SECONDSKIN HEALING

WHY I USE SECONDSKIN

SecondSkin is a semi-permeable bandage (meaning oxygen can pass through it but outside irritants cannot.) It acts as a breathable second skin that seals in the body’s natural moisture and healing enzymes, allowing the body to regenerate more efficiently. These medical-grade bandages protect your healing tattoo from scabbing, infection, and other irritants that damage tattoos, so your work stays bright and saturated, just like you want it to. You will experience faster tattoo healing, reduced scabbing and peeling, brighter colors, and darker blacks. SecondSkin allows for effortless tattoo healing with zero mess, all while providing a semi-waterproof barrier against irritants.

HOW TO USE SECONDSKIN

Once applied, leave your SecondSkin on for 3-5 days. I will give you a more specific range at your session. During this time your tattoo will start to look different under the SecondSkin. Lines might appear blurred or colors might look darker. This is your body’s healing fluid obscuring the view of the tattoo and will come off with the SecondSkin. You will NOT replace/change out the SecondSkin unless instructed to. The same piece will stay on for the full time unless otherwise directed at the session.

SecondSkin is a semi-waterproof bandage so you can shower like normal during this time. It’s alright if the SecondSkin gets wet but you cannot soak (no bathtubs, hot tubs, pools, etc.). Avoid hot showers and limit your time in them. Do not wash the SecondSkin when you are in the shower. Leave it alone; Washing on top of the SecondSkin is unnecessary and will remove important adhesive that removes its waterproof qualities.

DO NOT SWEAT while your SecondSkin is on. Avoid high intensity workouts, saunas, or any other activities that make you sweat. This includes taking a bath/getting in a hot tub with your tattooed limb hanging out of the tub. Even though the tattoo isn’t directly in the water, the bath/hot tub will cause sweat to pool underneath the bandage. Although SecondSkin is a breathable bandage, it does trap sweat underneath it. This can cause Heat Rash (a skin condition caused by blocked sweat ducts and trapped sweat beneath the skin) which can permanently damage your tattoo. If you think you developed Heat Rash, please contact me immediately. Whether you are using SecondSkin or going a more traditional route, heavy sweating during healing is to be avoided. Heavy sweating will impede the ink’s ability to settle and can cause uneven healing.

HOW TO REMOVE SECONDSKIN

Remove the bandage at the end of a shower. Do not remove it dry as it is painful and can damage the tattoo. Trust me, I have removed it dry before and won’t ever again. The warmth will loosen the adhesive and make it easier to remove. Find an edge of the bandage and slowly pull back over itself in the direction of hair growth. Pulling upward on the SecondSkin can be painful, so I don’t recommend it. If you’re having trouble removing the SecondSkin, wash with the appropriate soap to loosen the bandage. Slow and steady is the name of the game! When you take off your SecondSkin, an imprint or copy of your tattoo will likely appear on the bandage. This is normal, your tattoo did not come off.

AFTER THE SECONDSKIN IS REMOVED

After the bandage is removed, while you are still in the shower, gently clean your tattoo with mild soap (liquid antibacterial or antimicrobial soap*—no bar soap) and tepid water. I recommend OptiScrub Liquid Antimicrobial Soap or Dial Gold Liquid Antibacterial Soap. All product recommendations are based off my personal experience so I know they work for me. DO NOT use bar soap, loofahs, rags, or sponges as they harbor bacteria and can be abrasive. Rinse with cold water and pat dry with a clean paper towel. Allow it to air-dry for 30 minutes so you can identify what stage of healing it is in. Do not immediately apply ointment/lotion. The next stage of after care will depend on if your tattoo has reached the peeling stage or not.

* If you use an antimicrobial soap, make sure the antimicrobial agent is within 0.5% - 0.9%. Soaps with higher antimicrobial percentages can permanently damage your tattoo. DO NOT use soaps like Hibiclens, which has 4.0% of an antimicrobial agent. You want your soap to be mild enough to gently clean your skin but strong enough to prevent infection.

OPTION A: YOUR TATTOO HAS NOT STARTED TO PEEL

Sparingly, but thoroughly, massage a very small amount of salve/ointment into the skin to keep the tattoo slightly moist, but NOT smothered. Do this every 4-6 hours (washing before each application). Use just enough to give the tattoo a slightly satin shine, and blot with a clean paper towel. Your skin will take in all it needs, so DO NOT leave excessive aftercare on the skin. Ensure that extra moisture doesn’t get trapped under the salve/ointment by blotting and air-drying after every washing.

