aftercare

Proper tattoo aftercare will help avoid serious infection and help ink retention while healing. On this page, I explain two methods, second-skin and open healing with ointment. These methods have been working my the style of tattoos I do. I may be over-explaining here, but I'd rather my clients be safer than sorry since this is a crucial stage in getting a tattoo.

The chances of serious complications happening with work done by a professional artist with proper aftercare are extremely low. Because tattoos are open wounds, monitoring your health and immune system responses while healing is still advisable. Soreness and swelling for a few days are normal. If you also feel a combination of fever and faintness/fatigue that persists for more than a day or two while healing, contact your doctor immediately. This could be a sign of severe infection which will most likely require antibiotic treatment. In dire situations like severe infections, tattoo artists are not fit to provide medical care, please seek the help of medical professionals.

All this being said, I understand there are many other methods for healing tattoos. If you choose to follow alternative ways, do so at your own discretion.

If you have any questions or concerns, email me at mvutattoo@gmail.com and I’ll get back to you ASAP. Thanks in advance for taking care of your tattoo! :D

Open Healing with Ointment

Healing time: 7-14 days

This method is ideal for those who do not do well with second-skin wound dressings. It may also be what I'll advise for areas of the body that are harder to use second-skin on like knees or elbows. I generally fix soaker pads over your fresh tattoo. Below are instructions on what to do with it next.

Bandage Time:

Keep your new tattoo bandaged for 2-4 hours.
The bandage can stay on longer, just not overnight.

Removal:

Once you are home, in a clean environment, you may carefully remove the bandage.
For larger pieces, this might be easier in the shower.

Washing:

Using only unscented liquid or foaming soap in warm water, gently massage and wash your tattoo with the palms of your hands and fingertips. Wash thoroughly enough to remove all excess body fluid, ink and blood. Clients with nails, please be careful.
Do not scrub or exfoliate! This will pull out pigment and add to the surface trauma of your fresh tattoo resulting in bad healing.
Wash your tattoo twice a day, preferably in the morning and evening. Possibly in between if it gets dirty or sweaty throughout the day, but no need to overwash either. This could also hinder your healing process.
I don't recommend using bar soaps because they could already be holding bacteria and contaminants or be infused with solid ingredients like exfoliants or waxes which could imbed and irritate your fresh tattoo.

Drying:

Once clean, pat dry with paper towel sheets from a roll that has not been exposed to food or cleaning products. I don't recommend fabric towels because even clean ones could still carry bacteria.
Allow the tattoo enough time to air-dry to the point where there is no moisture left on it.

Ointment:

After every wash, apply a very thin coating (lip balm thickness) of Aquaphor or coconut oil to your tattoo. I know there are a million healing products out there now. If you want to use something different, do a patch test first.
If you opt for coconut or any other plant-based oil, only use product from a jar than hasn't been dipped into by things like cooking spoons as they could be contaminated.
Reapply the product as often as you feel your tattoo is getting dry or feeling tight over the next couple of weeks. This moisturizing will help prevent cracking skin which could result in deep scabbing.
Give your tattoo some time to breathe after washes too.

Peeling:

Within the next few days, the tattoo will begin to itch and peel like a sunburn. Don't pick or peel!
The skin falling off will be pigmented and this is totally normal.
Some solidly pigmented areas might peel a couple of times.

Avoid Sun / UV exposure:

Keep your fresh tattoo out of the sun! It will fade your tattoo faster than anything.
No.Tanning.Beds.EVER! There are sunless self-tanner products out there now. (Only use these products after your tattoo is fully healed.)
After about two weeks, when your new tattoo is healed enough. Start regularly using sunscreen to keep your tattoo looking saturated longer.

Avoid Soaking:

For two weeks after your appointment, keep your fresh tattoo out of any situations where it will be wet or submerged. Baths, pools, hot tubs, steam rooms, hot yoga, spas, etc.
Quick showers are fine just not super long ones and try to keep your tattoo out of the shower stream unless you're washing it.

Clothing:

Try your best to wear loose, comfortable clothing over your tattoo when it can’t just sit untouched.
Avoid wool, abrasive fabrics, and tight bras or underwear if you have a tattoo in those areas.
Try to give your tattoo the best chance to heal with nothing touching it.

