Colors will be darker initially. The real fading won't take place until your body starts to absorb the ink. Mine took 2-3 weeks before it started showing up and 6-8 weeks to be "finished" from that particular session.
Avoid infection? Don't mess with it, let the blisters pop on their own. Keep it covered and wash it a couple of times/day. I covered mine with non-stick gauze until the blisters dried up.