Tips to Sleep With a New Tattoo

Getting a new tattoo is exciting, but the potential for infection can turn the experience into a nightmare. 

Redness, swelling, and pus-filled bumps are just a few of the signs that something's gone wrong. 

Ignoring these symptoms can lead to severe complications, like sepsis or organ failure. Fortunately, with the right care, you can sleep easy and avoid infection. Keep reading for tips on healing safely.

• Sleep on your back or opposite side to reduce pressure on your new tattoo.
  
  

• Keep sheets clean and soft to prevent infection and skin irritation.
  
  

• Moisturize your tattoo regularly to avoid cracking, but don’t overdo it.
  
  

• Avoid pets in your bed to prevent scratching and bacterial contamination.
  
  

• Elevate the tattooed area at night to reduce swelling and discomfort.

• Sleeping on dirty sheets can put germs into your tattoo: When your bedding isn’t clean, bacteria from the fabric can get into your fresh tattoo while you sleep. This raises the chances of an infection starting overnight.

• Old bed sheets can carry bacteria and dead skin: If your sheets haven’t been washed recently, they likely hold dead skin cells and germs. These can easily enter the tattooed skin and cause problems while it’s trying to heal.

• Leaving your tattoo uncovered makes it easier for bacteria to reach it: Once you stop covering your tattoo at night, it's more exposed. If your bedding isn't clean, germs have a clear path to reach your skin and possibly cause an infection.

• Dirty bedding can slow down healing and cause infection: Germs in unwashed sheets can infect your tattoo while you sleep. This can lead to redness, swelling, or even more serious healing issues, just from sleeping wrong.

The pressure from your body weight can impact the tattoo, causing the ink to shift or distort. 

Friction between the tattoo and bedding may blur lines and lead to a faded design. To protect your tattoo, consider sleeping on your back or using a soft, clean cloth between your tattoo and the bedding.

• Lying on your tattoo too soon can break the scabs: Sleeping on your fresh tattoo in the first weeks puts pressure on the healing skin. This can crush or peel off scabs before they’re ready, which slows healing and affects how the tattoo ends up looking.

• When scabs peel off early, the design can lose ink: If the scabs come off too soon, they can pull ink with them. This leads to faded spots or missing details in the design, something that’s hard to fix later.

• Peeling is normal, but it should happen on its own: A few days after getting the tattoo, the skin will start peeling naturally as it sheds dead cells. That’s part of the healing, but it only works well if you don’t rush or disturb it.

• Sleeping the wrong way can ruin the healing: If you sleep on the tattoo, it rubs against your sheets or mattress. This friction causes early peeling, which ruins scabs and affects how smooth or even your tattoo looks later.

• Tattoo Can Stick to Your Bedding While You Sleep: When your tattoo is new and still healing, it can ooze a bit and stick to your bed sheet during sleep. This usually happens when the tattoo is still moist or not properly covered.

• Movement Can Tear the Tattoo If It’s Stuck: If your tattoo sticks to the sheet and you move around, the sheet can pull on the skin. This can cause your tattoo to tear or peel, slowing healing and possibly leaving scars.

• How to Prevent Your Tattoo from Sticking: Before going to bed, apply a thin layer of tattoo-safe ointment. It keeps the tattoo moisturized and forms a barrier, helping to prevent the skin from drying and sticking to the fabric.

• What to Do If Your Tattoo Gets Stuck to the Sheet: If you wake up and your sheet is stuck to the tattoo, don’t peel it off. Wet the area gently with lukewarm water until the fabric loosens. Pulling it dry can seriously harm your tattoo and skin.

Continuous irritation, such as sleeping on a tattoo night after night, can slow down healing. 

Pressure from your body weight or friction from sheets can prevent the tattoo from fully recovering. 

If you notice that your tattoo feels painful or uncomfortable after sleeping, try adjusting your sleep position.

• Putting Pressure on Your Tattoo While Sleeping Makes Swelling Worse: When you sleep on the tattooed area, your body weight puts pressure on the fresh skin. This pressure causes more swelling and redness because the skin is still healing and sensitive.

• A Hot Room at Night Can Make Your Tattoo Puff Up More: Sleeping in a warm or hot environment increases blood flow to the tattooed area. This heat can make swelling worse and even cause some ink to leak out of the tattoo.

• Changing How You Sleep Helps Reduce Swelling and Redness: You can avoid making swelling worse by sleeping on the other side of your body, lifting the tattooed area slightly with a pillow, or using a cold compress to calm the skin before sleep.

• Sleeping on the other side keeps your tattoo safe: Sleeping on the opposite side of your new tattoo helps you avoid pressure and rubbing. This prevents pain and irritation, giving your skin a better chance to heal properly.

• Lying on your tattoo can slow down healing: If you sleep on the side with the tattoo, the pressure can stretch the skin and delay healing. Your sheets might also rub against it, causing more damage than you realize.

