Guide for tattoo fans
Documenting tattoo healing day by day
The easiest way to document your tattoo's healing is to take photos or 3D scans at fixed times, always in the same light and from the same angle, plus a sentence or two of notes. That gives you a record you can compare later and show your studio if you have questions.
This guide explains how to document. It says nothing about how healing should go: your studio answers that, and for any complaints, see a doctor.
By Inkmirra · Updated: 1 November 2026 · 4 min read
Why document healing?
A fresh tattoo looks different after a few weeks than on day one, and memory is a poor way to compare. A record helps you
- remember later what your tattoo looked like on the first day
- see changes side by side instead of from memory
- show your studio how the tattoo has developed if you have questions
- know what it looked like fresh before a touch-up appointment
What you need
- A smartphone with a camera
- A fixed spot with even light, for example by a window
- A few minutes at each point in time
- One place for pictures and notes: a folder, a notebook or a tattoo journal
When to take pictures: fixed dates, not chance
Regular pictures matter more than many pictures. One possible schedule:
Day 0
Right after the appointment. If the tattoo is covered, follow what your studio tells you.
The first days
If you like, one picture a day at the same time. That is your day-by-day record.
After 2 and 6 weeks
One picture or scan each as an interim record.
After one year
Then once a year to see the long-term change.
Step by step: how to document
Fix your setup
Same place, same light, same distance. Remember how you stand or sit.
Take the full view
The whole tattoo in the frame, the camera as straight to the skin as possible.
Add details
Close-ups of areas that matter to you, such as fine lines or colour fields.
Write a note
Date, phase and your impression in one sentence.
Compare
Put pictures from different days side by side or blend 3D scans.
Same conditions: the most important tip
You can only see whether a tattoo has changed if the picture has not. Different light, a different angle or a different distance make colours and lines look different.
Soft daylight without direct sun, no flash and a camera held straight to the skin are a good standard.
Guide: photograph a tattoo without glare →What goes into the note
- The date and, if you like, the time
- The phase, for example freshly done or healed
- Your impression in your own words, for example on a scale from 1 to 5
- What you used as instructed by your studio, if you want to record it
- Questions you want to ask your studio
Photo or 3D scan?
Photos are quick and ideal for a day-by-day record. A 3D scan also shows the whole tattoo all around, including where it wraps around an arm or leg, and can be blended with later scans.
With Inkmirra you film your tattoo for about 30 seconds and get a 3D model. In the tattoo journal you add entries with phase, notes and up to 4 photos. If you want, Inkmirra reminds you of comparison scans: right after the session, after 2 weeks, after 6 weeks, after one year and yearly after that.
How the tattoo journal works →Important
What a record does not replace
Pictures and notes record what your tattoo looks like. They do not tell you whether healing is going normally. Inkmirra does not assess healing and gives no aftercare tips. Your studio answers questions about aftercare; for any complaints, see a doctor.
Questions about documenting healing
How often should I photograph my fresh tattoo?
That is up to you. For a day-by-day record, one picture a day at the same time is enough; later, longer gaps are fine. What matters more than the number is that the pictures are taken under the same conditions.
Can I tell from the photos whether my tattoo is healing well?
That is not what this guide is for. Photos help you see changes and show them to your studio. Whether everything is fine is a question for your studio, and for any complaints, a doctor.
Can I scan a freshly done tattoo?
Yes. The scan is a video, it does not touch the skin. Your studio tells you whether and when to remove a covering.
Where is the best place to keep the pictures?
In one fixed place per tattoo, so nothing gets lost among other phone photos. In the Inkmirra tattoo journal, photos, notes and 3D scans are kept together per tattoo and are private by default.
How much does the tattoo journal cost?
Getting started is free with up to 3 tattoos. Current plans are on the pricing page.