FIRST 2 DAYS
After your tattoo is finished, I will cover your tattoo with second skin, a clear tattoo adhesive bandage. You can leave this on for 48 hours. This bandage is waterproof, so you can shower with it on, but avoid any soaking (ex. bathing, swimming, hot tubs). Also avoid any serious exercise while wearing your bandage, as any sweat will become trapped beneath your bandage.
During these days, you might see a gooey “ink sack” form underneath the film. This is totally normal and will be absorbed back into you skin over the course of the first few days. If any of this plasma leaks out of the sides of the bandage however, take the bandage off as the barrier has been broken, allowing for potential bacteria to enter.
If you have any negative reaction to the adhesive (redness, irritation), your skin may be negatively reacting to the bandage at which point you should remove it right away.
second skin removal
When it is time to remove your bandage, gently do so at the end of a shower under lukewarm running water. Don’t blast your fresh tattoo directly under hot water! Just let the water trickle down over the area of your tattoo. I recommend gently pulling it from the bottom edge- down and away from your body, similarly to how you would remove a command strip. Do not dry peel your bandage, as rough removal of the bandage can damage the skin and therefore the tattoo as well.
If you have any sticky residue left behind after you remove your bandage: Put coconut oil over the residue, let it sit for 10 minutes, and then gently massage the adhesive off. You might have to repeat this process a few times, but eventually the adhesive will break down. After this, you can gently wipe away any excess oil surrounding your tattoo with a clean dry paper towel.
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FIRST 2-3 WEEKS
The first 2-3 weeks of healing your tattoo are the most important in determining how your tattoo is going to heal. Therefore, during this time it is essential that you practice good aftercare.
Cleaning instructions:
Wash your tattoo twice a day with a gentle unscented antibacterial soap (orange dial soap is a great option). For cleaning, lather your soap in your hands and gently clean your tattoo with the lather. Just use your hands; Do not scrub your new tattoo with a loofa or wash cloth or anything abrasive. After soaping, rinse the suds off with lukewarm or room-temp water and pat (not wipe) your tattoo dry with a clean paper towel. Do not use a bath towel as that may introduce bacteria to your tattoo.
Moisturizing instructions:
Keep your tattoo moisturized with a thin layer of a gentle unscented lotion. Any generic gentle white lotion should do!
I do not recommend using thick ointments like Aquaphor or Vaseline, as they can over-moisturize and “suffocate” your healing tattoos. It’s great to keep them moisturized, but it is also important to let them breath as well! Your new tattoo is essentially a wound trying to heal itself, and creating an environment that is too “wet” can be counterproductive to your tattoo’s healing.
Things to avoid:
NO DIRECT SUNLIGHT!!!: Keep your tattoo covered and out of sunlight for the first 2-3 weeks. Literally cannot stress the importance of this enough. UV rays are your new tattoo’s worst enemy, and will lead to premature fading/ink spreading. UV rays can penetrate fog, so please keep your tattoo covered even if it is gloomy out. Any loose clothing is perfect for keeping it covered. Don’t use sunscreen yet during this time because your tattoo is still an “open wound.” AFTER 2-3 weeks, you can start applying sunscreen whenever you go out. Always keep your tattoos protected with sunscreen guys! I promise it makes a huge difference and is so worth it.
NO TIGHT CLOTHING: While your tattoo is healing, avoid tight clothing that might rub against your new tattoo or cause any uncomfortable friction.
NO ITCHING/PICKING: Your tattoo may become very itchy while it’s is healing. I know it’s hard to resist, but DO NOT ITCH IT! You might notice your tattoo starting to lightly scab and flake during this time. Do not pick at or peel any of the flakes, as doing so may result in pigment “falling out” of your tattoo. Allow them to fall off your tattoo naturally when they are ready to depart from your body 🙂
NO SWIMMING/SOAKING: No Swimming or Soaking until your tattoo is healed please! I recommend waiting at least 4 weeks. This includes pools, oceans, hot tubs, baths, and saunas.
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