Aftercare
Tattoos heal with three main components. Cleanliness, proper return of moisture to the skin, and above all else, time. The following is a comprehensive guide on healing your new tattoo.
In this guide we will cover:
Healing with and without Saniderm
The various stages of a healing tattoo
Do’s and Don’ts
Recommended healing products
Aging your tattoo
Saniderm or no saniderm?
You’re freshly tattooed, looking in the mirror at your new piece. The hard part is all done, no more stabbing. Now the real fun begins. Depending on the size, placement, application and personal preference of your artist, you will or will not be given saniderm for your first few days of healing.
So what is Saniderm anyway?
Saniderm (also known as Derm Shield or Second Skin in the tattoo field) is an adhesive bandage adopted from Tegaderm, a near identical product used to treat some wounds and cover IV sites in hospitals. Like its prim and proper brother Tegaderm, Saniderm is a sterile, transparent, flexible and waterproof film dressing. In our case it is designed to protect your tattoo from contaminants like bacteria and dirt, while allowing your new tattoo to breathe.
You may have this on your new tattoo now, or you may not. Know that whether you have it on or not, your tattoo artist has made the right choice for this piece.
If you do not have Saniderm on, you were wrapped up in dri-loc absorbent pads, Saran Wrap, and sensi wrap, so follow these instructions:
Only wear this dressing for 1-2 hours after your tattoo.
After that time, take it off and clean your tattoo with antibacterial, non fragrant soap (i.e. Dial Gold)
Pat dry with a clean towel, or paper towel, then leave it alone for the night. Do not moisturize.
If you do have Saniderm on, follow these instructions:
Wear it for 2-3 days or as directed by your tattoo artist.
Watch for any leaks or lifting. If your tattoo looks or feels exposed, go ahead and take the Saniderm off. It’s better to take it off than to risk trapping contaminants underneath the bandage.
Your bandage is water resistant not waterproof. You are welcome to shower or dance in the rain, but the age old restriction of swimming or hot tubbing or enjoying a nice bath still applies. In other words, do not submerge your new tattoo.
Other than that, your tattoo will take care of itself while wrapped in the Saniderm.
After 2-3 days carefully take off the Saniderm. Our recommendation is to take it off at the end of a warm shower. The adhesive should be loose enough by then to come off a little easier.
Once the Saniderm is off, clean your tattoo and start the next step of the aftercare process.
The next step
Now you’ve either just taken your Saniderm off or you’re waking up the morning after your session. Either way, your next step is the same.
Clean and Moisturize!
Start by washing your hands (yes, even if you just got out of the shower) then dry them with a clean towel, or a paper towel. Next lather up some non fragrant, antibacterial soap in your hands, and gently clean your tattoo with it. Let the soap do the work. Once the tattoo and surrounding area are cleaned, rinse your them off and gentlypat dry with a clean towel or paper towel.
Once dried, move onto moisturizing. Here, you’re going to gently rub a thin layer of moisturizer (refer to the list at the bottom of this page for recommendations) into the tattoo. Less is more with the moisturizer of your choice. I cannot stress this enough.
This is cleaning and moisturizing process is gonna be your job 2-3 times a day for the next two weeks. Keep it clean and keep it moisturized.
This is basically it, after two weeks of dedication to this process you should be healed up just fine. Free to hot tub, swim, and enjoy life with your new tattoo! Next let’s cover the various stages of the healing process.
Fresh, Flaky, shiny, healed
The Four Horsemen of the new tattoo. You will experience these stages and we’re gonna guide you through each one.
Fresh (Day 1-4ish): It looks and feels new. You’re going to feel a little sore, a little raw, and super stoked. During this stage, cleaning your tattoo will feel a tad rough. Totally normal. All is well, and by day 4 that soreness will be entirely gone, guiding you into…
Flaky (Day 4-7ish): The infamous itchy phase! Here you’re going to notice your tattoo flaking, and a pretty intense itch. Whatever you do, do not pick and/or scratch your tattoo. To relieve the itchiness, gently pat your tattoo. As for the flakes, let them fall off naturally during the cleaning/moisturizing process and your day to day life.
Shiny (Day 7-14ish): Thank God the itchy phase is over! Now you’ve entered the Shiny phase. It’s called the shiny phase because that’s exactly what your tattoo will be, shiny! Cleaning and moisturizing will feel a bit less necessary here, but I assure you, it helps to keep up with it through this last stretch. This phase, and the itchy phase sometimes get referred to together as the “ugly phase”. Don’t worry, it’ll settle and lead you into being…
Healed: You made it! Your new tattoo is done, like really finally done. At this point, you can enjoy life as normal, but now you’re just a bit more cool and a bit more you (same thing)