YOUR NEW TATTOO IS AN OPEN WOUND AND SHOULD BE TREATED AS SUCH

It is crucial to keep dirt, debris & bacteria out.

YOUR TATTOO MAY APPEAR TO BE ‘WEEPING’ UNDER THE SANIDERM BANDAGE:

This is a completely normal part of your body’s natural healing process - it is a mixture of plasma, ink and blood and will actually help to keep your new tattoo moisturized under the bandage.

REMOVE THE SANIDERM WRAP WITHIN 24 HOURS OF THE INITIAL APPLICATION. TO REMOVE:

Find an edge of the bandage and pull it back over itself in the direction of hair growth. The shower is the ideal place to remove Saniderm. Running water will help loosen the adhesive and relax the skin, making the removal much more comfortable. Dry removal of Saniderm may cause discomfort and added trauma to the skin.

Discard the used bandage and USE YOUR HANDS to wash the tattoo with a mild soap, preferably fragrance-free.

DO NOT use a washcloth, loofa or sponge to wash the tattoo - the added friction may cause excessive damage.

Allow the tattoo to air dry or pat dry with a CLEAN towel.

Apply a second bandage by following the application steps listed below.

TO APPLY THE SECOND BANDAGE:

Cut and trim Saniderm to fit around the tattoo – include an extra inch around all sides. TIP: Cutting the edges of the bandage to be round will help it adhere better and feel more comfortable.

FIRST peel the white paper wrapping from the sticky side, THEN gently place the bandage over the tattoo, adhering the sticky side to your skin.

Once the adhesive side of the bandage is in place, remove the see-through second layer from the top side and smooth bandage over the tattoo.

ONLY APPLY A NEW SANIDERM BANDAGE WITHIN A 48 HOUR TIMEFRAME - after that the body is reaching the conclusion of the open wound stage and enters the peeling stage. The skin below the top layer of peeling skin is highly sensitive and should not have the adhesive directly applied to it at this point in its healing. If you apply a bandage after the 48 hour mark you risk permanently damaging your tattoo.

ADDITIONAL REMOVAL AND REAPPLICATION INFORMATION:

KEEP THIS SECOND BANDAGE ON FOR THREE TO SIX DAYS – the full six days being ideal. If the skin appears irritated, there is fluid buildup, or the bandage is coming off, it’s okay to remove the bandage sooner rather than later.

Do not reapply any more bandages after the scabbing/flaking phase of the tattoo healing has begun (48 hours after being tattooed) - If you find yourself bandage-less during this phase, make sure you’re keeping the area thoroughly moisturized. For a tattoo moisturizer, I recommend Hustle Butter, A&D Ointment, or Unscented Lubriderm.

If there is adhesive residue leftover on the skin, or the adhesive is not loosening enough with water, coconut oil and baby oil are helpful for removal.

CARING FOR YOU NEW TATTOO AFTER REMOVING SANIDERM:

Once the final bandage has been removed, continue caring for the tattoo by washing and moisturizing as needed, until the tattoo is fully healed.

The tattoo may appear to be fully healed on the surface once your second Saniderm bandage comes off. However, deeper layers of skin will still be repairing for 2-4 months.

A good moisturizing regimen is recommended for this entire period - moisturize twice a day with a tattoo aftercare product or unscented Lubriderm.

REMEMBER: LESS IS MORE - you do not want to clog your pores with excessive lotion as this will prevent oxygen exchange in your skin and hamper the healing process.

WEARING SANIDERM WHILE SHOWERING, SWIMMING, OR EXERCISING:

Showering while wearing Saniderm is fine, but it’s best to keep the time spent in the shower to a minimum. Water may weaken the adhesive of the bandage, which allows for unwanted contaminants to enter the bandage, putting you at higher risk for infection. It’s also important to keep an eye on the temperature of the water. Too much heat can separate the bandage from the skin, inflame the skin, and irritate the tattoo.

For these reasons, bathing, swimming, or fully submerging a tattoo dressed in Saniderm is strongly discouraged.

Light exercise while wearing Saniderm is fine, but avoid activity that causes excessive sweating.

Just as water will weaken the adhesion of the bandage, so will sweat and any other significant amount of fluid. Try to keep the bandage as clean and dry as possible until it’s time to remove it.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Your new tattoo will be somewhat tender and will feel like a new sunburn.

Healing tattoos will peel and flake with bits of tattooed skin coming off in the healing process - this is completely normal.

SANIDERM SHOULD NOT BE APPLIED TO THE TATTOO AFTER THE 48 HOUR PERIOD. At this point, the body is reaching the conclusion of the open wound stage and enters the peeling stage. The skin below the top layer of peeling skin is highly sensitive and should not have the adhesive directly applied to it at this point in its healing.

DO NOT PICK AT YOUR TATTOO - you risk permanently damaging your new art by pulling excessive amounts of ink out of the skin.

Your new tattoo may not look as ‘crisp’ for the first few weeks and may instead look ‘hazy’ - this is also completely normal and will clear up in two to three weeks.

Avoid direct sunlight on your tattoo for 4 - 6 weeks. After the tattoo has healed, you should always wear sunblock on it for the rest of your life. (Minimum SPF 30)

UV light damages the ink, causing it to break down in the skin and be absorbed by the body. The sun will fade your tattoos very quickly without adequate sunblock.

IF YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS PLEASE CONTACT

zig@zigrossi.art