With Tegaderm/second skin: 

• Leave on for a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 6 days. The longer you are able to keep it on, the less scabbing you will experience, and the faster it will heal. 
• Avoid excessive sweating, as sweat will pool inside the bandage and cause it to fall off early. 
• In the first 24 hours it is normal for ink and plasma to gather underneath the bandage and make the tattoo look messy. The bandage is breathable, and should dry out. If a large bubble forms please contact myself or the shop directly for assistance. 
• When it's time to take the bandage off do so slowly and gently. The shower is the best place to do this. 
• Once it's off, wash the area gently but thoroughly with unscented soap (I like Dr Bronners), warm (not hot) water, and your bare hands (no cloth or loofa).  
• Pat dry with a fresh paper towel. These two steps are your washing instructions for the first week. 
• If your tattoo feels very dry, you may apply a thin layer of light, unscented moisturizer (I like Lubriderm). 

 

With traditional/plastic wrap:

• Leave your wrap on for 1-4 hours.
• When it's time to take the bandage off do so slowly and gently. The shower is the best place to do this. 
• Once it's off, wash the area gently but thoroughly with unscented soap (I like Dr Bronners), warm (not hot) water, and your bare hands (no cloth or loofa).   
• Pat dry with a fresh paper towel. These two steps are your washing instructions for the first week. 
• If your tattoo feels very dry, you may apply a thin layer of light, unscented moisturizer (I like Lubriderm). 
• It's normal for your tattoo to form some scabs, be sure not to pick at them! 

 

While healing (2-3 weeks): 

• Showers only - stay away from hot tubs, pools, baths, the ocean, rivers, etc.
• Keep it out of the sun entirely.
• No heavy lotions or oils. 

 

Once healed:

• After 2-3 weeks, your tattoo should be fully healed, but it is still settling in and your skin is still recovering.
• Put sunscreen on your tattoo, every time it's exposed to the sun, forever. Like, seriously, it will look good way longer. 
• Get more tattoos!  

 

Touch ups: 

• The purpose of a touch up is to ensure that your tattoo looks great. If a line or colour just didn't heal quite right, I want the opportunity to bring out its best with a short, free touch up session.
• Free touch ups must take place within 3 months. 
• If you want to change something, add something, or if something has happened that made the tattoo heal poorly (like a sunburn), then you will need to pay for the session. 

 

Share your healed pics!

Please tag any pics @crashing.cadence or #crashingcadence 

 

Help! My Tegaderm bandage is full of goo! 

 

It's totally normal for lymphatic fluid and ink to collect in the bandage and look like a mud puddle. A little is okay, but if there is a big liquid filled bubble forming, or if look like it might leak out of the bandage, here's what you do: Get some paper towel ready, and stand in the shower. You can peel up the bottom of the bandage (just the part under the tattoo) and gently press down over the bandage in a downward direction to drain the goo out. Pat it clean with the paper towel, and then press the bandage back down. It should be totally fine after that. (Be sure to only do this once though or the bandage will lose its stickiness) If the bandage won't reseal, or if it's totally falling off, move on to the removal steps from the aftercare directions above.

 

Help! My Tegaderm bandage is falling off!  

 

If just the edges of your bandage are peeling up and your tattoo is still covered, you can simply trim away the loose edges with clean scissors. If the tattoo is partially or fully uncovered, you'll need to remove your bandage. Move on to the removal steps from the aftercare directions above.

 

Help! My tattoo is flaking and falling off! 

 

Don't panic! It's perfectly normal for the top layer of skin to flake away like a sunburn during the healing phase. Those top layers contain ink and it can look like your tattoo is 'peeling off', but just like a lizard shedding their skin, the skin underneath will heal and your tattoo will still be there. Be sure not to pick at any flakes or scabs, or you an actually damage the skin and pull the ink out.  

 

Help! My skin is irritated around my Tegaderm bandage! 

 

It's normal for your tattoo to be red, swollen, tender, and even bruised. But if your skin is irritated further away from your tattoo, and especially around the edges of the bandage, the bandage may be pulling your skin when you move your body, or you may be experiencing an allergic reaction to the medical adhesive. To be safe, use the steps above to remove your bandage right away. Additionally, please let me know at your next appt so that we don't use Tegaderm next time. 

 

Help! I took off my Tegaderm but now my skin is sticky!

 

Occasionally, the Tegaderm bandage can leave behind a sticky residue. (It's more common for people with very dry skin, and drinking plenty of water and avoiding super hot showers can help next time) The best way to remove the residue is to gently but firmly massage the area with soapy hands. Rinse occasionally to see your progress, but seriously, depending on how much residue is there, it can take a while. If you are making no progress, you can do the same massage technique with coconut oil (is there anything that stuff can't do??), but be sure to wash and rinse very well afterward to remove the oil. Do not pick or scratch at the residue, be patient and it will eventually come off. 

 

Help! You didn't answer my question! 

 

Please message my assistant Violet directly with any other questions - assistant@crashingcadence.com (Vi checks their emails more often than I do). 

 

If you are having a serious reaction or experiencing a medical emergency, please see a doctor immediately.