AFTERCARE
I recommend unscented soap and plain Shea Butter for a great heal!
Always wash your hands before touching your tattoo, and don’t let anyone else touch it.
Avoid sun exposure and soaking underwater (showers are fine) for at least 2 weeks after your appointment
Saniderm Bandage
(The sticky clear one)
Leave the bandage on for at least 24 hours, but up to 2-3 days. It’s normal for it to get “juicy,” so don’t worry if it develops a little bubble of ink and plasma.
Remove the bandage if during that time:
The seal breaks
The skin around the bandage is irritated or red
Wash your hands, then remove the bandage under warm running water. Do not remove the bandage dry! Try to take it slow and minimize the stretching of the skin. Roll the bandage down along your skin using warm water or a bit of (unscented) soapy lather to help it along.
Wash your tattoo with unscented soap (Dial, Dove, Dr Bronners all work great) using just your fingertips or your palm. Don’t be afraid to massage the area and get all the goop off, but don’t scrub at it. Hands only! For full color tattoos, wash it 2x in a row for the first week to make sure it’s very clean and all the plasma is gone.
Rinse your tattoo with warm water then pat it dry (don’t rub, just pat) with a clean paper towel.
Give it 5 or 10 minutes to dry completely, then put on a thin layer of Shea Butter or unscented lotion. You want to make sure all the moisturizer is absorbed; you don’t want a big gooey layer. Less is more!
Repeat those steps (wash/dry/moisturize) 2x/day for about 2 weeks.
After about 5 or 7 days, the skin where the ink is will tighten up and form a light scab. You will notice flakes coming off and it will be ITCHY! Do not pick or scratch at your tattoo. That will pull the ink out and make for a bad time.
After 2 weeks your tattoo should be done flaking and may look a little raised or waxy. It will settle in as it continues to heal over the next month or two.
Black Soaker Pad Bandage
Leave the bandage on for around 4 hours. (If you get tattooed in the evening, you can take it off first thing in the morning.)
Wash your hands, then remove the bandage and wrap.
Wash the tattoo with warm water and unscented soap (Dial, Dove, Dr Bronners all work great) using just your fingertips or palm. Don’t be afraid to massage the area and get all the goop off, but don’t scrub at it. Hands only! For full color tattoos, wash it 2x in a row to make sure it is very clean and that no residue remains.
Rinse the tattoo with warm water, then pat it dry (don’t rub, just pat) with a clean paper towel.
Give it 5 or 10 minutes to dry completely, then put on a thin layer of Shea Butter or unscented lotion. You want to make sure all the moisturizer is absorbed; you don’t want a big gooey layer. Less is more!
Repeat those steps (wash/dry/moisturize) 2x/day for about 2 weeks.
After about 5 or 7 days, the skin where the ink is will tighten up and form a light scab. You will notice flakes coming off and it will be ITCHY! Do not pick or scratch at your tattoo. That will pull the ink out and make for a bad time.
After 2 weeks your tattoo should be done flaking and may look a little raised or waxy. It will settle in as it continues to heal over the next month or two.