Tattoos with recovery derm

1. Keep recovery derm on for 4-5 days. If it starts to lift at the corners that’s fine, but if you notice any gaps where water/sweat can get in, take it off.

2. When taking off recovery derm, it’s easiest to use warm water to help loosen it up. Pull it off down and away from your skin, like a command strip.

3. Once off, use your clean hands to gently wash with antibacterial soap and blot dry with paper towel.

4. Put a *light* layer of Aquaphor (or whatever ointment your artist suggests you use) to moisturize the tattoo for 2-3 days. Do not over moisturize with ointment.

5. Switch to regular, unscented lotion after Aquaphor/ointment (Lubriderm, Aveeno, Cerave, etc). Clean tattoo at least twice a day and keep moisturized. Do this for about a week.

6. After a week, clean the tattoo (using your clean hands, no washcloths, loofas, or scrubs of any kind) once a day in the shower. Be mindful if it gets dirty, it needs to be cleaned. Moisturize with lotion.

7. Tattoo will be healed in about 3-4 weeks depending on size and trauma done to the skin, contact your artist for a touch up if needed!

Tattoos with saran wrap

1. If you have reactions to recovery derm or the tattoo is on a large area of the body, your artist may skip the derm and go “old school” by wrapping your tattoo in Saran Wrap before you leave.

2. Only leave the Saran Wrap on your tattoo until you get home/wherever you are staying and are able to remove it and clean the tattooed area. Try not to leave Saran Wrap on longer than an hour as it is not a breathable material. **Do not re-wrap your tattoo with Saran Wrap for any reason- your skin needs to be able to breathe in order to heal!**

3. Once the Saran Wrap is off, gently wash the skin with clean hands and antibacterial soap. Pat dry with a paper towel.

4. Once dry, apply a light layer of Aquaphor (or whatever ointment your artist suggests) and keep uncovered as much as possible. If the tattoo is in an area that will be covered by clothing, make sure it is light&loose. Be aware, ointment and even blood/plasma may get on the clothing in the first few days of healing.

5. Switch to regular, unscented lotion after about 3-4 days (Lubriderm, Aveeno, Cerave, etc). Clean tattoo at least twice a day and keep moisturized. Do this for about a week.

6. After a week, you can clean the tattoo once a day in the shower. Use clean hands— no wash cloths, loofas, or scrubs of any kind. If you get dirty/have excessive sweating, you need to clean the area. Remember to blot dry with a paper towel. Use lotion to keep moisturized.

7. Tattoo will be healed in about 3-4 weeks depending on size and trauma done to the skin, contact your artist for a touch up if needed!

Important Things to Remember:

-During the healing time, stay out of the water (tub, pool, lake, jacuzzi, etc) and out of the sun. If you take baths, don’t have your tattoo submerged underwater if possible, otherwise stick to shorter showers until healed.

-Don’t use sunscreen on the tattoo while it’s healing. Stay in the shade or keep it covered but ventilated. Avoid getting sunburned!

-If you get massages regularly, do not get one until tattoo is completely healed.

-No sauna’s, hot steam/body wrap, or spray tanning until healed.

-Recovery derm is waterproof so showering is fine but do not scrub over the derm.

-If you work out/go to the gym regularly, please ask your artist for instructions on when you are able to continue your workout routine. It will vary per person/tattoo.

-Be mindful to keep tattoo clean from dirt, pet hair, dander, saliva, sweat, etc.

-Please try to avoid any rough contact sports or fighting as trauma to the tattoo can affect the healing significantly.

-It is possible for some people to have a negative reaction to recovery derm. If this happens, you will usually see redness around the border of the derm and feel an itching/burning sensation that is different from the dull burn of a new tattoo. Contact your artist and they will instruct you on what steps to take for care.

-If you’ve had significant work done on the skin, it’s possible that you will accumulate a large amount of blood/plasma in the first 24hrs. To keep your sheets/mattress clean, it is advised to sleep with a clean towel under the tattooed area to catch any leakage.

-If there is an excessive amount of liquid under the derm or it has leaked out, please contact your artist for instructions on how to care for it at that point.

**When in doubt, please contact your artist directly for any concerns or questions you may have!**