DO NOT use petroleum jelly or products containing petroleum (e.g. Vaseline, Aquaphor, etc.) or products with high oil content (will suffocate the skin). I recommend using tattooer-approved aftercare such as Tattoo Lovers Care Salve (I use TLC products while I tattoo), Redemption Organic Tattoo Aftercare, VitaliTree Salve, etc. Please feel free to reach out if you want to know my advice/info on another product.

OPTION B: YOUR TATTOO HAS STARTED TO PEEL

Your tattoo will start to peel, similar to a sunburn. AT ALL COSTS DO NOT PICK at the cracked and flaking skin. 

At this point, DO NOT apply any more salve/ointment. The area will become dry and itchy. A good quality, fragrance-free, colorless lotion can now be used 3 to 4 times daily INSTEAD of the salve/ointment. Repeat each day until the skin returns to its normal texture. 

WHAT TO EXPECT WHILE YOUR SECONDSKIN IS ON

  • LIQUID

    • Liquid under the SecondSkin is normal*. It may look dark or murky. This liquid is a combination of blood, plasma, lymphatic fluid, and ink (AKA your body’s natural healing juices). This liquid oozes from your skin when your body is repairing itself. *However, new or more liquid after showering may be a sign that shower water got under the SecondSkin. If you think shower water leaked under the bandage, please call me immediately.

  • REDNESS

    • Redness underneath the SecondSkin is normal. It’s just residual signs of irritation from the tattooing process. However, redness in the form of a distinct perimeter line of the bandage should be addressed. If you have a distinct red line along the edge of your SecondSkin, gently peel up the edge of the bandage to release the tension caused by it tugging on your skin.

  • PEELING

    • The edges of the SecondSkin may roll up as the week goes on and your clothes rub on it. If you need to do patchwork, use extra pieces of SecondSkin or paper/surgical tape to hold edges down. Always be sure to clean the area with alcohol before you address patchwork. It is also important that the pieces of SecondSkin overlap each other to ensure a proper seal.

  • ITCHING & OTHER SENSATIONS

    • As the week progresses, your tattoo will start to itch under the SecondSkin. Believe me, it’s WAY itchier without the SecondSkin on. The itchiness is caused by your tattoo healing, not the SecondSkin. You may also feel some tugging or tightness. When SecondSkin is applied, your skin is usually still swollen. This means that as the swelling goes down, the bandage feels tighter on your skin. You may also feel some ‘crunchy’ bits under the bandage. Don’t worry! As your body oozes its healing liquids, some of it stays above the skin, under the bandage, and gets dry. This dried liquid is what causes the ‘crunchiness’ under the bandage.

ALTERNATE HEALING INSTRUCTIONS

CONVENTIONAL HEALING

You will leave the studio in a temporary bandage. If it is applied in the evening, you may sleep in it unless otherwise instructed. Remove the bandage after 2 hours, but no more than 12. Don’t remove the bandage until you can properly clean the tattoo with mild soap and warm water. Rinse it well, cleaning off any plasma or slimy buildup. Be patient. After it has been cleaned properly, gently pat it dry with a clean cloth or paper towel (never re-use a towel as it will hold bacteria) then allow it to air-dry for 15 minutes before applying ointment. The tattoo must be completely dry before applying any ointment or salve to the skin. Apply ointment or salve (a specialty tattoo-healing product without petroleum) to the tattoo as needed, massaging a very small amount into the skin to keep the tattoo slightly moist, but NOT smothered. Use just enough ointment to make the tattoo slightly shiny, and blot off any excess.

 For the first few days treat your tattoo like the open wound it is. Clean it 2-3 times daily, or more often if the area gets sweaty or dirty, and then apply ointment as needed. Ensure that extra moisture doesn't get trapped under the ointment by blotting and air-drying after each washing. Only apply ointment or salve for as long as it takes for your tattoo to peel, usually 3-4 days. When the peeling begins, the tattooed skin will flake like a sunburn. At this point simply keep the tattoo clean, and begin to use a scent free, dye free lotion as needed. Always let the tattoo dry out completely before applying more lotion.

The healing tattoo should never stay submerged in water.  Therefore, limit yourself to only short showers until the tattoo has finished peeling. It’s also important that a fresh tattoo be protected from the sun and dirty environments. All normal activities involving water or sun exposure can usually be resumed after 10-14 days, when the tattooed skin feels normal.