• Keeping your arm tattoo off the bed helps it heal: If the tattoo is on your arm, sleeping on the opposite side prevents it from touching the sheets. This helps reduce swelling and makes the healing process smoother.

• Clean sheets stop bacteria from entering your tattoo:  Clean sheets prevent bacteria from getting into your fresh tattoo, reducing the risk of infection. It’s especially important to keep your sheets clean in the first 4 to 6 weeks of healing.
  
  
• Changing sheets regularly keeps your tattoo safe:  Even if your sheets appear clean, regularly changing them helps avoid dirt, sweat, and bacteria buildup that could slow down the healing process.
  
  
• Soft fabrics like cotton and bamboo reduce skin irritation:  Rough fabrics can irritate your tattoo. Soft, breathable sheets made from cotton, bamboo, or linen reduce friction and help your tattoo heal comfortably.
  
  
• Smooth sheets prevent tattoo damage during sleep:  If you move around while sleeping, soft sheets like cotton will help prevent your tattoo from sticking to the bed or getting scratched, avoiding damage to the healing skin.
  
  
• Dark sheets protect against ink or plasma stains: Tattoos can leak small amounts of fluid while healing. Using old or dark-colored sheets helps protect your bedding from ink or plasma stains.

Loose clothing allows your tattoo to breathe, which is vital for healing. Tight clothes can irritate the skin, causing unnecessary rubbing and hindering airflow. 

Breathable fabrics, such as cotton, keep the area cool and dry, reducing the risk of complications.

• Wrap Your Tattoo to Keep It Safe From Dirt: Wrapping your tattoo helps protect it from dirt and bacteria, which could lead to infections during the initial healing period. Follow your tattoo artist’s advice on wrapping to ensure it stays safe.

• Don’t Wrap for Too Long to Avoid Moisture Build-up:  It’s important not to keep your tattoo wrapped for too long. Leaving it covered for extended periods can trap moisture and block oxygen, which can slow healing and cause scabbing.

• Check for Infection Under the Wrap: If the tattoo feels warmer or uncomfortable under the wrap, it may be a sign of infection. If you notice any of these symptoms, contact a doctor to prevent further issues.

• Change the Wrap Regularly for Proper Healing:  Change the wrap regularly to let your tattoo breathe and heal. Keeping the wrap on for too long prevents the tattoo from getting the air it needs, which can affect the healing process.

• Your Tattoo Needs Moisture to Stay Soft and Safe: Keeping your tattoo moisturized helps your skin stay soft and prevents it from drying out or cracking. Cracked skin can lead to infection and damage the tattoo design.

• Using Too Much Lotion Can Block Your Skin: Applying too much moisturizer can clog your pores and make things worse. If your tattoo feels sticky or your skin breaks out, it’s a sign you should use less lotion.

• Stick to Clean, Simple Moisturizers Like Pure Coconut Oil: Choose something gentle like pure coconut oil, no added chemicals or perfumes. This keeps your tattoo safe while still giving your skin the moisture it needs.

• Moisturizing Helps During Scabbing and Stops Damage: When your tattoo starts to scab, keeping it moisturized helps the skin heal without cracking. This protects your tattoo and lowers the chance of infection.

• Keep Pets Off the Bed to Avoid Bacteria: While pets are lovable, they can introduce bacteria to your tattoo if they lick it or touch it while you're sleeping. Their saliva and fur can carry germs that may infect a healing tattoo.

• Create a Pet-Free Sleep Zone During Healing: To protect your tattoo, try to keep your pets away from your bed for the first few weeks after getting inked. This helps avoid accidental scratches and contamination from pet hair and dander.

• Cover the Tattoo if Pets Are Around: If your pet ends up near your tattoo, make sure to cover the area with a clean bandage or loose clothing. This acts as a barrier between your tattoo and any pet contact.

• Clean Scratches Gently and Act Fast: If your pet accidentally scratches your tattoo, clean the area gently with soap and water, pat it dry, apply antibiotic ointment, and cover it with sterile gauze. If the skin is punctured, consult your doctor.

• Taking Pet Precautions Promotes Better Healing: Being cautious around pets while your tattoo heals reduces the risk of infection and ensures the artwork heals properly without complications.

• Lifting your tattoo helps bring down the swelling: When you raise the tattooed area while sleeping, it helps your body drain fluid away, reducing swelling and making the tattoo feel less sore.

• A soft pillow under your tattoo makes sleeping easier: Placing a pillow or cushion under the tattoo gives support and keeps pressure off the area, making it more comfortable to sleep through the night.

• Small changes in sleep position help your tattoo heal faster: By slightly adjusting how you sleep, like using pillows and keeping the tattoo raised, you support better healing and feel less discomfort at night.