Tattoo Aftercare Instructions

 

Here is what you should do:

There's two options for healing a tattoo, A second skin bandage such as sandierm, or a natural heal. Some people are not able to use second skin bandages due to adhesive allergies & will then need to opt for a natural heal..

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THE SANIDERM bandage PROTECTS the tattoo From dirt and other foreign objects. It also keeps your clothes or anything else from rubbing against your sensitive tattoo. 

You can shower with the Second Skin bandage on (it's water proof) you just don't want to submerge in water (no bath's, pools, hot tubs, any natural body of water.)

Leave saniderm on for 5-6 days..if Max feel's your sandierm might need to be replaced or patched during this time extra will be provided.

Keep it clean and dry, avoid the sun and sweating for first two weeks if possible. (this applies to both healing methods). Take the second skin bandage off after a shower, the water helps the adhesion come off & hurt less. After taking the sandierm bandage off you will need to clean your tattoo. There will be some tattoo color slime that has oozed out of your skin along with a little blood. This is normal. Wash the tattoo gently with soap and water, paper towel.

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If client's skin is sensitive to adhesives or allergy than a natural heal is betterl. Natural heal involves being sent home in Saran Wrap or a Tattoo Pad, then wiping down, cleaning & taking care of the wound from there. Wiping down with clean paper towel, water & soap.

With a natural heal, you will wash your tattoo twice a day immediately after temporary bandage removal. Wash with non scented soap, then about 5-7 days after the tattoo appointment start lightly moisturizing. A natural heal often has more peeling and a little more discomfort involved, also sometimes takes longer to fully heal with natural method. Preference varies.

 Tattoos take 10-14 days to be considered fully healed.. some research suggest a tattoo isn't technically fulled healed until 2 months or more in. General rule to wear sunscreen and take care of your skin.. (moisturizer, not tanning) Keep your investment looking good. 

 

A Trick to Help the Healing Process

​After you wash your tattoo for the first time, don’t moisturize it with anything. Let it dry. 

Moisturize On the following day,  After the tattoo has dried, you must moisturize the tattoo with one of the following products before rewrapping it with plastic wrap:

• Tattoo butter

• Tattoo slide or other tattoo-company treatments 

• non scented lotion

The point of moisturizing the tattoo is to keep it from drying out, which will make it hard for your skin to heal. You just want to moisturize the tattoo as if you are moisturizing your hands. You don’t leave globs of moisturizer on your fingers; you rub it in so there is no excess. Too much ointment on your new tattoo is bad.

You will need to moisturize your tattoo with one of the various products three or four times a day for four or five days. The number of times a day depends on you. If the tattoo feels dry, then moisturize it. Usually the various products like A&D ointment are used until the scabs have flaked off. After that, just use a regular skin moisturizer for at least a week.

 

What Not to Do

Don’t pick at it. Your tattoo will scab. Usually it will peel like a sunburn and sometimes it won’t peel at all. Do not pick the scabs. Your skin is still healing beneath the scabs. If you pick the scabs off, you can cause scarring, and as we saw before, you can pick holes and ruin your tattoo.

Don’t go swimming. If your tattoo becomes too moist, as in too much ointment or being submerged in water for too long, ink will come out of your skin. Chlorinated water found in pools will react badly with your tattoo. It can cause irritation and then create excess scabbing.

Don’t take it out in direct sunlight. If you work outdoors, wear something that will cover your new tattoo.

Don’t scratch. As the tattoo is healing, it will begin to itch. If you scratch the tattoo while it is healing, you could rip a scab off prematurely and cause a hole in the tattoo. You could just tear the skin, as it is very thin and more delicate than normal while it is healing. You can slap the tattoo, which will cause some relief. 

Proper care of your new ink will ensure that the tattoo will have bright colors and dark blacks, and no scarring.