tattoo aftercare

TATTOO
2022 - PRESENT

Abstract: adj; Existing in thought or as an idea.
Material: noun; The matter from which a thing is made.

1. Keep the secondskin/tegaderm on for at least 72 hours and up to 5 days. No need for any aftercare during this time; just go about your life as normal. ink / plasma pooling under the wrap is normal. (See step 5 if the SecondSkin falls off).

2. Take the Secondskin/tegaderm off in the shower and get a layer of water between your skin and the wrap as you pull. Peel slowly and in the direction of the hair.

3. Wash the tattoo with water and unscented antibacterial soap gently but thoroughly twice a day, in the morning and evening, as well as any time it may have been exposed to bacteria. Pat dry with paper towels / leave to air dry. Avoid regular towels as they can harbor bacteria.

4. Apply a thin layer of moisturizer after washing / whenever the skin feels dry every day for the first three weeks of healing. I recommend Hustle Butter / any natural moisturizer of your choosing. Try to avoid any petroleum based products since they won’t let your skin breathe very well. Make sure to read through the ingredients before choosing a moisturizer to avoid allergic reactions. There’s a balance between moisturizing so little to the point that it dries up and cracks off, and so much that the '“scab” is too wet and comes off before it’s supposed to.

5. Don’t worry if the secondskin starts to peel before the 3-5 day mark. If the tattoo becomes partially exposed or air bubbles make their way into the bandage, just remove it completely and wash the tattoo; once the barrier is broken bacteria can get trapped under the wrap.

Be gentle with the skin while the tattoo is healing (it takes ~three weeks for the skin to repair over the ink). treat it like an open wound: keep it clean and protected, and never touch it with dirty hands. Avoid pools, hot tubs, submerging the area in water.

Things to avoid for the first three week (even while the SecondSkin is on):

• Swimming / submerging your tattoo in any stagnant body of water (shower is fine, bath is not).

• Direct sunlight. Keep the tattoo covered or the ink will break down as it heals. When the tattoo is done healing you can switch to sunscreen; sunscreen in an unhealed tat will irritate it a lot.

• Tight clothing over the area

• Itching / scratching the tattoo

It is normal for your tattoo to be tender and slightly swollen along the lines immediately after. In a few days the swelling should go down and it will scab over. the scabs will be itchy but again, resist the urge to scratch! You could pull ink out from the skin with the scabs.

Please keep an eye out for any of the following, as they are all signs of an infected tattoo:

• Deep redness along the lines of the ink

• The tattoo itself looking "sunken"

• Intense itching or burning

• A tattoo that is warm or hot to the touch

• Any sort of yellowish discharge or colored scabbing (scabs shouldn't appear for about a week and when they do they should be the color of the tattoo ink)

• Any pain a few days out from being tattooed

• Fever, chills, nausea.

Just because you don't have all of these symptoms doesn't mean the tattoo isn’t infected, any of them could be indicative of an infection, especially multiple days after the tattoo).

If you suspect your tattoo is infected please seek medical advice as soon as possible. An infection caught in its early stages can be easily treated with antibiotics but a late stage infection can do serious long term damage. even if you're not sure, better safe than sorry.

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