Tattoo Info and Aftercare

There are a lot of different ideas and theories as to what is the best method of aftercare for your tattoo. Here is a set of instructions that I believe works well for many people, and have used this method on myself successfully.
There are 2 methods of aftercare depending on your choice or if you are allergic to medical adhesive.

1)Second Skin/Tagaderm/Saniderm:

(scroll farther down for non Tagaderm instructions)

* Leave the bandage on ideally for 3-5 days. It is a good idea to change the bandage after 24 hours. You can buy the film (usually called Tagaderm, Sandiderm, or Second Skin) at drug stores. Alternatively order it ahead of time from Amazon.

It is common for the film to fill with fluids. This can look like the muddled colors of your tattoo or look like watery blood. It is NORMAL and is the plasma your body is pushing out to the surface from a scab. Because the plasma it doesn't dry out on your skin as a scab, its sits under the film as a liquid. There is no need for concern if you see fluid, this is your own blood plasma and perhaps a bit of tattoo pigment, but it is working hard to re-build your skin so leave it alone!


If your bandage is leaking, gently wipe away any leakage with a soft cloth or paper towel, as needed. If the Tegaderm does not stay secured and begins to slip, you may use medical tape to help keep it in place. If however the Tegaderm fails to stay in place to a point that your tattoo is exposed, the bandage must be removed at once. It is advisable that while wearing the Tegaderm you avoid wearing your favorite light colored clothing or sleeping on your favorite sheets, in case of leakage.

*If you experience any swelling in the new tattoo, try to treat the body part as you would a sprained ankle. ICE, ELEVATION, and ADVIL. Lower extremities are particularly vulnerable to swelling. It’s usually nothing to be concerned about, but it is uncomfortable. If you experience swelling just rest and get your feet up a while.

*Avoid activities that will stress the Tegaderm bandage. For example, if the bandage is on your arm, avoid jogging, and other repetitive motion activities as much as possible for the 72 hour bandage period. Highly repetitive movements, especially if they induce perspiration, will cause the Tegaderm to come loose prematurely.

*For the duration of the 3-5 day period, avoid excessive water exposure. This means that WHEN you shower for the first three days, just get in, and get out, being careful to minimize the water spray onto the Tegaderm.

*When it is time to remove the Tegaderm, the easiest way is to do it in the shower. Rub the edges of the bandage until you can get ahold of it, and GENTLY pull it free from the skin. Remove the bandage like a 3m strip- pulling down - instead of away, from your skin. Draw the bandage along the surface of the skin with one hand while supporting the skin behind the bandage with the other hand. Removing the Tegaderm may be just a bit painful, but with patience and gentleness it shouldn’t be too bad, or take too long. DO NOT PULL THE BANDAGE DIRECTLY AWAY FROM THE SKIN AS THIS MAY CAUSE UNDUE PAIN.

*Once the Tegaderm is removed, wash the tattoo thoroughly with warm soapy water. Use any mild soap (avoid heavy fragrances and never wash your raw tattoo with an exfoliating soap!) The trick to getting your tattoo clean is to wash it VERY gently, not just once, but as many times as needed to get it clean. Avoid using a lot of pressure while washing it as this may cause discomfort. Your tattoo isn’t clean until it no longer has any areas that feel “slippery” to the touch. This is what you will do from here on out 2-3 times a day until the skin has regenerated.

*once your tattoo is clean, rinse it one last time with cold water. This will help close the pores of your skin and help the tattoo to stop oozing.

*Dry the tattoo, either by air drying, or GENTLY pat the tattoo dry using a paper towel. (Avoid using a bath towel that you’ve been using for several days, as these may contain bacteria which could irritate your new tattoo).


To replace the film:
Follow these instructions only.

Wash your hands very well and carefully remove the plastic membrane
under warm running water pulling it down like a 3M strip. Once the bandage is off, gently massage the tattoo with water and soap to remove the plasma. You will know this is removed, when the skin no longer feels slick. Wash your hands again and either air dry or use a paper towel to dry the tattoo. NOT A hand towel. You may then replace the Tagaderm/saniderm/second skin- avoiding air bubbles.

*After the 3-5 day conclusion oof using Tegaderm, you may use a Aquaphor, Egyptian Magic, a tattoo healing salve( ask me which ones are good) or coconut oil from a new container ( not the same used for cooking or any other application). Avoid over-moisturizing. Your tattoo should NEVER look shiny or feel greasy.

*Avoid clothing or activities that irritate your new tattoo for several days. This may include clothing that is tight, or has a coarse texture, such as denim waistbands and lace bra-straps.

*After use of Tegaderm it is normal for the tattoo to gently flake a bit on the fourth or fifth day. Never pick at or scratch your healing tattoo. Continue to moisturize and treat your new tattoo gently until the skin is fully recovered.

2)BANDAGE/SOAKER PADS/SARAN WRAP healing method

3-4 hours after the finish of your tattoo, you should remove the bandage and wash the tattoo. Wash the tattoo with an anti-bacterial hand soap, such as Dial or
(you can use Dr Bronners baby soap), to reduce your risk of infection. Also use luke-warm water as opposed to hot water, which would burn the tattoo. It is important to wash the tattoo lightly, but be sure to remove all ointment, blood, and any other residue.

