabs to crack, but if you don’t, the scabs will thicken and become longer, ultimately leading to the tattoo cracking.
Always make sure to keep the ink hydrated and moisturized, and if the scab starts bleeding or causes discomfort, seek medical help as soon as possible.
Related Post: What To Do If An Old Tattoo Is No Longer To Your Liking
How to treat a cracking tattoo?
If your tattoo is cracking, there are some things you can do on an urgent basis.
For example,
➤ Notice your tattoo and decide whether it’s dry or infected. Many times, Self-diagnosis may go wrong. Analyze the tattoo before going for any treatment for the crack. If the tattoo is just cracking and has a bit of scabbing or dryness, then you need not worry. But if the tattoo cracking is accompanied by pain, itchiness, swelling, or bleeding scabs, this could be a tattoo infection. In this case, go for medical attention and complete the course.
➤ Do more to keep your skin and body well hydrated. If you’re not dealing with an infection, there is a huge possibility that you are dealing with skin dehydration. You must take quick action on skin hydration. Start moisturizing your skin twice a day and, in addition, moisturize once after showering. The best moisturizers for tattoos are ideally organic, gentle, fragrance-free, and vegan. Preferably, they should be based on cocoa butter or shea.
➤ Make sure to hydrate yourself overall by drinking at least eight glasses of water every day and eating a lot of fruits to keep you hydrated. This will not only hydrate your skin but also enhance the healing of the tattoo.
➤ Don’t shower with hot water.
As mentioned earlier take a hot or warm water shower can dehydrate the skin and wash away the natural oils of the skin. And it may result in tattoo cracking to prevent the cracking make sure you shower with cold or lukewarm water. Always apply a thin layer of moisturizer to nourish the skin.
➤ Never touch the scabs and don’t even think of feeling them off.
You are wrong if you think of removing the scabs off your new ink will make it shinier and smooth. By removing the scabs forcibly you will cause more damage to the tattoo. By doing such things you can in instigate bacteria from your finger which may lead to further infections. By removing the scars you enabled tattoo cracking as they are a protective layer for the skin.
Also Read: How To Choose Permanent Or Temporary Tattoos
How to prevent tattoo cracking?
Here are some tips to guide you through your tattoo healing process.
The first step to preventing tattoo cracking is to avoid submerging your tattoo in water. When you get a tattoo, it’s tempting to jump into the pool or sink on the patio and enjoy yourself (and who wouldn’t?). But after that first time, be sure not to submerge your new ink anywhere at all—even if there’s only one drop of blood or sweat that gets on it.
➤ If you want to go swimming after getting a tat, cover up with bandages and keep any lotion handy so that when you do dip your hands in water, they’re covered in something slick and slippery instead of slippery-dry skin. You can also use thin layers of lotion or cream throughout the day as needed; just don’t go overboard! Over-lubricating will only make things worse by causing friction between the skin around where you got inked and other parts like clothing seams near those areas where ink tends to accumulate more easily.
➤ Make sure your skin is well hydrated and taken care of before getting inked. Intake of healthy food and drink do the recommended quantity of water as it improves the skin’s hydration.
➤ Follow the proper aftercare procedure as recommended by a tattoo artist. By following the proper instructions you can decrease the problems or issues that may occur during the healing process of your tattoo. Some of the more aftercare rules are proper moisturizing, avoiding touching the new ink, and cleaning the tattoo properly as recommended by the artist.
➤ Keep the area lubricated with a thin layer of lotion or cream, but do not over-lubricate. Petroleum jelly is a petroleum product that can be used to keep your tattoos from cracking and bleeding. However, it’s not recommended because it can cause allergic reactions in some people.
➤ Do not use a lotion with alcohol in it! Alcohol dries out skin cells which causes them to shrink and crack causing even more pain when you get an itch or irritation from bacteria on your tattooed skin rubbing against its new environment (which may be happening if you’re getting new tattoos). This can also lead to infection as well as scarring over time due to trauma caused by rubbing against one another while healing (this is why we recommend keeping these areas clean at all times).
FAQs
Q- Why is my tattoo bleeding and cracking at the same time?
There are many reasons for tattoo cracking accompanied by blood. Blood may occur if your skin is overly dry and hydrated. In such a situation the scrabs may stretch the already harmed skin that may cause your skin to open and start bleeding. Scabs are like protective walls for healing skin, when they break they may cause bleeding. Infections of the tattoo can be another reason for cracking and bleeding.
Q- Why should that crack cause worry?
If your tattoo is cracking, oozing, swelling, rushing, and also bleeding, you should be worried as you are dealing with an allergic reaction or an infection. In both situations, you should urgently seek medical assistance and treatment. Other than this issue, tattoo cracking should not bother you. Just keep your body well hydrated and the newly tattooed area moist. If the cracking doesn’t stop, have a chat with the tattoo artist for a solution.
Q- Why is my old tattoo cracking?
Tattoo cracking is generally possible when the tattoo is new and healing. It is not common for an old tattoo to start cracking. The only reason is, prevent excessive exposure of the tattoo to the sun. If you don’t protect your tattoo from UV rays, it may age faster and might eventually lead to the cracking of the tattooed skin. To avoid this, always apply sunscreen when the tattoo is exposed to sunlight. Furthermore, if it seems bloated consult your doctor for assistance.
Q- How do I protect my new tattoo from cracking?
Here are a few steps that are sure to make the healing of the tattoo faster.
- Make sure the tattoo covers the new ink with a layer of petroleum jelly and a bandage.
- Remove the bandage after 24 hours. Wash the new tattoo gently with water and antimicrobial soap.
- Apply a thin layer of vaseline or antibacterial cream twice a day, but never put another bandage on the tattoo.
- Wash the affected area gently twice a day with soap and water and pat dry before applying antibacterial or Vaseline cream.
Looking for ways to get a tattoo that are not permanent? Then you can try Sharpie Tattoo.
Conclusion
Tattoo cracking is a common problem that can be difficult to treat. It’s important to make sure the tattoo is clean and free of bacteria so that the tattoo doesn’t crack or bleed during healing. Your doctor may also prescribe antibiotics if there are signs of infection in your skin. If you’re worried about having this problem, ask them about preventative measures like using antibiotic ointments on the skin before applying any new ink or putting on bandages over old ones. We hope this article How to treat and prevent tattoo cracking.
