Aftercare

SECOND SKIN BANDAGE

My preferred method of aftercare involves utilizing a second-skin bandage, such as Recovery Derm or Saniderm.

  1. Leave the bandage on the skin for 3-4 days. During this time, you will see a nice soup of blood/plasma/ink puddle up under the bandage. This is normal – just leave the bandage alone. During this time you can go about your life as you normally would (showering, wearing clothes over the tattooed area, light exercise are okay). If you experience any leakage of these liquids from the bandage, please take the bandage off and proceed to traditional aftercare (see below).
  2. We recommend you peel off the second skin in the shower for easy clean up. Let warm water help you peel the bandage off your skin. Give your tattoo a simple wash with soap and water using your hands.
  3. Let your tattoo air dry, or pat it dry with a paper towel. NEVER use a towel on your tattoo as they often harbor bacteria.
  4. Moisturize with an unscented lotion (Aveeno, Lubriderm, Jergens, etc.) as needed. The second skin bandage eliminates the need for ointment-based moisturizers like Aquaphor or A&D, so avoid using those after removal.
  5. Tattoos generally take 2 weeks to one month to fully heal. Moisturize as needed during that time frame (I recommend at least 2x daily). Avoid picking, poking, scratching and soaking for at least 2 weeks.

TRADITIONAL AFTERCARE

If your second-skin bandage experiences leakage, or if for some reason you cannot use the second-skin, please follow these directions for optimal aftercare.

  1. You will leave the shop with a saran-wrapped tattoo. Leave this bandage on for 1-2 hours after the tattoo so that any applied ointment can fully absorb.
  2. AFTER washing your hands, remove the saran wrap and give your tattoo a wash with soap and water. We always recommend you use a soap that comes out of a pump rather than a bar of soap.
  3. Pat your tattoo dry with a paper towel. Avoid bath towels as they can harbor bacteria.
  4. Apply a teeny TINY amount of Aquaphor ointment to the tattoo (cannot stress the tiny part enough). Make sure to rub the ointment in extremely well so there is no glossy residue left on the surface of the tattoo. You CAN overuse Aquaphor, so less is more!
  5. Repeat steps 2-4 3x daily for the first 3 days after your tattoo.
  6. On day 4, you will continue to wash your tattoo, but switch to using an unscented lotion instead of Aquaphor. You CAN’T overuse lotion – so use as needed!
  7. Tattoos generally take 2 weeks to one month to fully heal. Moisturize as needed during that time frame. Avoid picking, poking, scratching or soaking for at least 2 weeks.