After washing the tattoo pat dry with a paper towel . Then apply an ointment/salve. Some commonly recommended ointments would be Aquaphor, Egyptian Magic or a approved tattoo salve. Ask me if you want to use a salve or "tattoo cream" I would recommend staying away from vaseline and petroleum jelly. It is VERY IMPORTANT to only use a very tiny amount of ointment that you lightly rub into a thin, “barely there” layer over the tattoo. The tattoo should just have a slight sheen after rubbing in the ointment. Using too much ointment can over saturate the tattoo and cause excess scabbing or scabs to come off prematurely.

It is NOT “the more the better.”

-I would recommend use of the ointment for around 3-5 days. During these days wash your tattoo every morning right when you wake, and right before bed. It is also important to wash the tattoo several times throughout the day. The more you wash your tattoo, the easier and faster your tattoo will heal. If your tattoo is in a hard to reach area, have a friend assist you, just make sure they wash their hands thoroughly before they do so. If you do not keep your tattoo clean, you run the risk of both infection and excess scabbing which could result in poor healing. During these first few days, depending on where your tattoo is located the tattoo may be prone to swelling, using a bag of ice, elevating the tattooed area, and taking ibuprofen can help reduce the swelling.

-Around the 3-5th day, you should notice your tattoo has formed a thin layer, which will begin to peel. The peeling is similar to that of a sunburn peeling, only the skin will come off in the colors of the tattoo, this is normal.

At this stage in the healing process you can switch from using the ointment to a non-scented hand lotion. Aveeno, Curel, and Lubriderm non-scented are some common recommendations. For the next 2 weeks, keep washing the tattoo and use the lotion as needed. Keep the skin moisturized to prevent cracking and bleeding. There may be a couple scabs on your tattoo that take longer to come off then others, some taking up to a few weeks to come off. If this is the case just let the scabs fall off on their own and be mindful not to pull them off prematurely, as this could result in loss of ink. The majority of your tattoos healing should be over in 2 weeks, but it does take up to 4 weeks for a tattoo to be fully healed.

Tattoo Aftercare
Things to avoid during the tattoo healing process:
-Try not to sleep on your tattoo. Example, if the tattoo is on your back, sleep on your stomach. Not only will the tattoo become stuck to your clothing and linens, it will leave a lovely imprint on your sheets. Should you wake up and your clothes are stuck to your tattoo, do not rip them off, for this could result in ripping off scabs. Instead wet the area of clothing that is stuck to the tattoo with water and it will become unstuck.
-Avoid submerging the tattoo. Soaking in water could cause scabs to come off prematurely. Also avoid swimming due to possible bacteria and irritants in the water. So no ocean, lake, pool, jacuzzi, or bath tub for 2 weeks! Showers are okay... and encouraged.

-Avoid the sun! Getting sunburn on your tattoo can cause some serious problems. Think of your tattoo as like healing a bad sunburn, you wouldn’t want to get more sun on it. If your going to be in the sun for an extended period of time, wear loose cotton clothing over the tattoo.
-Avoid wearing tight clothing that will rub onto the tattoo, excessive rubbing can lead to scabbing and loss of ink. Some key areas where this is common is around the pants line and the bra line. Try to wear loose fitting cotton clothing over the tattooed area so that its breathable, or if your not in public, go without! If you had your foot tattooed, try to stick to a more open type of shoe such as a flip-flop. Also, the first couple days of healing the tattoo will tend to “ooze” in the colors of the tattoo that tend to stain fabric, so do not wear your sunday best!

-Avoid over working the tattooed area. For example, if you are an avid gym goer, lay off the arm exercises for 2 weeks if you just had your arm tattooed. Or, if you just got your foot tattooed, don’t plan a hiking or 5 hour mall trip. Over working the tattooed area can result in scabbing and poor healing. Working out will also cause you to sweat which is also not good for the tattoos healing process.

Infecton
Infection is not super common but lets face it, with so many invisible bacteria floating around out there its bound to happen at some point, heres some tips on dealing with your tattoo should it become infected:
-First and foremost is how to tell if your tattoo is indeed infected, some key signs of tattoo infection are a red haze surrounding the tattoo after its already past a week or more of the healing process, which also could be accompanied by a white haze over sections of the tattoo, indentation of the tattoo, extreme scabbing which may turn green or yellowish, bad smell, and puss. Contacting your tattoo artist so they may confirm whether or not your tattoo is infected and ways to combat the infection is a good idea, although the best way to deal with an infection is by calling you physician, they will know the absolute best way to combat your infection and may prescribe you antibiotics.
tattoo Aftercare
-The best ways to avoid infections are by keeping your tattoo clean and by making your artist aware of any sensitivities or allergies you may have before getting tattooed. For example, many tattoo artists use latex gloves during the tattooing process, if you have an allergy to latex let your tattoo artist know ahead of time so they can switch to nitrile gloves. Also, many people have a sensitivity to certain tattoo inks, red ink is a common color that people have a sensitivity to because of the nickel content in that particular color. An easy way to tell if you have a nickel allergy is by wearing a piece of cheap costume jewelry, which is commonly nickel coated, and will discolor your skin black if you are allergic to it.

After your tattoo is healed
-In order to keep your tattoo looking good for as long as possible, it is important to keep your skin moisturized, and when your going to have prolonged sun exposure, use sun block to help avoid fading.
Every artist has their own ideas and theories as to what is the best way to take care of your tattoo. There are many ways to heal a tattoo and this is just one, as I said before, everything written here is just my own personal theory and experience. I recommend listening to the advice of your own personal tattoo artist, or if you have already come up with an after care plan that works for you, I recommend sticking with it.