It’s time to heal your fresh tattoo!
***YOU KNOW YOUR SKIN BETTER THAN ANYONE***
This is just a guide and written reference for everything we will/have talked about at your tattoo appointment. If we spoke about aftercare that was right for you that’s not written here, don’t worry. Everyone’s skin is different, there is not just one way to heal a tattoo successfully c:
If you have questions or concerns about the healing of your tattoo, please contact me!
YOU JUST GOT TATTOOED!
(that’s so great, way to go!)
Your tattoo will be cleaned and bandaged in one of three materials:
CLEAR ADHESIVE BANDAGE
Sometimes referred to by brand name such as Second Skin, Saniderm, Ultraderm, or Tegaderm, this is a clear thin, flexible film that is latex free and hypoallergenic. They function by letting the skin weep without that fluid drying on the surface and becoming a scab. They also help protect a fresh, inflamed tattoo from clothing or outside bacteria. These bandages are breathable, water resistant and can be left on for 3-5 days, not exceeding a week.
You may see fluid pool under the surface of the bandage, this is normal. If it’s just a little bit of fluid and it’s not collecting excessively, just let it be. If there is an increasing amount of fluid sloshing around in a blister formed by the bandage, remove your bandage. That amount of fluid will restrict the breathable nature of the bandage.
While these bandages can often speed up the healing process by keeping a fresh tattoo safe from outside irritation, it is also important to watch out for irritation caused by them:
Your tattoo should never hurt more than after it is freshly done. If you notice redness in the shape of the bandage or at the edge of the bandage, take it off immediately- this means you are either having a reaction to the bandage, or the bandage is tugging at your skin and causing an irritation. While you can shower with a clear adhesive bandage (no soaking or swimming please), if any water seeps under it, take it off! You don’t want to invite bacteria and risk irritation.
If you sweat under the bandage and it starts to slide off, just remove it. If your bandage starts to peel and expose your healing tattoo, just remove it. It’s better to heal your tattoo exposed than it is to try and recover it.
ABSORBENT BANDAGE
Sometimes called soaker pads or meat packing bandages, these are often black plastic covered absorbent pads with pores on one side to absorb fluid from a fresh weeping tattoo. These are useful for large tattooed areas as well as folks who have sensitivities to adhesives or having their skin wrapped.
You can keep these on over night, but it’s best to remove and discard them either as soon as you return home, before bed, or the following morning.
They are not to be kept on for more than a night as they are not breathable.
GOOD OL’ PLASTIC WRAP
Do you have sensitive skin that doesn’t like adhesives and your tattoo isn’t weepy and you just need something to get your home from the studio? Plastic wrap isn’t stylish or cool, but it will protect you on your journey.
Remove it as soon as you get home, it’s not breathable and will leak fluid and get weird.
BANDAGE IS OFF, NOW GIVE IT A WASH
Regardless of the type of bandage that you have, they all need to come off sometime! If anywhere along the healing journey you’re worried about your bandage, JUST TAKE IT OFF. When in doubt, through it out (and/or contact me with your questions!)
For this step you’ll need:
SOAP (preferably non-scented and non-coloured)
WATER
CLEAN HANDS
The easiest way to wash your healing tattoo is in the shower. If you’re removing an absorbent bandage or plastic wrap, simply take it off and discard it.
If you’re healing with a clear adhesive bandage-
remove it in the shower by starting at an edge and peeling with the direction of hair.
It feels super weird, so take as much time as you need.
Discard the bandage after removal
Now that the bandage is removed, apply a small amount of a non-scented, non-coloured soap to your clean hands and gently wash your fresh tattoo. It might be a bit tender, but do your best to remove any slimy fluid from the surface until it feels smooth and clean.
After you’ve washed your tattoo, let it air dry. Do not use a cloth towel as this can introduce lint into your healing wound.
If you’ve un-bandaged your tattoo within the first 24 hours, keep an eye on it. You may want to wash it periodically, as it might continue weeping.
You want to avoid letting fluid/plasma dry on the surface of your tattoo to avoid scabbing.
THE REST OF THE JOURNEY (moisturize and take it easy)
Your tattoo is on it’s way to healing and is exposed to the world! Do your very best to leave it alone and let your body do it’s healing thing.
You might want to moisturize as your tattoo heals, especially if the skin in the area feels tight or itchy. The feeling of tightness of itchiness is caused by dry skin and can be relieved (at lease momentarily) with moisturizer.
When choosing a moisturizer, it’s often easiest to go with something
non-scented
non-coloured
water based
You know your skin better than anyone and if there is a mild moisturizer that works best for you, go with that. It is possible to over moisturize a tattoo, though unlikely, so moisturizing only when needed is encouraged.
Do not scratch or pick at your healing tattoo. You can accidentally remove pigment, create scarring, or introduce bacteria or an irritation.
Make sure that your tattoo doesn’t come in contact with dirty surfaces, hands, animals, bodies of water, clothing, or sheets until it’s fully healed.
It’s best to avoid sweating excessively while your tattoo is healing, so take a break from the gym/exercise.
Be gentle and kind to your tattoo and it should heal no problem in about 1.5-2 weeks. Every body if different, don’t stress if it’s faster or slower c:
Please don’t go swimming, hot tubbing, in a sauna, camping, tanning, body painting, mud wrestling, cycle racing, or other similar activities while you’re healing your tattoo. It likely wont go well.
Sometimes you can do everything right and your tattoo still heals a little off.
No stress! Contact me for a touch up. Touch ups are complimentary as long as you didn’t do something you’ve been directly advised against in the healing process, and it’s been less than six months since the last session of your tattoo.