Additional tips:

Once the bandage is off, there is no need to rebandage it but take precautions to keep your fresh tattoo protected.
Keep your new tattoo away from pets and don’t let them sleep in the bed with you when it’s healing. No matter how much you bathe your fur babies, they will always be carrying bacteria on their bodies.
Clean clothing and bed sheets!
Wash your hands before touching your fresh tattoo.
Other people should not be touching your tattoo.
Bactine spray helps relieve the itchiness.
If you are tempted to scratch, try lightly icing your tattoo with a sanitized ice pack. This will also help reduce swelling.
Avoid going to the gym for the first week. See how it’s healing and make the call in the second week.
If you must go to the gym, make sure you're wearing loose long sleeves and pants to protect limb tattoos. Make sure to disinfect all gym equipment surfaces before you touch them.
Avoid yoga mats in the first week as they carry a lot of bacteria and contaminants. They are impossible to fully disinfect.
Some tattooists may recommend dry healing. Some people swear by it. I'm personally not a fan. Leaving a wound untreated with ointment may dry out new surface cells, which can increase pain or slow the healing process. This can also increase deeper scabbing which will pull out parts of your tattoo.

Second-Skin

Healing time: 3-10 days

This is my preferred way to heal. It's a transparent wound dressing that is adhered over an open wound to seal and protect it from external contaminants while allowing the skin to heal underneath. It cuts out a lot of the aftercare steps and lowers healing time. It may not be the best way for clients with very sensitive skin or allergies to sticky bandages.

Bandage time:

Keep it on for at least 3-4 nights.
Your tattoo will begin to itch by day three or four. Do your best not to scratch or fuss with it. I've found putting a cold wet cloth or ice over it distracts from the itching.
Water exposure is ok but avoid prolonged soaking, excessive sweating and extreme heat to prevent it from peeling off too soon.
Keep your healing tattoo out of the sun! Second-skins do not provide sun protection

Removal:

Peeling the second-skin off should be done slowly to avoid injury. I've found grabbing an edge and then stretching it outwards, parallel to the skin instead of perpendicular hurts less and reduces damage and pain.
Wash your new tattoo with liquid soap, pat dry and apply lotion.
The tattoo may still itch a peel a bit at this point. That's ok, it's just the last phase of healing. Light moisturizing will help speed this along.
It should now be safe to resume daily life without the risk of infection. Make sure you’re using sunscreen to protect your tattoo.

Sometimes it may have to come off sooner:

Keep an eye on the edges of the wrapping around your tattoo.
If you notice gaping, peeling or lifting that's far enough around to where the tattoo can be slightly exposed; there is no longer a perfect seal around your tattoo. This is an opening for contamination, moisture, and bacteria to enter and infect underneath the second skin.
If this happens, carefully remove the second-skin and resume with aftercare instructions mentioned in the bandage section of this form starting from the washing section. Do not attempt to tape down the gap with anything. Your tattoo could already be contaminated and you’re just sealing it in.

Possible fluid forming:

Sometimes, tattoos with solidly pigmented sections will form fluid under the second-skin. It looks gross but that’s just small amounts of blood, excess ink and lymph fluid your body is producing to help heal. Leave it alone. This is a “wet healing” method.
If it’s there is a lot of fluid (looks like a sack of liquid) Remove the second-skin and resume with aftercare instructions mentioned in the bandage section of this form starting from the washing section.
If you want, you can also purchase your own medical adhesive and reapply it yourself if your tattoo still needs a lot of healing. I recommend 3M's Tegaderm. If you decide to do this, make sure you have a sanitized work area. Your hands and tattoo should be properly washed and dried before re-bandaging.

Redness / Adverse Irritation:

Some clients have noticed their skin is more sensitive and reactive to second-skin. This could be due to sensitive skin, allergic reactions to the adhesive, etc.
If the skin in and around the area of the second-skin is becoming red, blistery, itchy, painful and extremely irritated beyond the soreness of the tattoo, it could be an allergic reaction. Remove it immediately and resume with aftercare instructions mentioned in the bandage section of this form starting from the washing section.

vertigovu tattoo

aftercare