Things you’ll need :
- antibacterial soap
- paper towels
- fragrance free lotion
- hustle butter (tattoo specific aftercare - this is optional)
Traditional aftercare
Leave your wrap on until you are able to wash your tattoo (4hrs max)
After removing the wrap, wash your new tattoo in the shower. Take a liquid antibacterial soap (Dial Gold or unscented Softsoap) and work it into a lather with your hands. Gently wash the whole tattoo being sure to remove any excess ink, blood, or plasma. Rinse well. Do not use a shower loofah, wash rag, or any kind of bar soaps. Pat dry with clean paper towels. Do not use bath towels to dry a new tattoo.
Once your tattoo is dry, apply your moisturizer of choice. Either unscented lotion (Curel, Lubriderm and Aveeno all make good ones) or tattoo specific aftercare (Hustle Butter) is fine, do not use both. Do not use anything that is petroleum based like Aquaphor or A&D ointment as these products are too heavy. Make sure your hands are clean and rub your moisturizer into the new tattoo. Be sure that all the moisturizer is absorbed, do not leave any excess sitting on the surface of your skin. You can also use a clean paper towel to gently blot away any leftover lotion. Excess moisture left on a fresh tattoo can sometimes cause some of the ink to fall out.
Wash your tattoo once a day and reapply moisturizer 2-3 times a day (or as needed) until your tattoo is healed (usually around 2/3 weeks).
Avoid submerging your tattoo in any bodies of water (pools, lakes, hot tubs etc) for the first two weeks. Showering is fine but you’ll want to avoid baths as well. Standing water like lakes or pools harbor a lot of bacteria and chemicals which can put you at risk for irritation and infection.
Avoid direct sunlight and tanning beds for the first two weeks. After your tattoo is healed, sunscreen is recommended to keep your tattoo bright and prevent pigment fading.
Avoid any other contaminants as your tattoo heals, including pet hair, perfume, dirt, hair or skin care products, etc.
Your tattoo might get itchy as its healing, this is totally normal! Do not scratch or pick at it as this can cause some of the ink to fall out. You can apply a cold ice pack to relieve itching.
After a couple days your tattoo will start to get dry and flaky, this is also totally normal! Do not pick off any flakes as this can affect healing. Reapply lotion whenever you notice your tattoo feeling dry.
Second Skin/Saniderm Aftercare
Leave the bandage on for 24-48 hours maximum. If you prefer, you may remove it earlier and proceed with normal aftercare instructions.
You can shower with the bandage on but you’ll still want to avoid soaking or submerging in bodies of water like pools or bathtubs. Should water get underneath the bandage, remove immediately and proceed with normal aftercare instructions.
You may see splotches of ink and plasma forming under the surface of the bandage, this is normal. If the bandage fills completely with ink and plasma turning it black, you should remove immediately and proceed with normal aftercare instructions.
If you start to notice red bumps or itchiness under or around the bandage, you may be experiencing an allergic reaction to the adhesive. If this happens, don’t panic! Just remove the bandage, wash the tattoo, and proceed with normal aftercare instructions. The reaction should clear up in a couple days.
If the bandage starts peeling up around the edges exposing the tattoo, do not attempt to press it back down as this can seal bacteria underneath. Either cut off the peeling edges or remove the bandage completely and proceed with normal aftercare instructions.
When you are ready to remove the bandage, do so in the shower or under running water as this will help to loosen the adhesive. Once you remove the bandage, wash your new tattoo in the shower. Take a liquid antibacterial soap (Dial Gold or unscented Softsoap) and work it into a lather with your hands. Gently wash the whole tattoo being sure to remove any excess ink, blood, or plasma. Rinse well. Do not use a shower loofah, wash rag, or any kind of bar soaps. Pat dry with clean paper towels. Do not use bath towels to dry a new tattoo.
Once your tattoo is dry, apply your moisturizer of choice. Either unscented lotion (Curel, Lubriderm and Aveeno all make good ones) or tattoo specific aftercare (Hustle Butter) is fine, do not use both. Do not use anything that is petroleum based like Aquaphor or A&D ointment as these products are too heavy. Make sure your hands are clean and rub your moisturizer into the new tattoo. Be sure that all the moisturizer is absorbed, do not leave any excess sitting on the surface of your skin. You can also use a clean paper towel to gently blot away any leftover lotion. Excess moisture left on a fresh tattoo can sometimes cause some of the ink to fall out.
Wash your tattoo once a day and reapply moisturizer 2-3 times a day (or as needed) until your tattoo is healed (usually around 2/3 weeks).
Follow all other guidelines for healing tattoos as outlined above under Traditional Aftercare.