Aftercare
My preferred aftercare method starts with Tegaderm. Tegaderm is a water-resistant, medical grade bandage that utilizes a hypoallergenic adhesive to stay on and protect the tattoo from outside bacteria, dander and even trauma. It not only makes the tattoo less sensitive to the touch, but does a great job at preventing scabbing- which is responsible for nearly all color loss during the healing phase.
Review my instructions for dermal bandages and then visit this website to watch an instructional video on how to apply it.
Basic tips for tegaderm:
-Your first bandage (applied by me) can stay on as long as it doesn’t leak. On average, this is 1-6 days. Heavily saturated tattoos almost always produce enough plasma to cause a leak on the first bandage. If it leaks before you go to sleep, I still recommend sleeping with it on and then removing it first thing in the morning.
-It’s easiest to remove the bandage in a steamy shower. Pick up a corner and gently pull away from the tattoo
(parallel to the skin, not up and away from it).
-Gently but thoroughly wash your tattoo with warm water and unscented soap from a bottle (bar soap harbors bacteria!). Just use your fingertips and avoid contact with any loofahs, washcloths, towels, etc.
-Make sure to rinse off all of the soap residue, but avoid “soaking” the tattoo for longer than 3-5 minutes.
-Allow your tattoo to air dry or pat it dry with a clean paper towel.
-I likely sent you home with a second application- if not, scroll down to the “basic aftercare routine”.
-It’s almost always easier to have someone else replace your bandage for you. While wearing gloves is ideal, if you don’t have access to them, just have your helper thoroughly wash their hands with warm water and antibacterial soap.
-Always freshly wash the tattoo before a bandage application. I may have suggested that you spend some time “airing” your tattoo out after the first bandage removal. If applying a second bandage and some time has passed since the removal, wash the tattoo once again with unscented soap and pat the tattoo dry with a clean paper towel. Watch the application video linked above.
-This second bandage will hopefully last you a full 6 days, after which you can return to a basic aftercare routine.
Tegaderm tips and troubleshooting:
*Make sure to thoroughly rinse off any soap residue before applying the bandage.
*Make sure the room your bandage is being applied in is clean and free of children and pets, and that the surface holding your bandage has been sanitized. I like to lay a clean paper towel down on my clean bathroom counter, and lay several sheets of paper towels and all of my bandages on it for easy access right out of the shower.
*Be SURE that whoever assists you in putting on a dermal bandage thoroughly washes their hands and dries them with a clean paper towel.
*If the bandage leaks at any point, it is no longer protecting your tattoo. Remove or replace it unless otherwise instructed.
*Some irritation and redness may occur, most likely caused by soap residue or pet dander stuck under the bandage. Some areas of the body like the inner arm, are more prone to irritation due to our natural movements of twisting and turning. Pay close attention and use your best judgement on whether to remove or replace the bandage. If you replace it, move it a bit closer in to the tattoo so that it doesn’t again touch the irritated area.
*If the tattooed area is swollen, elevate it if possible and take whatever anti-inflammatories you’re used to taking. You can also wrap an ice pack in a t-shirt and lay it over the bandaged tattoo.
A basic aftercare routine when not using tegaderm or after your last tegaderm is removed is:
1. Gently but thoroughly wash your tattoo with warm water and unscented soap from a bottle (bar soap harbors bacteria!). Just use your fingertips and avoid contact with any loofahs, washcloths, towels, etc.
2. Allow your tattoo to air dry or pat it dry with a clean paper towel.
3. Apply a thin layer of a balm like Hustle Butter, an unscented lotion or a specific ointment recommended by your artist.
4. Repeat this 3-4 times a day until your tattoo is healed. You’ll know your tattoo is healed when it’s no longer shiny, flaky or itchy.
Speaking of the itchy flaky phase, it’s important to avoid scratching or picking at your tattoo. The best way to deal with itching is massaging a small amount of moisturizer into the clean tattoo.
Other things to avoid are:
-Soaking a healing tattoo by over-moisturizing, swimming, hot-tubbing or soaking in a bath.
- Dirty clothing, sheets or furniture
- Contact with pet dander
- Products with fragrances
- Prolonged sunshine. Over the long life of your tattoo, some blurring and fading is totally expected. Sunshine and sunburns have the ability to expedite and increase fading, especially in color tattoos. After your tattoo is healed, applying and reapplying a generous amount of sunscreen during a day in the sun is a must.
Don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns!