Aftercare
Instructions

DERM SHIELD AFTER-CARE:

EFFORTLESSLY PROTECT YOUR NEW TATTOOS WITH RECOVERY DERM SHIELD, A LATEX-FREE, TRANSPARENT MATTE FILM ADHESIVE BANDAGE. DERM SHIELD OFFERS MAXIMUM BREATHABILITY AND FLEXIBILITY, PROVIDING OPTIMAL CONDITIONS FOR FLAWLESS, GENTLE HEALING AND SKIN RENEWAL. IT ELIMINATES SCABBING AND REDUCES THE RISK OF SCARRING, WHILE PREVENTING EXPOSURE TO BACTERIA, DIRT, AND ABRASION. DERM SHIELD IS WATERPROOF, BUT PERMEABLE TO ALLOW SKIN PERSPIRATION, AND IT IS DURABLE ENOUGH TO KEEP UP WITH YOUR EVERYDAY ACTIVITIES WITH A PEACE OF MIND AND BODY. PRESERVING TATTOO VIBRANCY, OUR DERM SHIELD ALLOWS YOUR SKIN TO BREATHE AND HEAL THE RIGHT WAY.

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LIGHT, LATEX-FREE, TRANSPARENT MATTE FILM BANDAGE

ELIMINATES SCABBING AND REDUCES RISK OF SCARRING

MAXIMUM BREATHABILITY AND FLEXIBILITY FOR FLAWLESS HEALING

WATERPROOF AND PERMEABLE TO ALLOW PERSPIRATION

 

DIRECTIONS FOR USE:

1. GENTLY CLEAN AND PAT DRY THE TATTOO AND SURROUNDING AREA, ENSURING THERE IS NO SOAP OR ANY RESIDUE ON THE SKIN.

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2. WITH CLEAN GLOVES, REMOVE DERM SHIELD FROM THE STERILE POUCH. CUT THE DERM SHIELD TO COVER TATTOOED AREA PLUS A 1 - 2 INCH MARGIN FROM THE EDGE OF THE TATTOO.

 

3. PEEL OFF BACKING TO EXPOSE ADHESIVE SIDE AND POSITION THE DERM SHIELD OVER THE TATTOO WITH THE ADHESIVE SIDE FACING THE SKIN.

 

4. GENTLY APPLY USING LIGHT PRESSURE, STARTING FROM THE CENTER TO THE EDGES TO ELIMINATE AIR BUBBLES. DO NOT STRETCH THE DERM SHIELD DURING APPLICATION.

 

5. THE FIRST DERM SHIELD APPLICATION SHOULD STAY IN PLACE FOR 24 HOURS, DEPENDING ON LEVEL OF EXUDATION. IT IS NORMAL FOR BLOOD AND FLUIDS TO COLLECT UNDER THE BANDAGE.

 

6. A SECOND APPLICATION CAN BE USED FOR SEVERAL DAYS, AND A THIRD APPLICATION MAY BE USED IF NECESSARY. GENTLY CLEAN AND DRY THE AREA BETWEEN APPLICATIONS. DO NOT WEAR ANY PIECE LONGER THAN ONE WEEK.

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DIRECTIONS FOR REMOVAL:

GENTLY PEEL THE DERM SHIELD BY PULLING IT SLOWLY FROM THE EDGE BACK OVER ITSELF. DO NOT PULL THE BANDAGE UPWARDS.

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TRAD AFTER-CARE:

TAKING CARE OF YOUR TATTOO WHEN YOU LEAVE OUR STUDIO IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS EVERY OTHER PART OF THE PROCESS UP TO THIS POINT. PLEASE FOLLOW OUR INSTRUCTIONS AND NEVER HESITATE TO CONTACT YOUR ARTIST FOR CLARITY OR FURTHER INFORMATION. WE LIKE TO BE INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS FROM START TO FINISH UNTIL YOUR NEXT TATTOO.

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REMOVE THE BANDAGE AFTER ONE TO TWO HOURS. ALL WOUNDS NEED TO BREATHE IF THEY ARE TO HEAL PROPERLY.

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WASH THE TATTOO USING A MILD ANTIBACTERIAL SOAP (SUCH AS RECOVERY AFTERCARE SOAP, DR. BRONNER’S, OR DIAL GOLD) AND WARM WATER. TAKE CARE TO REMOVE ALL TRACES OF BLOOD AND PLASMA AS THIS WILL CAUSE SCABBING. DO NOT SCRUB THE TATTOO WITH A WASHCLOTH DURING THE TWO WEEK HEALING PERIOD.

 

PAT IT DRY WITH A CLEAN, SOFT CLOTH OR PAPER TOWEL AND LEAVE IT ALONE FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES, BASICALLY UNTIL IT STARTS TO FEEL LIKE THE SKIN IS A LITTLE TIGHT AND DRY. THIS ALLOWS FOR EXCESS MOISTURE FROM THE SWELLING UNDER THE SKIN AS WELL AS MOISTURE INTRODUCED BY WASHING THE TATTOO TO EVAPORATE OUT.

 

IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO LET YOUR TATTOO "BREATHE" LIKE THIS ANY TIME YOU GET IT WET BEFORE IT GETS INTO THE PEELING STAGE.

