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1. Leave the Tegaderm on for 3-5 days (for larger or more saturated tattoos, 3 days is best). You may shower with it on.

2. Take the Tegaderm off in the shower; run warm water on it for a few minutes to loosen the adhesive. After loosening a corner, peel it downward parallel to your body, not “up and away” like a bandaid. Sometimes, an “imprint” of your tattoo will show on the Tegaderm after it is taken off; don’t worry, that is normal. The Tegaderm did not peel off your tattoo 🙂

3. Wash your tattoo with warm water and unscented, antibacterial soap (Dial Gold, Dove, etc). Bar or liquid soap is fine. Do not use a washcloth; just use your hands.

4. Gently pat your tattoo dry with a clean paper towel.

5. Apply a thin layer of plain, unscented lotion (Cetaphil, CeraVe, Lubriderm, etc). Avoid “gobbing” a thick layer of moisturizer on the tattoo in order to make it last longer – this can increase risk of infection. Think “chapstick thin” layer of lotion each time.

6. Repeat steps 2-4 every day for the duration of the healing process. Washing should be done twice a day for the first week, then drop down to once a day. Moisturizing will be 2-3 times a day or as needed (whenever the tattoo is feeling dry, itchy, or flaky) for the entirety of the healing process. 

7. Healing time can vary, but between 4-6 weeks is typical. Location, saturation, size, and amount of pigment in the tattoo can all affect healing time.

8. Something called an “ink sac” may form under the Tegaderm; this is a bubble where excess ink, blood, and plasma may come to the surface and be trapped in the bubble. Though it may look bad, this is completely normal.

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When to Take the Tegaderm Off Early

1. It’s extremely rare, but if you have any irritation or reaction to the bandage, remove it ASAP.

2. If the entire bandage starts peeling off, and not just a small corner, you may take it off early, even on the first day. If a corner starts peeling a little bit, use sterilized scissors to snip off the part that is unsticking, and pat it back down. This should help keep the bandage on for longer. Tegaderm should ideally stay on for at least the first day.

3. If you feel fluid (blood, ink, or plasma) start leaking out from beneath the bandage, take it off ASAP. As mentioned above, if the fluid stays trapped in the “ink sac” beneath the bandage that is fine, but if it starts leaking out from underneath, it needs to be taken off.

4. Whenever you do take it off, whether it is early or the full 3 days, be sure to wash it immediately after taking it off and proceed with your normal aftercare.

 

Things to Avoid While Healing Your Tattoo

• Scabbing, peeling, and flaking are all normal during the healing process. Parts where there was more saturation (such as heavy solid black fill or saturated color) may scab quite thickly. Leave the scabs alone. Do not pick, scratch, or pull the scabs on your tattoo. You may gently slap it or itch the area around it to help with itching.

• Avoid swimming or submerging under water (baths, hot tubs, etc) for at least 2 weeks.

• Avoid working out/excessive physical activity and sweating for 3-5 days.

• Avoid direct sun exposure. Do not apply sunscreen to a healing tattoo; instead, cover it with clothing and keep it out of the sun if possible. Once fully healed, be sure to use high SPF sunblock on your tattoo when exposed to the sun.

• Keep your pets away from your new tattoo.

• Avoid using thick, petroleum-based products, such as Vaseline, Aquaphor, or A&D Ointment. Applying these too thickly on your tattoo can trap bacteria on your tattoo. If you have very dry skin and would like to use these for extra moisturization you may, however, make sure to use a very thin layer (think Chapstick thin!),  and only use for the first 3-5 days. After that, switch to regular moisturizer.

• Wear loose fitting clothing while healing your tattoo. Try to reduce friction to the area as much as possible.

• Wash your bedsheets frequently while your tattoo is healing.

 

How Will I Know When My Tattoo is Fully Healed?

Your tattoo will be fully healed when all scabbing has resolved, and the skin is matte and completely flat. Sometimes, after the initial scabbing/healing process, the skin of your tattoo will appear a bit “shiny” and still be a bit raised – this is considered a very newly healed tattoo, but not fully healed. When your tattoo is fully healed, it will be completely flat and indistinguishable from your non-tattooed skin if felt with your eyes closed. It can take up between 4-6 weeks or possibly even longer for the tattoo to reach this fully healed state, depending on the location and the nature of the tattoo.

 

My Personal Recommendation for Tattoo Aftercare

This is completely optional, but my favorite and most recommended tattoo-specific aftercare brand is Hustle Butter. I highly recommend their tattoo aftercare balm, especially for clients with very dry or sensitive skin. They also have a good antibacterial foaming soap. You can get both of these on Amazon; just search “Hustle Butter”.