AFTERCARE
After your appointment, a second skin bandage WILL BE APPLIED TO your tattoo.
If you are allergic to adhesive a temporary bandage will be applied with an vitamin E ointment.
What is a Second Skin bandage?
Second Skin is a medical grade bandage used by medical professionals as well tattoo artists. It is commonly used to help heal wounds.
Second Skin is a waterproof breathable bandage that you will wear for 48 hours or no more than 72 hours.
You can sleep, shower, and continue your day to day with this bandage on.
Your tattoo is an open wound for the first 2 - 3 days and the second skin allows your tattoo to breathe and heal under the bandage, and it is easier to take off.
While wearing this bandage, avoid sweating excessively, do not go in hot tubs, saunas, baths, swimming pools, or have any sun exposure to the area.
If your tattoo looks like it is “smearing or melting” or feels “wet” underneath the bandage while wearing the bandage, this is just the ink, plasma, and blood collecting under the bandage and is completely normal.
While wearing this bandage, here are 5 things for you to watch out for:
Watch out for any ink, plasma, or blood leaking outside the edges of the bandage. If you notice any of the above, you need to take the bandage off immediately as bacteria will be able to get inside since the bandage adhesive is compromised.
Avoid any water getting inside the bandage while in the shower. While showering, do not allow the water pressure directly onto the bandage (or tattoo while healing). If you notice any of the above, you need to take the bandage off immediately as bacteria will be able to get inside since the bandage adhesive is compromised.
Look out for any redness, itchiness, or blisters forming around the edges of the bandage. This just means that your skin is sensitive to the adhesive so you need to remove the bandage immediately. This will be itchy but will not affect your tattoo.
Make sure the bandage is not lifting on any of the corners to the point where your tattoo is directly exposed to oxygen while wearing this bandage. If your bandage is lifting and your tattoo is exposed, take the bandage off immediately.
When taking the bandage off, you must have clean hands and may do so in the shower or in a clean environment. The bandage may be difficult to take off but will not affect your tattoo.
Taking off the bandage and keeping it clean
After the 48hrs, wash your hands and proceed to remove the bandage in the shower. Peel back the plastic very slowly and carefully.
Do not rip if off like a Bandaid.
Clean the tattoo with warm, soapy water. Be sure to use unscented soap that is free of dyes and alcohol. Just use your fingertips, not a washcloth, as the latter will be abrasive to your tattoo.
After your shower, pat your tattoo dry with a clean paper towel. Allow to air dry until it's dry to the touch.
Do not soak tattoo! Only allow water on tattoo for as long as it's needed to wash.
When you are in shower avoid getting soap, hair shampoo, conditioner, hair dye or any other cleaning products on the tattoo other than the Simple Cleanse soap recommended.
Do not re-bandage! Air needs to get to your tattoo to heal properly. If you are working in a dusty environment please wear long sleeves or clothing that loosely covers you new tattoo.
Temporary bandage and Vitamin E
At the end of your appointment I will wrap you with a non adhesive temporary bandage with a thin layer of Webber vitamin E ointment.
Apply Lotion
Make sure you ALWAYS wash your hands before your touch your healing tattoo, to avoid introducing unwanted bacteria.
When your tattoo feels dry, apply a thin layer of white, unscented lotion to the tattoo. I recommend Lubierm, Jerggans or Aveeno plain unscented lotions.
Wash your tattoo a few times a day. I recommend using unscented baby wipes to rid the area of bacteria.
Re-apply a thin layer of moisturizer a few times a day, when your tattoo feels dry.
Do not re-apply if your tattoo already feels moisturized, as you may oversaturate the tattoo.
Repeat this process (wash and lotion) for 7-10 days, or until your tattoo is done flaking and peeling
DO NOT use any antibiotic ointments, aloe vera, preparation-h, bees wax, citric acid, tea tree oil, canuba or candilla wax, oleic acid, coconut oil, alcohol, lemon grass or old bottles of lotion hanging around your house. All of these products can hinder in the healing of tattoos.
Be careful not to cross contaminate your lotions and creams! Clean fingers and never touch ends of the pump on containers.
Additional tips
Avoid letting your tattoo be in the sun for at least 6 weeks. New tattoos can burn easily. Also, please note, some inks can cause a histamine reaction due to a foreign substance in your skin and you may experience slight irritation on your tattoo months after it's healed. Make sure you're wearing sunscreen while in the sun to protect your tattoo from fading!
If you are doing any sports regularly, it's best to wait until they are over to get tattooed.
I do not recommend going to bars, gyms or hospitals for the initial stages of healing as these places carry many strains of bacteria.
Nutrition and fluids are essential after a tattoo, so be good to your body.
Small amounts of color may leak onto clothing or sheets for the first few days this is normal. It will stain!
Wear loose clothing to avoid rubbing and irritation of the tattoo. (This includes bras in some cases.)
Don’t let any one (including yourself) touch your tattoo with dirty hands.
Do not soak your tattoo! Only allow water on tattoo for as long as it's needed to wash.
Taking off the temporary bandage
Leave bandage on until you get home or right before you go to bed that day.
When taking the bandage off, you must have clean hands and may do so in the shower or in a clean environment.
Once bandage is removed Clean the tattoo with warm, soapy water. Be sure to use unscented soap that is free of dyes and alcohol. Just use your fingertips, not a wash cloth, as the latter will be abrasive to your tattoo.
After your tattoo has been cleaned, pat your tattoo dry with a clean paper towel. Allow to air dry until it's dry to the touch.
Additional tips
Avoid letting your tattoo be in the sun for at least 6 weeks. New tattoos can burn easily. Also, please note, some inks can cause a histamine reaction due to a foreign substance in your skin and you may experience slight irritation on your tattoo months after it's healed. Make sure you're wearing sunscreen while in the sun to protect your tattoo from fading!
If you are doing any sports regularly, it's best to wait until they are over to get tattooed.
I do not recommend going to bars, gyms or hospitals for the initial stages of healing as these places carry many strains of bacteria.
Nutrition and fluids are essential after a tattoo, so be good to your body.
Small amounts of color may leak onto clothing or sheets for the first few days this is normal. It will stain!
Wear loose clothing to avoid rubbing and irritation of the tattoo. (This includes bras in some cases.)
Don’t let any one (including yourself) touch your tattoo with dirty hands.
Do not soak your tattoo! Only allow water on tattoo for as long as it's needed to wash.
Re-apply, remove and Clean
Make sure you ALWAYS wash your hands before your touch your healing tattoo, to avoid introducing unwanted bacteria.
Reapply a VERY thin layer of Webbers vitamin e ointment to your tattoo and re wrap your tattoo. This is only for the first night of having your tattoo. DO NOT reapply vitamin E or reapply after the first night.
Once you wake up take off the bandage with clean hands.
Repeat previous cleaning steps
When taking the bandage off, you must have clean hands and may do so in the shower or in a clean environment.
Once bandage is removed clean the tattoo with warm, soapy water. Be sure to use unscented soap that is free of dyes and alcohol. Just use your fingertips, not a washcloth, as the latter will be abrasive to your tattoo.
After your tattoo has been cleaned, pat your tattoo dry with a clean paper towel. Allow to air dry until it's dry to the touch.
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