CARING FOR YOUR GOOPY TATOO!

🦕 🖍 👾 ✨ 💅 🌈 💫 💥 🖤 🤖 🪱 📸 👹

🦕 🖍 👾 ✨ 💅 🌈 💫 💥 🖤 🤖 🪱 📸 👹

KEEP IN MIND:

  • These aftercare instructions are intended to be helpful guides in helping you create an aftercare routine that works for you! If you’ve been getting tattoos for a while and have found a routine that works, by all means, please stick to that!

  • It can take 4-6 MONTHS OR LONGER for your tattoo to FULLY heal.

    Your tattoo may start to LOOK healed on the surface of your skin after 2-4 weeks - but the deeper layers of skin will take longer to heal and repair the damage caused in the tattoo procedure! Some folks are tempted to let up on their aftercare around the 2-4 week mark, but keep loving on that tattoo! You’ll be glad you did :)

  • There are endless factors that can impact your healing timeline and there is no one-size-fits-all timeline when it comes to your tattoo healing.

    For example, some of my immunocompromised homies know that their tattoos sometimes take a bit longer to heal. Everyone’s healing timeline is different because everyone’s body is different!

    Remember that your tattoo-healing journey is your own and the main goal is to give your body the love and care it needs to heal ❤️‍🩹

  • Your skin is a large organ connected to the rest of your body: a beautiful part of a lively, gorgeous system! To help your skin heal, we’ve got to give your body the tools it needs to do its job: sleep, water, exercise, nourishing food, joy, etc.

    I understand that these are not always possible for folks for a VARIETY of factors. If you aren’t able to take care of yourself in these ways, NO SHAME! Just know that your healing timeline may look different 💕

AFTERCARE

For clients using a SANIDERM BANDAGE

  • Leave your saniderm bandage on for at least 3 days, and no more than 6 days**

    During this period, pockets of blood, plasma, and ink may form under the bandage, usually darker in color. THIS IS TOTALLY NORMAL and will not effect the color in your tattoo.

    If the fluid/plasma/ink under your bandage is bothering you, you can remove the bandage after 24 hours, clean the tattoo, and replace with a new bandage that you leave on.

    **IF AT ANY POINT YOUR SANIDERM CAUSES IRRITATION (BURNING, ITCHING, REDNESS), REMOVE YOUR BANDAGE AND CONTINUE AFTERCARE AS PLANNED.

  • When you’re ready to remove your saniderm, hop in the shower!

    Run luke-warm water over your tattoo to dampen the wrap. With clean hands, take the bottom edge of your bandage and pull it down - like you’re removing a command strip - so that the bandage stretches and releases from your skin. Here’s a short video that demonstrates what I mean.

    You may see some ink transfer to the bandage as you remove it. Don’t worry! This is 100% normal and does NOT mean the ink is being pulled out of your tattoo.

  • Only wash your tattoo with liquid anti-bacterial soup. Rinse your tattoo well and gently pat dry with a clean paper towel.

    When you first remove your bandage, let your newly revealed tattoo "dry out" for at least a few hours. Do not begin to lotion until your tattoo has had a chance to become as dry as the un-tattooed skin surrounding it.

    When your tattoo is ready for lotion, apply a small amount of unscented lotion and rub it in gently until it disappears.

    After lotion, I recommend applying a thin layer of vaseline or aquaphor to serve as a thin barrier for your clean and moisturized tattoo.

  • Repeat washing and lotion TWICE DAILY for the next 3-5 days and only wear loose fitting clothing over the area.

    Apply lotion to your tattoo daily for 30 days (or until the surface layers of your tattoo are fully healed).

  • Scabbing is normal! DO NOT PICK AT SCABS! This can cause your tattoo to heal poorly and look patchy.

  • If your tattoo gets itchy, DO NOT scratch your tattoo! Itchiness or dryness can be relieved by lightly SLAPPING your tattoo or applying a thin layer of lotion.

  • Avoid the following for two weeks: sweating, submerging your tattoo in water, swimming, soaking, direct sunlight. All of these may cause your tattoo to heal poorly.

AFTERCARE

For clients using an ABSORBENT BANDAGE + plastic wrap

  • Leave your bandage on for about an hour. It’s just here to protect your tattoo from any dirt and bacteria while it’s still a fresh wound!

  • Wash your hands and rinse well.

    Remove the bandage and gently wash the new tattoo with clean water, dissolving any fluids that may have collected and started to dry.

  • Only wash your tattoo with liquid anti-bacterial soup. Rinse your tattoo well and gently pat dry with a clean paper towel.

    When you first remove your bandage, let your newly revealed tattoo "dry out" for at least a few hours. Do not begin to lotion until your tattoo has had a chance to become as dry as the un-tattooed skin surrounding it.

    When your tattoo is ready for lotion, apply a small amount of unscented lotion and rub it in gently until it disappears.

    After lotion, I recommend applying a thin layer of vaseline or aquaphor to serve as a thin barrier for your clean and moisturized tattoo.

  • Repeat washing and lotion TWICE DAILY for the next 3-5 days and only wear loose fitting clothing over the area.

    Apply lotion to your tattoo daily for 30 days (or until the surface layers of your tattoo are fully healed).

  • Scabbing is normal! DO NOT PICK AT SCABS! This can cause your tattoo to heal poorly and look patchy.

  • If your tattoo gets itchy, DO NOT scratch your tattoo! Itchiness or dryness can be relieved by lightly SLAPPING your tattoo or applying a thin layer of lotion.

  • Avoid the following for two weeks: sweating, submerging your tattoo in water, swimming, soaking, direct sunlight. All of these may cause your tattoo to heal poorly.

QUESTIONS?

If you have ANY questions about aftercare, you can email me at goopytattoo@gmail.com