AFTERCARE

FIRST DAYS

WITH SECOND SKIN

Second skin bandages are flexible, breathable, waterproof tattoo bandages that are designed for aftercare purposes.

Your second skin bandage should stay on overnight and the following day if possible depending on how much your tattoo bleeds. It is completely normal for blood and fluids (plasma, excess ink) to collect under the bandage. It may look like it is staining your skin, but it’s not!
If your tattoo begins to leak out of the bandage or a part of your tattoo is exposed, please remove the bandage.

When removing the bandage, I suggest doing so in the shower or under warm running water. Don’t rip it off like a band-aid, but rather wash your hands and peel it off in a slow and steady motion. It is normal for some redness to occur, and it should disappear within a few hours. Dispose of the bandage and then wash your hands again. Use an antibacterial soap and gently wash your tattoo in a circular motion until all blood, ink, and other fluids have come off. Pat the area dry with a clean paper towel.

*If any unusual redness, swelling, or blistering occurs around the bandage, you may be experiencing a reaction to the adhesive. Remove the bandage immediately and proceed with the rest of the aftercare instructions as normal*

AVOID

Avoid: Thick petroleum products (such as Vaseline jelly and Bag Balm) during the healing process. Generally antibiotic ointments such as Neosporin will not be needed and are best to avoid.

Picking, scratching, peeling, rubbing or otherwise irritating your tattoo.

Strenuous activity or heavy sweating that will affect the area tattooed within the first 10 days of receiving the tattoo.

Baths, swimming, hot tubs, saunas or soaking the tattoo for 2 weeks. showers are ok.

Over-applying ointments/balms or an approved, unscented moisturizer.

Exposure to the sun for 3-4 weeks. After that, use sunblock to help prevent premature fading.

Wearing abrasive clothing, jewelry, or shoes that will rub up against the tattoo.

If you do not take care of your tattoo, it may become infected or damaged. Signs of infections are abnormal swelling and redness around the outside of the tattoo, increased pain or tenderness, fever, or thin red lines extending from the wound. It may ooze, pus, or bleed abnormally. If you think your tattoo is infected, seek medical attention immediately.

AFTER REMOVING SECOND SKIN

Keep the tattooed area clean and dry. Gently clean with unscented soap (Dial Gold, Unscented Dr. Bronners, or other approved soap) every 3-4 hours for the first week. Once the first week has passed, switch to once a day in the shower to avoid drying skin excessively. Only use CLEAN HANDS to wash your tattoo. NO washcloths, bath towels, bath sponges or loofahs on a fresh tattoo.

At this point you may begin to use the Tattoo balm/Aquaphor or unscented lotion (Lubriderm, Aveeno, Eucerin etc.) depending on what is recommended. Apply a very thin layer and rub it in. For the entirety of the healing period, moisturize ~4 times per day, especially after washing.Fresh tattoos sometimes “weep” during the first couple of days, meaning that plasma and ink form a thin moist coating on the skin. This can be DABBED with a clean paper towel. Press the paper towel to the skin and remove. Do not wipe the tattoo or be rough with it. Do not panic when you see the colors of the tattoo on the paper towel, or on your hands as you clean it. This is simply excess ink being sloughed from the surface of the skin.

Please reach out for advice on what clothing to wear if any questions arise.
After a few days, the tattoo will begin to form flaky bits of skin that will fall off on their own. DO NOT PICK OR SCRATCH YOUR TATTOO. Over time the dry skin will slough off naturally. Once again, they will be the color of the tattoo. It normally takes at least 2-3 weeks for the initial healing process to complete.

If you have any doubts or questions, please contact me via the methods listed below! I am more than happy to help you with any concern you might have, and I want my art to live on with you as beautifully as possible!

If for any reason you are not completely happy with how your tattoo has healed, I offer one free touch-up session within two months after the tattoo is completed. After this two month period, the touchup will rise to a $50 fee. Please wait at least 2-3 weeks for the tattoo to heal.