Tattoo Aftercare
Saniderm
After you apply the first Saniderm bandage, we recommend leaving it on your new tattoo for between 8 to 24 hours. Everyone heals differently, and the length of time will vary depending on how much fluid your tattoo is weeping. When the adhesion of the Saniderm bandage begins to weaken, that’s your cue to remove or replace the bandage. If you notice excessive weeping or fluid under your currently applied piece of Saniderm, it’s okay to carefully replace it with a new one. If your tattoo exudes more plasma and blood than usual, you may find yourself having to change it earlier. This is common with heavy saturation and color work.
Regardless of how much fluid build up you experience, you should always change the initial film at the 24-hour mark to clean the area and replace the bandage. After you apply the first Saniderm bandage, the second bandage can be worn for up to 6 days. If you find the tattoo weeps into the second piece, remove it at the next 24 hour period, wash the tattoo, and apply a third piece. This third piece can be worn for up to 5 days. Saniderm should not be worn for more than 7 days total.
Clear Bandage
Leave your bandage on for a minimum of 1 hour and no longer than 4 or 5 hours. (we would rather you left it on longer as opposed to washing it in a dirty bar bathroom) DO NOT RE-BANDAGE unless you speak with us and we decide it is a good idea, etc.
After usually no less than 5 hours, it is safe to remove the bandage and wash the tattoo.
After thorough hand-washing, a person can gently wash the tattoo with hypoallergenic soap and warm water using their fingers.
The moisturizer on the skin will come off, and the tattoo may appear as if it is oozing ink or a thick, sticky substance. This reaction is not usually a cause for concern, as it is just the excess fluid and ink from the tattoo process.
After washing, a person should pat the skin with a clean paper towel and allow it to air-dry for up to an hour. When the area is completely dry, they can apply a thin layer of moisturizer to the tattoo, but leave it uncovered to allow the skin to breathe.
PAT DRY WITH A CLEAN PAPER TOWEL:
Pat dry with a clean paper towel and let air dry for one hour or more before applying aftercare.
Apply a THIN layer of product (FRAGRANCE FREE HAND LOTION, TATTOO GOO) and massage in to the skin to the point where it just barely looks moist. DO NOT GOOP ON A PILE OF A&D OINTMENT. If using lotion, make sure the product has the words “FRAGRANCE FREE” on the label, otherwise there may be a small amount of chemical additive to make it smell just a little better and that is what will irritate it. We do not recommend A&D ointment because of its high petroleum content. This will block your skin from breathing which is the most important thing for not only healthy but especially healing skin. It needs to be able to breathe to avoid clogging pores, etc.
THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF HEALING YOUR TATTOO IS KEEPING IT CLEAN WITH SOAP AND WATER! It is a mere matter of common sense. If you are out and about, working, getting dirty, wash it more than if you are sitting on the couch watching Rick and Morty re-runs.
Repeat this process for a week or two depending on the how the tattoo looks. It will peel like a sunburn after a few days. (It is totally normal to see colored flakes of skin shedding) If it does scab in a few areas this is nothing to worry about, just let them fall off on their own. DO NOT SCRATCH OR PICK AT THEM and do NOT over-saturate in the shower. This could soften them up too much and cause them to come off prematurely which will leave blank spots that will need touching up.
DURING THE HEALING PROCESS…. NO SUN, NO SWIMMING POOLS, NO JACUZZI, NO OCEAN, NO SOAKING IN WATER OF ANY KIND!
AFTER YOUR TATTOO IS HEALED…. USE SUNBLOCK, THIS WILL KEEP IT LOOKING LIKE NEW LONGER.
Think of it this way, you are looking THROUGH the skin at the ink underneath much like a picture in a frame with glass over it. The better you take care of the glass/skin the better the picture/tattoo looks underneath.
After a few days, the tattoo will begin to form flaky scabs that will fall off on their own. DO NOT PICK OR SCRATCH AT YOUR TATTOO. Keep it moisturized and the scabs will slough eventually. Once again, they will be the color of the tattoo. It normally takes 2-4 weeks for a tattoo to completely heal.