On the day of your tattoo appointment:

• Remove the bandage 2-3 hours after receiving your tattoo. Be sure that you are in a clean, safe environment. Wash your hands thoroughly.

• Using only your hands, wash your tattoo with fragrance-free antibacterial liquid hand soap—such as Dial Gold or Soft Soap, Aquarium Series and warm water. Wash until all blood and plasma is off the tattoo (your tattoo should no longer feel slimy).

• Pat dry with a clean paper towel.

For the first three days:

• Wash your tattoo 2-3 times a day, pat dry, then apply a light layer of Aquaphor or coconut oil.
  

Before bed on the first three nights:

• Wash your tattoo, pat dry, and wrap/secure your tattoo with plastic wrap. Sleep with the plastic wrap on. In the morning you will find blood, ink, and plasma trapped under the plastic wrap. This is normal.

• Remove the plastic wrap, wash your hands, and thoroughly wash your tattoo. Pat the tattoo dry, and then moisturize your tattoo.

Following the third night:

• Discontinue Aquaphor/coconut oil and plastic wrap use. 

• Continue to wash and moisturize your tattoo using white, unscented hand lotion for the remainder of 2 weeks. Your tattoo will peel and flake as part of the natural healing process. It is not uncommon for joints to have some scabbing and take a bit longer to heal due to the amount of movement in those areas. These areas will naturally resolve with standard washing and moisturizing. Do not pick or scratch your tattoo.

• Avoid direct sunlight (including tanning beds) and any water other than your shower for 2 weeks.

• Wear clothing that covers your tattoo while working out while the tattoo is healing. Your tattoo is an open wound, and can pick up infection if it makes contact with unclean equipment/surfaces. Be sure to wash your tattoo following workouts while the tattoo is healing.

  If Healing with Second Skin/Saniderm/Tegaderm:

  Second Skin typically remains on the tattoo between 3-5 days, so long as the bandage has not ruptured or leaking. It is common for a pocket of pigmented plasma to accumulate under the bandage. This is normal, and will be reabsorbed by the body as days progress. If the bandage breaches, it should be removed. Healing with Second Skin allows the skin to undergo the initial healing phase while remaining protected from contact with outside elements.

  Removing Second Skin:

  It is best to remove Second Skin while in the shower. Starting with the top corner, roll down the Second Skin with your hands bit by bit. Do not pull the Second Skin away from your skin as this will be more painful. The water hitting the skin will help loosen the bandage’s adhesive. Once fully removed, wash your hands well with fragrance-free liquid hand soap. Once your hands are clean, use the same liquid hand soap to wash the tattoo under warm water. Wash the tattoo thoroughly. Pat the tattoo dry with a clean paper towel. Apply a light layer of fragrance-free white hand lotion.  Continue washing and moisturizing the tattoo with lotion two times a day for the remainder of two weeks.