Tattoo Info and Aftercare

TATTOO AFTERCARE


There are 2 choices of Aftercare/Bandage. The route you take will depend on if you have sensitivities to medical adhesi

Second Skin/Tagaderm/Saniderm/Recoveryderm Method
(Do not use this if you have medical adhesive allergy)

Leave the bandage on ideally for 3-5 days total- starting the day of your tattoo.

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 you notice redness, irritation, swelling or any other unusual signs in the shape of the bandage (if your bandage is square, it would be seen as a square shaped irritation)- remove immediately. Contact your primary, health provider.

Many clients change the bandage after 24 hours. You can buy the film (usually called Tagaderm, Sandiderm, Recoveryderm, or Second Skin) from Amazon. Usually by this point your body is finished producing plasma.

To replace the film, follow these instructions only- it is necessary to follow this protocol exactly, to avoid bacteria from coming in contact with the fresh tattoo.

Wash your hands very well with anti bacterial soap. Carefully remove the plastic membrane
under warm running water, pulling it down, stretching away from the tattoo, not up (like removing a 3M strip from the wall). Once the bandage is off, gently massage the tattoo with water and anti bacterial 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.

If your bandage is leaking, or does not stay secured / begins to slip, or 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.

*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 bandage period. Highly repetitive movements, especially if they induce perspiration, will cause the Tegaderm to come loose prematurely and can possibly trap sweat bacteria.

*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 bandage.

*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. Do not use bath towels or reusable towel as these may contain bacteria which could irritate your new tattoo.

*After the 3-5 day conclusion of using Tegaderm, you may use a Aquaphor, Egyptian Magic, a tattoo healing salve (ask me which ones are good) 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.

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 activities such as gardening, which can introduce bacteria into the tattoo area.

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. If you ever ar in question contact you Primary Health provider, , they will know the absolute best way to combat your infection and may prescribe you antibiotics. Do not wait- if there is a concern that arises, take immediate steps to contact your Dr.


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.

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 or cause irritationif 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. It is important you follow your artists instructions as they know the best way to heal the tattoos they make. DO NOT listen to friends, the internet, or your homie that tattoos out of his garage.

AS always if you have ANY concerns please contact your Artist and your Primary Healthcare Provider.