Why is my tattoo peeling?
Because the top layer of skin is replacing itself, which is exactly what should happen. It usually starts around day three to five. The ink sits in the layer underneath, so what comes away is dead skin rather than your tattoo.
Where the ink actually is
The needle puts ink into the dermis, the layer below the surface. What peels is the epidermis above it, which was damaged during the session and is now being shed.
This is why the flakes look alarming. They carry a little pigment from the surface and appear to be your tattoo coming off in your hand. They are not.
What it should look like
Fine flaking, like light sunburn, starting around day three to five and finishing inside a fortnight. Larger pieces peel in patches and different areas finish at different times.
It will itch, often badly, right when it is peeling most.
What not to do
Everything here is the same instruction said four ways: leave it alone.
Do not pick or pull a flake, even one hanging by a thread. Pulling early takes ink with it and that is how a patchy heal happens.
Do not scratch. Slap it gently, or put moisturiser on, or hold something cool near it.
Do not scrub in the shower. Warm water and a hand, nothing else.
Do not add extra cream to speed it up. A thick layer softens what should be drying.
When it is not peeling
Thick, hard scabs rather than fine flakes usually mean it was worked heavily or has dried out. Keep it moisturised lightly and do not pull them.
Spreading redness, heat, swelling that worsens after day three, or any discharge that is not clear plasma, is a reason to see a GP rather than to read a website. Send us a photograph too, so we know.
Related frequently asked questions
Why does my new tattoo look faded?
Almost always the healing rather than the ink. Around days three to fourteen a layer of drying skin sits over the top and makes everything look dull and milky. It clears on its own, and the tattoo underneath is the one you were shown on the day.
Read the full answer › How do you wash a new tattoo?
With clean hands, warm water and unscented soap, two or three times a day for the first fortnight. Wash gently with your fingers, rinse, pat dry with a clean towel or kitchen roll, then a thin layer of moisturiser.
Read the full answer › How do I look after a new tattoo?
Keep it clean, moisturise it lightly, and leave it alone. Wash it gently with unscented soap, apply a thin layer of unscented lotion two or three times a day, and never pick at it. Most tattoos heal on the surface in two to four weeks.
Read the full answer › How long do you leave second skin on a tattoo?
Follow what your artist told you on the day, because the two kinds of covering are completely different. A simple wrap comes off after two to five hours. An adhesive film such as second skin stays on for several days.
Read the full answer › Why does my tattoo itch, and what can I do about it?
Because the skin is repairing, and it usually peaks around days four to seven while the peeling is heaviest. It is normal and it passes. What matters is not scratching it, because scratching pulls ink out of skin that has not closed.
Still want to ask somebody? That is what the first conversation is for.
- Written and checked by
THRONE , a tattoo studio in Northampton.
Last checked 28 August 2026 .