Aftercare

What to expect

 

-Localized redness, some swelling, and soreness are normal. Dryness and peeling tend to also occur a few days to a week+  into healing.

 

-On average, it will take  2-3 weeks for your tattoo to look and feel healed, but a little over a month for your skin to really settle. Healing varies person to person and can depend on factors such as tattoo size, placement, and ink as well as an individual's skin, lifestyle, and aftercare.

 

-To keep your tattoo looking good for as long as possible, keep it clean, keep it moisturized and when you are fully healed, remember to use sunscreen!

 

Day One:

-You can leave leave the “Dermor” second-skin bandage on for anywhere from 24 hours to 6 days. For larger tattoos, or tattoos with more ink packed in, you will likely need to change the bandage within 24hours. 

*If you end up seeing a collection of plasma and ink (aka an  ink sack) prior to then, it’s okay to take it off sooner.

 

Day two:

-In a warm shower, carefully remove the bandage by pulling it down from the bottom (think like a command strip - don't just rip it off as this can damage the tattoo).

 Wash gently with warm water and a small amount of unscented, antibacterial soap - dove/dial unscented are great options. 

Pat dry gently with a paper towel.

 

-Re-apply the second bandage you were given. 

To do so, peel off the white protective layer, lay down the bandage, press out any bubbles, then peel off the shiny green grid layer.

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(Skip this step if you were not given a second bandage. Generally you'll only be given one bandage which I'll put on for you at the end of the appointment for smaller pieces, thin linework or pieces that are not heavily packed with ink). 

 

-Leave on for a max of 5 more days. Remove in a warm shower, wash gently with warm water and a small amount of unscented soap, and pat dry with a paper towel afterwards.

*Again, if you see an ink sack or any signs of skin irritation, take it off sooner

 

-Allow your tattoo to breathe for a couple hours before beginning to moisturize. 

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Moisturizing: 

-WITH CLEAN HANDS Apply a thin layer of moisturizer to your tattoo  

 (Lubriderm with the blue cap, or regular Aveeno are my top choices) 

 

-Reapply whenever it feels crusty and dry. For most, 3-4 times a day works well.

Don’t overdo it. No vasline, No Aquaphor!