NEVER pick at the cracked and flaking skin. The area will become dry and itchy, and a good quality, fragrance-free lotion can now be used until the skin returns to its normal texture.

WET HEALING

**DO NOT USE THIS METHOD UNLESS SPECIFICALLY INSTRUCTED**

*Please read through the entire process before using it*

This is the less conventional method, and tends to work well for larger tattoos, as well as tattoos in awkward areas that will be covered with clothing, which can cause irritation. If you find that your tattoos have healed poorly in the past, this method may be an effective alternative. Again, do not use this method unless specifically instructed. This method requires diligent and consistent effort and is only to be used in specific situations. Using this method improperly or without instruction can result in serious damage to your tattoo.

Remove your bandage after about 2 hours, and clean it with mild soap and warm water as in the Conventional Method.  After washing, gently pat it dry with a clean cloth or paper towel (again, never re use towels as they hold bacteria!)  then allow it to air-dry for 15 minutes. When the tattoo is dry to the touch, apply a very thin amount of Aquaphor or specialty tattoo aftercare to the tattoo - just enough to make it shiny, and then blot off the excess with a paper towel. Then cover it completely with a NEW piece of plastic wrap, using small pieces of tape as needed to hold it in place.

With this method, the tattoo is kept completely covered with plastic wrap 24 hours a day, for as long as it takes to peel—usually 3 to 5 days. It’s important to wash the tattoo every 4-6 hours or after any period of sweating, letting it completely air-dry afterwards, and applying a new piece of plastic wrap each time. This 6 hour time window to change the wrap is not a guideline, it's a rule - leaving the wrap on for too long can lead to moisture rash. Also the wrap should not be left off for more than 30 mins at a time. It’s also important not to over-wrap the area, unnecessarily covering untattooed skin can trap excess moisture.  The same precautions as the Conventional Method regarding water and sunlight apply to this method as well.

When the peeling begins after 2-4 days, the tattooed skin will bubble and flake exactly like a sunburn. NEVER pick at the cracked and flaking skin.  When the whole tattoo has FULLY entered the peeling phase, discontinue the plastic wrap. The area will become dry and itchy, and a good quality, fragrance-free lotion can now be used until the skin returns to its normal texture.

As mentioned before, moisture can be very detrimental to the healing process. Too much plastic wrap on the surrounding untattooed skin—or not changing the wrap often enough—can lead to development of a moisture rash. This will appear as bright red irritation with tiny pimple-like spots around the effected area, and will likely feel painful and itchy.  If this happens, do not re-wrap the tattoo or try to medicate it.  Instead, let it dry completely and peel on its own.  Apply lotion to the area once irritation has diminished.

*A combination of the Conventional Method and Wet Healing Method is NOT recommended. Please only use one or the other.*

**In any case, your safety is my first concern. If anything abnormal occurs, please consult your doctor immediately**

PRODUCTS FOR IN-SESSION COMFORT AND AFTERCARE

APOLOGIES, BUT I MAY BE OUT OF SOME PRODUCTS DUE TO PANDEMIC SHORTAGES

I now stock both in-session comfort products and the studio has aftercare products for sale to clients to take home after their sessions. If you are considering buying aftercare products for your session, feel free to contact me about what we have in stock or order ahead of time via the studio website. You are also welcome to reach out if you’d like to know if a product is safe/recommended to use.

I keep a supply of Bactine/Bactine Max Pain Relieving Cleansing Spray to use while tattooing. Bactine Max is an antiseptic* with 4% lidocaine. It will not numb tissue unless it has been freshly tattooed. This is a temporary anesthetic and is used to take the edge off. If you have a lidocaine allergy please tell me at your appointment.

*Antiseptics are chemical agents that slow or stop the growth of micro-organisms on external surfaces of the body and help prevent infections.

For pre-session or in-session numbing I recommend the Signature Tattoo Numbing Cream from Tattoo Numbing Cream Co. You can use this before or during a session. I do charge for this numbing service but you can order the cream directly if you’d prefer. DO NOT use numbing products ahead of your appointment. The ONLY pre-session numbing product I recommend is the one listed above but you must discuss it’s use with me ahead of time. Certain numbing products or improper use of numbing agents can permanently damage your tattoo/skin. Also, there are many numbing products that are awful to deal with on the tattooist end for various reasons. In general I do not recommend the use of numbing agents beyond Bactine Max but I understand the value in some situations. Please trust me and email for more information.