Lindsey Andrew

These bandages are medical-grade, breathable, and waterproof. (Saniderm/Derm Shield/ Tegaderm/Etc.)

***Do not use if you have an allergy to adhesives***

Benefits of using an adhesive bandage:

• Reduces the risk of contaminants entering the wound site of a fresh tattoo.

• Protects the area from unwanted shear/friction and allows the body to keep itself moisturized.

• Eliminates sessions of washing and applying aftercare to a new tattoo.

• The result is a tattoo healing experience that is safer, smoother, and more efficient.

Bandage Removal, Proper Tattoo Cleaning, and Bandage Replacement:

The best way to remove Saniderm is to find an edge of the bandage, and then to pull it downwards in the direction of hair growth, working your way to the top of the bandage. Doing this in the shower with warm water is what I've found to be the easiest way to remove the bandage. 

To replace the bandage after removal of previous bandage:

Gently clean and pat dry the tattoo and surrounding area, ensuring there is no soap or any residue on the skin. With clean gloves/hands, peel off the backing to expose the adhesive side and position the bandage over the tattoo with the adhesive side facing the skin. Gently apply using light pressure, starting from the center to the edges to eliminate air bubbles. Do not stretch the bandage during application.

Smaller tattoos that are mostly linework or minimum shading will be fine to leave the first bandage on for the full 3-7 days. 

The first adhesive medical bandage application should stay in place for 3-24 hours, depending on level of exudation. It is normal for blood and fluids to collect under the bandage (a lot of people online refer to this as an ink sac). If any fluid is seeping through any part of the bandage, remove it immediately and use a second application.

A second application can be used for 3-7 days. No additional bandages are needed or recommended.

The tattoo should have a good portion of the healing done by the time you remove the bandage. 

Gently clean with Antibacterial soap and dry the area between applications. Do not wear any piece longer than one week.

Do not reapply any more bandages after the scabbing/flaking stage of the tattoo healing has begun.

If the skin appears irritated, there is fluid buildup, or the bandage is coming off, it’s okay to remove it sooner rather than later.

Once bandage is removed, it is important to keep the area moisturized! Check out my section on “Aftercare Instructions for the Second Week of Tattoo Healing”

Saniderm’s Knowledge Base website for their own adhesive bandage has a comprehensive FAQ page to visit by clicking here if you have any more in-depth questions or want more details about this form of aftercare!

Tattoo Don’ts for Adhesive Bandage Aftercare

• Keep your tattoo covered for as long as your artist recommends.
• Don't rip the bandage off!

Use warm water to break down the adhesive until it’s no longer painful to remove.

Gently peel the bandage by pulling it down slowly in the direction of hair growth. Do not pull the bandage upwards.

Don’t re-bandage or cover your new tattoo.

Tattoos need to breathe and stay pretty dry to heal. No adhesive bandage is needed after the first 7 days of healing.

After getting a new tattoo, it is your responsibility to make sure that it stays clean and moisturized throughout its healing journey.

• Always wash your hands with soap and water before touching your new tattoo.
• Use warm/room temperature water and fragrance free antibacterial soap to clean your tattoo.
• You can either pat dry with a clean paper towel or air dry.
• Use an approved petroleum-free (and fragrance-free) moisturizer from the list below to ensure your art/skin stay hydrated.
• Repeat these steps at least 3-5 times daily for the first week of healing.
• Switch from using a thicker moisturizer (ointment) to a lighter moisturizer (lotion or coconut oil) when your tattoo starts flaking.
  • Heavier creams may rip off the flakes and undo some of the natural healing

***Avoid scratching or picking at your tattoo while it heals, since this can introduce bacteria into the skin! Please check out my list of “Tattoo Don’ts” below to see what other things to stay away from!***

Approved petroleum-free products to use on your fresh tattoos:

• Any petroleum-free product formulated specifically for tattoo healing
  • Ink-Eeze, Hustle Butter (mineral oil allergen), Tattoo Goo, Herbal Tattoo Salve from Ora, Viking Revolution Tattoo Balm
• Natural moisturizers like aloe vera, coconut oil, shea butter, or cocoa butter.
  • You can mix other oils like Tea Tree, Vitamin E, or Grapeseed oil with aloe gel or coconut oil in very small amounts to give your skin some added benefits.

Products containing petroleum:

• A+D Ointment
• Bepanthen
• Aquaphor
• Vaseline
• Bacitracin
• Neosporin

Why shouldn’t I use these?

• These products have a primary purpose, and it is not tattoo aftercare or tattoo healing! They contain petroleum and mineral oil which are detrimental ingredients to your healing process.

Here’s why:

• Petroleum and mineral oils build up in the body which has been proven to exacerbate hormonal imbalances and can cause cancer.
• Petroleum-based products are cheap and create the illusion of soft, moisturized, and hydrated skin. When applied, they actually seal the skin's surface and block the natural respiration process. This means that these ointments don’t allow for your tattoo to get enough air while it’s healing and may actually trap moisture on top of a new tattoo. This can clog pores, causing blackheads, pimples, and whiteheads, or even create a warm, moist environment for bacteria to grow, leading to infection.
  • Symptoms of a tattoo infection: redness or discoloration, swelling, warmth, discharge. (It is common for your tattoo to be red, warm, and swollen for the first few days after getting it. If that continues happening for longer than normal, call your doctor to get it checked out.)
  • ***If you think your tattoo could be infected, get medical attention quickly to avoid major damage to your body art.***
• Suffocating your skin can also cause premature aging which leads to faded tattoos.

Just like other types of wounds, fresh tattoos need dryness and air in order to heal properly.

Note on Over-Moisturizing:

• Even if you are using an approved moisturizer (ointment or lotion), you should never use excess as it may over-moisten your tattoo and even undo some of the healing it already went through. Think of it like chapstick, you just want a thin layer, not gooped on there. 

Make sure that your tattoo continues to stay moist for the remainder of the healing period. Use a fragrance free white lotion on it until tattoo is no longer shiny or peeling. After this stage, you can use any lotion you'd like on your tattoo. Keeping your tattoos moisturized, even after healing, will help the colors stay as vibrant as possible. 

It's also recommended that you apply/reapply sunscreen when going outside. The sun can fade tattoos pretty quickly, so sunscreen is a must!

I recommend using fragrance and petroleum-free moisturizers with water listed as the first ingredient.

Examples of approved Fragrance-free Moisturizers:

• Eucerin
• Aveeno
• Curel
• Lubriderm