This is a normal part of the tattoo healing process. At this stage, it's soon time to get that bandage off and let your skin breathe. Leaving any tattoo wrap or bandage on the skin for too long can ruin your new tattoo before the first day is over. The tattoo bandage or wrap should stay on at most 6-8 hours max.
After getting a tattoo, it's generally recommended to keep it covered with a bandage or wrap for the first few hours to protect it from bacteria and irritation. However, once you've passed the initial healing period (usually a few hours), you can remove the bandage and let the tattoo breathe.
When the tattoo is dry to the touch, cover it completely with a new piece of plastic wrap, using small pieces of tape as needed to hold it in place. Do NOT use any healing ointment or moisturizer. With this method, the tattoo is kept completely covered with plastic wrap 24 hours a day, usually for 48-72 hours.
A tattoo is a wound and if you cover it, it will heal faster but can pull the ink out of your skin as well. Do not wrap again after the first time.
WASH THE TATTOO.
Pat it with a clean soft cloth or paper towel and let it air dry for 10-20 minutes or until the skin begins to feel tight. This allows for excess moisture to evaporate out. It is very important to let the tattoo "breathe".
If your artist did not recommend re-wrapping, just let the tattoo stay exposed to air overnight. Every day from then on, you will wash the tattoo in the morning and at night, and apply lotion 3 times a day or so, or whenever the tattoo feels dry or tight. Always wash your hands before touching the tattoo.
Skin needs to be a little bit wet to heal. Technically, wet healing is always the best choice — because your body knows what it's doing. There may be situations where wet healing techniques seem a little bit excessive, so it seems easier to skip them, but it's best not to.
After 3-4 days, remove the Saniderm bandage gently under warm running water. To take the bandage off you must stretch from each side rather than peel it off like a Bandaid. When you stretch the bandage it allows the adhesive to come off the skin without disrupting the tattoo and taking any ink with it.
Unfortunately, there's no way to control what your body does while you sleep, but keeping your new tattoo covered during the night will help mitigate the risk of causing any injuries by scratching it.
After removing the wrap, wash the tattoo immediately with water and soap.
Can You Shower After Getting a New Tattoo? Yes, you can shower after getting a new tattoo, but it's important to follow a few key steps to protect your new art. It's generally recommended to wait at least 24 hours before jumping into the shower.
Leaving the bandage on for too long can result in infection, so always change your bandage within the stated timeframe. Most tattoos can be properly healed with 2 applications of the bandage, with each application being left on the skin for 1-2 days, for a 3 or 4 day total.
Until the surface of the tattoo is healed (at a minimum of two to three weeks), wash the area gently 2-3 times per day. After cleaning the tattoo during this two to three week period, gently apply a thin coat of a lotion-based care product. We recommend After Inked tattoo moisturizer and aftercare lotion.
Use the Aquaphor for the first 2-3 days then switch to a regular FRAGRANCE-FREE lotion such as Lubriderm, or any other fragrance-free brand. 5. Fresh tattoos sometimes “weep” during the first couple of days, meaning that plasma and ink form a thin moist coating on the skin. This can be DABBED with a clean paper towel.
Is it OK to wear clothes over a new tattoo? Yes, but try not to after the few initial days after application. If you do, make sure you change your clothes frequently. In our experience, tattoos can weep onto the clothes and if you don't change them, it can cause infection.
Sleep on a clean surface
Avoid sleeping directly on the tattoo, as the friction from the sheets can disrupt the healing process. Be sure to follow the aftercare instructions provided by your tattoo artist and use a clean pillowcase or bedding to promote a healthy healing process.
Keep it bandaged with sterilized gauze. Don't apply any other creams or makeup to the treated area within the first few days. You can remove the bandage after three days, but keep the area as clean and dry as possible. You may also apply Vaseline, Aquaphor, or hydrocortisone cream to moisturize the area as it heals.
1. Keep it wrapped. The first night's sleep after getting a new tattoo is always the hardest because the tattoo is probably still leaking blood, plasma and ink. If your tattoo artist placed a transparent, adhesive bandage over your tattoo, the best thing to do is to keep it on for as long as they recommended.
Alternatively, if the fluid that collected beneath your Saniderm has dried out or has become itchy or uncomfortable, it is perfectly okay to remove the bandage and begin washing/caring for your tattoo -- even if this happens before the 3-5 day mark!
Blowout occurs when the ink extends beyond the intended boundaries of the design, resulting in prominent spots. More often than not, this situation arises due to poor execution of the tattoo.
After receiving a new tattoo, your epidermis will undergo the regular steps of oozing, itching and peeling/scabbing. Typically, tattoo cracking isn't a major cause for concern, it's an entirely normal part of the scabbing process, new skin is forming above the ink, turning into a scab and peeling away.