Tattoo After Care

Hypafix Bandage (second skin)

You just completed your new tattoo and the second skin bandage as been applied, how exciting!!

The first 3-5 days of a new tattoo healing is the most vulnerable and important. Leave your bandage on for 1-3 days. Try your best to do a full 3 days (or 5 days if your bandage is remaining clean and fully adhered) but you may need to remove your bandage early if you experience any of the following:

  • The bandage is coming off and starting to expose your fresh tattoo. Take the bandage off immediately so that bacteria will not travel inside your bandage, effectively creating a germ-marinade

  • The appearance of an “ink sack”. Despite its popularity on tick-tok, your fresh tattoo should NOT be marinading in an ink sack. Seepage and leakage is perfectly normal. Some muddy fluid is fine, but as soon as it becomes a heavy sack or you can no longer see your tattoo through the fluid, take your bandage off

  • The rare occurance of a reaction to the bandage. While I use a high quality bandage, some folks with sensitive skin or even just certain parts of the body may react poorly to the bandage adhesive. This will appear as redness and soreness around the edge of the BANDAGE (not the tattoo itself). In this case, remove your bandage immediately.

Removing your bandage

Firstly, do NOT remove your bandage unless you can immediately wash it afterward. Removing your second skin bandage should be done gently, slowly and patiently. Start by pull the edges of the bandage away from your body(like a command strip from a wall) as opposed to up and over (like a typical bandaid). This method will slowly pop the bandage off and cause the least amount of trauma to your skin and new tattoo. I recommend removing your bandage in the shower as it can help ease removal.

Once your bandage is off, it needs to be cleaned. Using warm-hot water and gentle soap is best. I recommend the orange Pears bar soap, but any soap that is baby-friendly, fragrance-free, lotion-free and “fancy”-free is fine. Gently use the soap and water together to wash your new tattoo until it runs clean. Ensure all soap has been washed off, then rinse your new tattoo in cold water. This will help close your pore.

Air dry or pat dry (do not wipe) with a clean dry towel. Once you are sure it is totally dry (5-10 minutes of air dry time) moisturize your tattoo with a small amount of lotion. I highly recommend original Lubriderm as it is the “lightest” lotion that will allow your new tattoo to breathe. But as long as the lotion or slave of your choice is fragrance-free and oil-free, it will be fine. Only use just enough lotion to cover your tattoo in a light shine. Avoid smothering and suffocating your tattoo.

Wash & lotion 1-2x a day, as needed.

Avoid getting your tattoo dirty or sweaty. I highly advise AGAINST exercise for the first 3-5 days!! Between sweat and additional blood flow to your muscles, this is quite bad for your healing tattoo.

Do not submerge your healing tattoo in any water outside of short showers; no swimming, diving, hot tubs, bathes, steam rooms or saunas.

Wear appropriate, gentle clothing over your healing tattoo that will not rub or discomfort your healing tattoo in anyway, but will also protect it when needed.

Do not pick or pull at any peeling or scabbing that may occur during the healing process. Let it be and allow it to take its natural course and come off on its own. Picking may result in loss of ink and possible infection.

Your healing tattoo will most likely get itchy. Do not scratch it. Slapping it can be quite relieving however.

Infections are rare, but can occur. 99% of infections are caused by poor after care or external forces after leaving the tattoo studio. I guarantee my services are held to a high standard and will do my absolutely best to give you a great tattoo! But a neglectful or harmful after regime can make even the best work heal awfully. Following a strict after care regime is the best way to prevent infections.

If you believe you are having an adverse reaction to your new tattoo, experiencing an infection or a possible allergic reaction, please contact me and/or your Doctor immediately for advice.

Gauze or Plastic Wrap Bandages

Please remove this bandage after 2-5 hours, and then immediately wash it.

Once your bandage is off, it needs to be cleaned. Using warm-hot water and gentle soap is best. I recommend the orange Pears bar soap, but any soap that is baby-friendly, fragrance-free, lotion-free and “fancy”-free is fine. Gently use the soap and water together to wash your new tattoo until it runs clean. Ensure all soap has been washed off, then rinse your new tattoo in cold water. This will help close your pore.

Please do not use lotion for the first 3 days, but continue to wash it 1-2x a day.

After the first 3 days, you can start to lotion it after each wash.

Air dry or pat dry (do not wipe) with a clean dry towel. Once you are sure it is totally dry (5-10 minutes of air dry time) moisturize your tattoo with a small amount of lotion. I highly recommend original Lubriderm as it is the “lightest” lotion that will allow your new tattoo to breathe. But as long as the lotion or slave of your choice is fragrance-free and oil-free, it will be fine. Only use just enough lotion to cover your tattoo in a light shine. Avoid smothering and suffocating your tattoo.

Wash & lotion 1-2x a day, as needed.

Avoid getting your tattoo dirty or sweaty. I highly advise AGAINST exercise for the first 3-5 days!! Between sweat and additional blood flow to your muscles, this is quite bad for your healing tattoo.

Do not submerge your healing tattoo in any water outside of short showers; no swimming, diving, hot tubs, bathes, steam rooms or saunas.

Wear appropriate, gentle clothing over your healing tattoo that will not rub or discomfort your healing tattoo in anyway, but will also protect it when needed.

Do not pick or pull at any peeling or scabbing that may occur during the healing process. Let it be and allow it to take its natural course and come off on its own. Picking may result in loss of ink and possible infection.

Your healing tattoo will most likely get itchy. Do not scratch it. Slapping it can be quite relieving however.

Infections are rare, but can occur. 99% of infections are caused by poor after care or external forces after leaving the tattoo studio. I guarantee my services are held to a high standard and will do my absolutely best to give you a great tattoo! But a neglectful or harmful after regime can make even the best work heal awfully. Following a strict after care regime is the best way to prevent infections.

If you believe you are having an adverse reaction to your new tattoo, experiencing an infection or a possible allergic reaction, please contact me and/or your Doctor immediately for advice