Art By Tony RayUpland, CA · Quality over quantity
Aftercare
Your new piece is healing under Derm Shield, a breathable second-skin film. Follow this and it heals clean, sharp and saturated. Bookmark this page for the next few weeks.
Day 0Wrap #1 on
Day 1Swap to wrap #2
Day 8Wrap #2 off
Days 8–28Lotion 2–3× a day
The plan
Two wraps, then lotion. Most tattoos look healed on the surface in 2–4 weeks; the deeper skin keeps settling for a couple of months.
-
Day 0
Session
Wrap #1 goes on
I apply the first Derm Shield in the studio. Leave it on overnight. Fluid, ink and a little blood collecting under it is normal.
-
Day 1
Next day
Swap the wrap
Remove wrap #1, wash, dry completely, and put on wrap #2. Full steps below.
-
Days 1–8
One week
Leave wrap #2 alone
Wear it for up to 7 days. Shower normally with it on. Never wear one piece longer than a week.
-
Day 8+
Wrap off
Remove, wash, moisturize
Peel it off in the shower, wash, pat dry, then start a thin layer of unscented lotion.
-
Weeks 2–4
Healing
Light flaking & itch
Some peeling and itching is normal. Keep moisturizing, keep your hands off it, keep it out of the sun.
Day 1 swap
The one thing you do yourself. Take your time, it's easiest in or right after a warm shower.
Remove wrap #1
Wash your hands first.Clean hands only from here on.
Loosen it under warm running water.Water softens the adhesive and makes removal a lot more comfortable.
Peel low and slow.Lift one corner, then pull the film back over itself, parallel to your skin. Don't pull it straight up and away from the tattoo.
Clean & dry
Wash with antibacterial soap and warm water.Use a liquid soap, fragrance-free if you can find it. No bar soap, no loofah, no washcloth. Use your fingertips.
Get all the residue off.Rinse away any dried plasma, ink and soap so the skin is completely clean.
Pat dry with a clean paper towel, or let it air dry.No bath towels, which hold bacteria and leave lint. The skin has to be fully dry, with no lotion on it, or the new wrap won't stick.
Apply wrap #2
Peel off the backing.Sticky side goes to the skin. Try not to touch the adhesive.
Lay it on from the center out.Cover the whole tattoo with about an inch of extra film all around. Smooth from the middle to the edges to push out air bubbles.
Don't stretch it.Lay it flat on relaxed skin. Stretched film pulls and lifts when you move.
Remove the top carrier layer if your sheet has one,then smooth the edges down once more. That's it. Leave this one on for up to a week.
Awkward spot like your back or ribs? Have someone help you with the new wrap. Two hands make it a lot easier.
Under the wrap
Normal - Ink-colored fluid pooling under the film, especially on day 0–1
- The tattoo looking cloudy or milky through the wrap
- Redness, warmth and mild swelling for the first 2–3 days
- Tightness or tenderness, like a sunburn
Take it off early - Fluid is leaking out the edges
- An edge has lifted and the tattoo is exposed
- Small red bumps, blisters or an itchy rash along the edges (possible adhesive reaction)
Remove it in the shower, wash and dry, then text me. I'll tell you whether to rewrap or go straight to lotion.
Lotion phase
Once wrap #2 comes off, the job is simple: keep it clean, keep it lightly moisturized.
Remove wrap #2 the same way.Warm water, low and slow, pulled back over itself.
Wash and dry.Same antibacterial soap, then pat dry with a paper towel or let it air dry.
Apply a thin layer of unscented lotion, like Lubriderm.Rub it in until it disappears. If the tattoo looks shiny or wet, that's too much, so blot the extra off.
Repeat 2–3 times a day for 2–3 weeks.Wash once or twice a day and moisturize whenever it feels tight or dry, until the flaking is done.
Less is more. Your skin needs to breathe, and heavy layers of lotion can trap moisture and slow healing.
Do / don't
For the first 2–4 weeks, until the skin is fully closed and done flaking.
Do - Shower normally, wrap or no wrap
- Wear loose, clean clothing over it
- Sleep on clean sheets
- Keep it covered from the sun
- Once healed, use SPF 30+ every time it's in the sun. It keeps the blacks black and the colors bright for years
Don't - Pick, peel or scratch. Let flakes fall off on their own or you'll pull ink out
- Soak it in pools, hot tubs, baths, lakes or the ocean
- Tan or lay out in the sun
- Use scented lotions, alcohol or peroxide on it
- Hit the gym hard on that area the first few days. Sweat and friction slow healing
When to get help
Infections are rare with a clean studio and good aftercare, but know the signs. Some redness early on is normal. Things getting worse after day 3 is not.
See a doctor if you notice
- Redness that keeps spreading past the tattoo, or red streaks running from it
- Swelling, heat or pain that gets worse instead of better
- Yellow or green pus, or a bad smell
- Fever, chills, or feeling sick
- Hard, raised, bumpy skin or open sores in the tattoo
Call 911 for trouble breathing, hives spreading across your body, or swelling in your face or throat.
And text me too. I want to know how every piece heals.
Touch-ups
Regular tattoos
One touch-up within 90 days if anything needs it once you're fully healed.
Cover-ups
Free layering and healing sessions, on whatever timeline it takes, until the piece looks right.