You invested money in your tattoo. Your artist invested skill and time. Now it’s healing, and you’re determined to do everything right. But sometimes “doing everything right” means avoiding common mistakes that can ruin perfectly good ink. Let’s talk about the aftercare mistakes we see most often—and how to avoid them. Bad Tattoo Aftercare: The 7 Mistakes That Cause Fading, Scabbing, and Infection Bad tattoo aftercare typically involves over-moisturizing, picking at scabs, or exposing fresh ink to sun and bacteria-laden water. These common mistakes suffocate the skin, pull out pigment, and significantly increase the risk of infection. For the best results, stick to a “less is more” approach: clean gently twice daily and apply a very thin layer of artist-recommended aftercare. ...