DERM SHIELD AFTERCARE

THE 1ST APPLICATION OF DERM-SHIELD is to be worn for no more than 24 hours. **DO NOT clean your tattoo in a gas station or restaurant bathroom!** We suggest cleaning your tattoo in the shower or over a clean sink because your bandage will be filled with blood, ink and plasma. It is totally normal to expel these liquids as we did just cut you open and put ink into your skin.

REMOVE THE 1ST APPLICATION OF DERM-SHIELD we suggest jumping in the shower so you do not get any of the blood, ink and plasma on the floor or carpet. A pro tip is to hold down your non tattooed skin with one hand and pull back the Derm-shield with other hand. Gently peel back the Derm-shield over itself from one corner to the other. **DO NOT quickly rip off the Derm-shield like a band-aid** (This can damage your tattoo and cause irritation to both your tattooed and non tattooed skin! Creating a red ring around your tattoo from how adhesive the bandage is.

WASH YOUR TATTOO immediately after removing the 1st application of the Derm-shield. Please wash the tattoo using a fragrance free, antibacterial soap (Visit suggest aftercare products page) and warm water. Gently lather your tattoo using clean hands only. **DO NOT use a wash cloth or loofah as they will exfoliate your tattoo which will be very sensitive for next 24-48 hours.** (These can also damage the tattoo by remove scab during the later stages of the healing process.) It’s IMPORTANT any time you’re washing your tattoo in the shower during your regular shower routine to make sure it is washed last. This is to ensure your tattoo will be completely clean of any facial, body or hair products that have come into contact with it during your shower.

PAT DRY YOUR TATTOO completely by using some clean and dry paper towels. ) It’s IMPORTANT to make sure your skin is super dry before applying the next application of Derm-shield because it will not stick to your skin properly to you have wet or damp skin. **DO NOT use your bath towel or any fabric towel to dry your tattoo!** (Pieces of the fabric or thread from the towels can stick to your tattoo and get trapped under the next application of the bandage.)

APPLY THE 2ND APPLICATION OF DERM-SHIELD by peeling the white backing off the Derm-shield and placing the sticky side down on top of the tattoo. It’s IMPORTANT to cover a 1-2 inch boarder around the tattoo to ensure optimal protection. Then press from the middle of the tattoo outward to the edges, like a screen protector, to get rid of any air bubbles that may occur. If you get any air bubbles or wrinkles in the bandage as long as the tattoo is fully sealed you should not have any problems. It’s IMPORTANT if you have concerns on how you applied the 2nd Derm-shield please reach out to your tattoo artist or stop by the shop asap. Finally peel the top clear layer, with the plus signs, of the Derm-shield off.

THE 2ND APPLICATION OF DERM-SHIELD is to be worn for no more than 5 days straight. It’s okay to shower regularly while wearing the bandage during this time, it is water proof. It’s IMPORTANT you only remove the 2nd application, prior to the 5th day, is if you start to leak outside the Derm-shield. Or if a corner peels up to the point where the tattoo is exposed.

IF DERM-SHIELD PEELING UP OR YOU START TO LEAK OUTSIDE THE DERM-SHIELD while wearing the 2nd application of Derm-shield **DO NOT try to tape it down to keep it on for remaining days!** (This is to avoid getting any bacteria trapped under the Derm-shield for an extended period of time.) If a corner of the Derm-shield peels up and there is still a seal around the tattoo that is fine. It’s IMPORTANT if the Derm-shield peels up and the tattoo is exposed please contact the tattoo shop or your tattoo artist for more instructions!

REMOVE THE 2ND APPLICATION OF DERM-SHIELD after the 5th day by jumping in the shower suggest jumping in the shower so you do not get any of the blood, ink and plasma on the floor or carpet.  A pro tip is to hold down your non tattooed skin with one hand and pull back the Derm-shield with other hand. Gently peel back the Derm-shield over itself from one corner to the other. **DO NOT quickly rip off the Derm-shield like a band-aid** (This can damage your tattoo and cause irritation to both your tattooed and non tattooed skin! Creating a red ring around your tattoo from how adhesive the bandage is.

**After removing 2nd application of the Derm-shield you never cover it again! At this point the best thing for tour tattoo is air.**

WASHING YOUR TATTOO FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE HEALING PROCESS

You will continue to wash your tattoo 2x’s/day, morning and night, until the tattoo is completely healed. It’s IMPORTANT to also wash your tattoo after any time use work out, sweat or bush up against any non sterile objects, as your tattoo will be cross contaminated. Tattoos can take as long as 2-3weeks to heal depending on how detailed your tattoo is. The more detail/larger your tattoo is the more damage is done to your tattoo and the longer it will take to heal. So please make sure to wash your tattoo until the tattoo is completely healed, all scabs/dry skin is flaked off and feel like regular skin again.

APPLYING TATTOO BALM

You will apply thin layers, making sure to spread the tattoo balm over the entire tattoo, 3-5x’s/day until the tattoo is completely healed. (2-3weeks depending on how detailed your tattoo is)  This will act as a protective barrier from harmful bacteria while your tattoo is still in the open wound phase of the healing process. **DO NOT glob on the tattoo balm on your tattoo!** (Less is more when applying the tattoo balm, as you can suffocate and damage your tattoo by applying too much.) It’s IMPORTANT that if the amount of tattoo balm you applied sticks to your clothes or if its tattoo balm is shiny and tacky; then you have applied too much! Please grab a piece of clean and dry paper towel and whip the excess balm off your tattoo.

THE SCABBING PROCESSwill happen around day 5 or 6 of the healing process and new skin will start to form over your tattoo. This is completely normal and happens with every tattoo. It is your body’s way of locking the tattoo into your skin while it’s recreating the layer of skin we tore through during your tattoo session. You will know the scabbing process has started when you see dry, light, flaky skin form-very similar to a sun burn. **DO NOT pick or scratch at the tattoo during this time!** (This can damage your tattoo by removing ink from your skin, which is painful, and will cause you to need a touch up.) It’s IMPORTANT that if the tattoo feels itchy or dry please apply another thin layer of the tattoo balm.

WHILE HEALING YOUR TATTOO

Doing any of the following while during the healing process of your tattoo will damage your tattoo and most importantly can lead to infection!

**DO NOT submerge your tattoo!**

This included swimming in bodies of water (pools, oceans, lakes, bathtubs, hot tubs, steam rooms, saunas etc), manicures/pedicures, or washing dishes, pets or children. Showering regularly is just fine because the water runs down your body and  you are not soaking the tattoo. Many of these bodies of water contain harsh chemicals and some have heavy amounts of pollution in them which you do not want in a fresh open wound, that is your tattoo.

**DO NOT do any form of suntanning!**

This includes all forms of sun tanning (natural sunlight exposure, artificial UV tanning beds, bronzing lotions, spray tans, tanning drops or mitt tanning) Sun tan lotion is not an exception to this rule! They contain harsh chemicals which you do not want in a fresh open wound, that is your tattoo. It’s IMPORTANT you do not to use sun tan lotion until your tattoo is completely healed.