Congratulations on your new tattoo!

Now let’s make sure you have a smooth heal. Aftercare and healing processes should last about 2 weeks. It might take a little less or more time depending on the tattoo. Fine lines tend to heal quick, while highly saturated tattoos tend to take a little longer.

A quick guide to your bandage:

Derm Shield: This is a clear, adhesive bandage that you can leave on for up to 5 days. You’ll notice some blood, ink and plasma build up — this is completely natural! Some areas tend to do this more than others, especially in regards to the amount of saturation in the tattoo. Do your best not to play with this as the bandage could break. When this build up begins to dry down, this should be your sign to take your bandage off. Slowly pull it off in a downwards motion. If the adhesive gives you some trouble, try to let some water run down on it in the shower. Now you can start your aftercare!

Tips:

• If the bandage breaks before it dries down, you should take your bandage off early. Your tattoo will steal heal great, it just might be a little more scabby!

• Depending on how movable the area is/how much friction the bandage gets, the edges could roll up and collect fuzzies. You can trim this with a scissors. If it starts to roll up over your tattoo, please take your bandage off early. We don’t want half of it exposed and half of it not!

• If you’re facing excessive irritation, itchiness, redness, or hives then there is a possibility you could have an allergy to the adhesive. Take your bandage off immediately and give it a wash. Please let me know if this happens! Continue with your aftercare, but monitor your tattoo. If conditions worsen, call your primary doctor immediately.

Short Term Bandage Wraps: You can take this off right away when you get home, or leave on until the next morning. No longer! Start your aftercare process once it’s off.

Wash that thang!

Your first wash should happen right after you remove your bandage. I recommend you wash your tattoo 1-3 times a day, depending on how dirty the area gets. Once in the morning, sometime in the middle of the day (if it gets real gross), and before you go to bed. To avoid irritation when washing, make sure you use unscented or antibacterial soaps such as Dr. Bronners or Dial Gold. Get the soap sudsy and gently wash with your fingers only. No loofas or other scrubbies! Rinse and air dry. Try not to dry your tattoo with towels, as these larger fibers could get into your healing tattoo wound and run the risk of infection. If you’re in a hurry, the best option for drying is to gently dab with a clean paper towel.

Moisturize!

Some people like to “dry heal” their tattoos, meaning they never put moisturizer on throughout the healing process. This is okay, and I’ve seen tattoos heal great without it, but I always recommend applying some moisture to guarantee some extra comfort and an overall smoother healing process. Make sure you are using unscented or all natural moisturizers such as Cetaphil, Hustle Butter, or even coconut oil. When looking for your favorite brand, make sure that the ingredients don’t have petroleum in them. It’s a very heavy ingredient that could clog your pores, and we want your tattoo to breathe, baby, breathe! Apply a light layer of your moisturizer of choice after washing and letting your tattoo dry.

Things to avoid or limit while healing

Until your tattoo is no longer scabby or glossy, you’ll want to avoid or be mindful of a few things.

Submerging in Water: No swimming, baths, hot tubs, or even sweaty saunas. Overly moisturizing your tattoo could cause it heal incorrectly, and ultimately cause your tattoo to fade faster. More importantly, you could be running the risk of infection with the amount of bacteria in these places. Showers are still okay!

High Sun Exposure: I hate to tell people to completely avoid going out in the sun because the sun is a natural antidepressant us humans thrive off of. Try to limit direct sun exposure on your tattoos if you can, and only use sun screen on your tattoo when it is completely healed.

Itching, Scratching, Picking: Trust me, I know it’s hard to resist to scratch at those scabs. If it becomes unbearable you can try giving your tattoo some soft slaps, a very gentle rub with your fingers, or scratch around the area.

Re-Bandaging: You should never have to re-bandage your tattoo. The bandage I have you go home with is the only one that should be staying on for the recommended amount of time. If they come off early, that’s okay. Let that tattoo breathe! If you work jobs that could get your tattoo pretty messy, I recommend using a medical cohesive, loosely wound around you. Take this off right away when the job is done and give your tattoo a wash.

Healing Ointments/Creams/Balms: Although your tattoo is a healing wound, these products could ultimately disrupt the natural healing process we want your tattoo to go through to ensure they’re looking fresh. If you are worried about infection, please contact your primary doctor immediately and inform me on what’s going on.

Pet Dander: Please don’t ignore your pets, but be conscious of any pet dander that may get onto your healing tattoo. If pet dander gets stuck, it could ultimately run the risk of infection. If you notice this happen just make sure to give your tattoo a good ol’ wash!

If there’s anything not listed that you are concerned about, or have any additional questions regarding the healing process, please send me a message!

Happy healing!

XOXO