 

ONCE DRY, APPLY A VERY THIN COAT OF OINTMENT TO THE TATTOO. WE RECOMMEND RECOVERY TATTOO SALVE. ONLY USE ENOUGH TO MAKE IT SHINE, A LITTLE GOES A LONG WAY. TOO MUCH OINTMENT TRAPS GERMS INTO YOUR NEW TATTOO WHICH CAN POTENTIALLY LEAD TO INFECTION. JUST A DAB WILL DO. WORK IT IN WELL. DAB OFF ALL THE EXCESS WITH A PAPER TOWEL. THERE SHOULD BE JUST ENOUGH TO KEEP THE TATTOO MOIST AND TO KEEP IT FROM SCABBING. DO NOT RE-BANDAGE THE TATTOO.

 

REPEAT THE CYCLE OF WASHING, DRYING, AND APPLYING OINTMENT TO THE TATTOO ABOUT 4-5 TIMES PER DAY FOR THE FIRST 3 DAYS (WHILE THE TATTOO FEELS TENDER).

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OINTMENT CAN BE APPLIED WHENEVER THE TATTOO IS FEELING STIFF OR DRY BUT BEWARE OF OVER-MOISTURIZING. YOUR BODY WILL ABSORB WHAT IT NEEDS WHERE IT NEEDS IT.

 

APPLY OINTMENT TWICE A DAY FOR 4-5 DAYS, THEN SWITCH TO A REGULAR *UNSCENTED* MOISTURIZER LIKE RECOVERY TATTOO LOTION,  OR SOMETHING OVER THE COUNTER SUCH AS EUCERIN, LUBRIDERM, CUREL, OR JERGENS. APPLY MOISTURIZER TWICE A DAY FOR THE REMAINDER OF TWO WEEKS. DO NOT USE LOTIONS THAT CONTAIN COLOR OR FRAGRANCE AT ALL UNTIL THE HEALING IS COMPLETE. THIS IS USUALLY ANYWHERE FROM TEN DAYS TO TWO WEEKS, POSSIBLY LONGER FOR SLOWER HEALERS.

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YOU MUST KEEP YOUR TATTOO MOISTURIZED! WHEN THE TATTOO IS KEPT MOIST, IT DOESN'T HAVE A CHANCE TO FORM A SCAB BUT DOES FORM A THIN MEMBRANE TO PROTECT THE TATTOO WHILE IT HEALS. THIS LAYER PEELS OFF VERY SIMILAR TO A SUNBURN (DO NOT PEEL YOUR TATTOO, YOU WILL PULL THE INK OUT!) AND IT IS PERFECTLY NORMAL TO SEE SMALL FLAKES OF COLORED SKIN FALLING OFF DURING THIS STAGE OF HEALING.

    

YOU MUST KEEP YOUR TATTOO CLEAN! HOWEVER, LONG SHOWERS OR BATHS MUST BE AVOIDED FOR 2 WEEKS. PROLONGED SOAKING CAN AND WILL LOOSEN SCABS IF ANY HAVE FORMED, OR WILL SOAK THROUGH THE SOFT TISSUE TURNING IT INTO A SOGGY MESS AND CAUSE YOUR INK TO FLOW DOWN THE DRAIN. THIS INCLUDES SWIMMING IN THE OCEAN OR A POOL, HOT TUBS, AND SAUNAS. SHORT SHOWERS ARE BEST, UNDER TEN MINUTES IF POSSIBLE.

 

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE REFRAIN FROM SCRATCHING OR PICKING AT THE TATTOO. SCRUBBING WITH A WASHCLOTH CAN BE VERY HARSH ON A TATTOO AND WILL CAUSE YOUR COLORS TO FADE. DISRUPTING THE TATTOO WHILE IT'S HEALING CAN ALSO CAUSE SCAR TISSUE. IT IS NORMAL FOR THE TATTOO TO BECOME VERY ITCHY DURING THE HEALING TIME. JUST REMEMBER NOT TO PICK OR SCRATCH NO MATTER WHAT!

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NO SUN, NO SWIMMING OR SOAKING FOR 2 WEEKS.

 

REMEMBER, THE SUN IS BAD FOR YOUR TATTOO! WHETHER THE TATTOO IS NEW OR OLD, IF YOU WANT IT TO LOOK NICE AND HEAL PROPERLY, KEEP IT OUT OF THE SUN. A SUNBURN ON A NEW TATTOO CAN CAUSE A LOT OF PROBLEMS. IT WILL DRY OUT YOUR TATTOO AND COULD CAUSE IT TO FORM A HORRENDOUS SCAB RESULTING IN FADING BEFORE IT IS EVEN HEALED. IT WILL ALSO TAKE MUCH LONGER TO HEAL COMPLETELY AND PROMOTES SCARRING IN A NEW TATTOO. WAIT UNTIL IT IS FULLY HEALED TO GO BACK IN THE SUN OR A TANNING BED AND MAKE SURE YOU PUT ON A HIGH QUALITY SUNBLOCK. NEVER PUT SUNBLOCK ON A TATTOO THAT IS STILL HEALING. WAIT UNTIL IT IS FULLY HEALED BEFORE GOING INTO THE SUN.  OUR CLIENTS THAT CANNOT AVOID SPENDING LOTS OF TIME IN THE SUN SHOULD USE RECOVERY TATTOO LOTION REGULARLY TO HYDRATE AND PROTECT THE INK.

 

FOLLOWING ALL OF THESE SIMPLE STEPS WILL ENSURE THAT YOU END UP WITH THE BEST RESULT WITH MINIMAL COMPLICATIONS AND YOUR NEW ART WILL STAY LOOKING BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.