There are many ways that you can do tattoo aftercare. There is the traditional method of helping your tattoo heal which has its own timeline and what you are supposed to do during them. Then there is the Tegaderm or Saniderm method of healing your tattoo. It is a transparent adhesive bandage that helps to keep the tattoo protected while it heals underneath. There is usually a set amount of time that you are supposed to have it on but you might ask “Can I put Tegaderm on a week old tattoo?”
While you might be able to keep your tattoo wrapped up even after a week of having it, Tegaderm on a week old tattoo won’t do much good to your tattoo. In fact, it might actually hinder the healing process of the tattoo altogether! So let’s see what the effects that Tegaderm has on your week old tattoo and see if you can put it on or not!
Key Takeaways
- Tegaderm on a week old tattoo will cause many problems which will hinder the healing process of the tattoo and might also make it worse through infection or pulling the ink!
- To remove Tegaderm from your tattoo properly, there is a simple process of making sure to weaken the adhesive before gently pulling the Tegaderm from the tattoo.
- There are two methods of tattoo aftercare: traditional and Tegaderm. Both of them will look quite different during the initial week but it will be the same after that.
- There are some things that you need to avoid for your aftercare with Tegaderm as it can compromise while your tattoo is healing.
Tegaderm on A Week Old Tattoo: What Happens
You are usually advised to have the Tegaderm on your tattoo for the first week and then continue on the traditional tattoo aftercare. There are some reasons why this is the case, the main reason being that Tegaderm on a week old tattoo won’t help the tattoo properly heal! So let’s see what exactly are the consequences of having Tegaderm on a week old tattoo.
Irritation and itching
When you leave Tegaderm on your tattoo for too long, you will notice that your tattoo will get very irritated. If you were to put it on after a week, you might not feel anything for the first few hours but afterward, it will itch like crazy! This is because the skin from your tattoo is trying to heal but the flaking skin is trapped underneath, making the tattoo itch a lot!
Distorting the tattoo design
Another that might happen if you put Tegaderm on a week old tattoo is that adhesive might pull the ink from the tattoo. The tattoo will be relatively dry which causes the adhesive of the bandage to adhere to the skin more. When you try to remove it, you will notice that more of the ink from the tattoo is coming off along with it. While this might be the flaking skin, it can also pull out more tattoo ink than it should, which can distort the tattoo design!
Perfect environment for bacterial growth
A tattoo will stay warm and moist under the Tegaderm. While this might aid in healing during the first 3 to 4 days, after a week it will become a breeding ground for bacterial growth! This is the last thing that you want for your tattoo since it increases the chances of a tattoo infection. Your tattoo will be sore, red, and might even start swelling underneath the Tegaderm if there is an infection. Even the slightest hint of bacteria on your tattoo will cause this issue if you were to put Tegaderm after a week.
Increased chances of scabbing
Tegaderm allows the tattoo to breathe which is why it is good. However, a week old tattoo needs to be able to breathe as much as possible because that is the time it will scab and start to swell a bit. If you were to restrict it from being able to do so, you risk increasing the chances of scabbing which will not allow the tattoo to heal!
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Removing Tegaderm from Tattoo: Step-by-Step Guide
So having Tegaderm on your tattoo after a week is not a good idea. So it is essential that you remove it and clean the tattoo and allow it to heal naturally. A lot of people might struggle trying to take off the Tegaderm from their tattoo so here is a step-by-step guide on you will be removing the Tegaderm from your tattoo!
- Weakening the adhesive: Tegaderm is waterproof so you won’t cause water to pool underneath the tattoo. But with a warm shower, you can slowly weaken the adhesive which makes it easier to remove the Tegaderm. You could also use coconut oil around the edges to do it as well!
- Lifting the edge: carefully lift one of the edges of the Tegaderm on your tattoo until you have sufficient space to be able to pull the Tegaderm.
- Peeling away: Once you have lifted one of the edges, it is now time to slowly peel away the Tegaderm from your tattoo. I find it best to rest the middle joint of your fingers on the skin and then gently guide the Tegaderm off.
- Cleaning the tattoo: When you have removed the Tegaderm from your tattoo, it is now time to clean the tattoo using warm water and antibacterial soap. Make sure to use your fingers and palm to wash your tattoo (wash clothes and loofahs are too abrasive and might cause your tattoo to be ruined).
- Pat drying the tattoo: When you have washed off the soap, make sure to wash anything else remaining on your hands with water and then proceed to pat dry it with a clean paper towel to remove the water from your tattoo.
With that, you are now able to let the tattoo heal on its own!
Tattoo Aftercare: What It Will Look Like
Since we are on the topic of tattoo aftercare, allow me to tell you about what traditional tattoo aftercare and Tegaderm aftercare will look like.
Traditional aftercare
Traditional aftercare, or as some will call it the moisturizer or lotion method, is the most basic way to allow your tattoo to heal.
Here is how it will look on a day-by-day basis:
- Day 1: if your tattoo artist applied the Tegaderm, leave it on for about 8 to 24 hours. After that, remove the Tegaderm as I have mentioned above, and clean the tattoo.
- Days 1 to 3: Your tattoo will be sore and will ooze a lot of plasma and blood. Make sure to clean the tattoo, pat dry it, and then apply an unscented moisturizer/lotion or ointment twice daily.
- Days 4 to 7: This is when the tattoo will start to flake off the skin. Don’t worry about the ink coming off because this ink would have come off anyways. But don’t peel the skin or scratch the tattoo!
- Days 7 to 14: The second week of the tattoo will start to flake even more and even start to scab. The scabbing is because too much plasma has been released which was not properly washed or because too much moisturizer was used, causing the plasma to be trapped underneath. Make sure to wash the tattoo properly and apply just the right amount of ointment on your tattoo.
- Days 15 to 30: By now, most of the healing has been done but the aftercare is not over. The tattoo ink has not settled in your skin properly and your skin will still itch a bit (a lot less than the week prior) and it might even become raised which is not out of the normal. Your tattoo will also look dull. So keep washing and applying ointment on your tattoo to allow it to heal.
- Days 30 and onwards: This is when the tattoo starts to look good on your skin! Around the 30th day, your tattoo will have healed completely and look normal on your skin. No more raised tattoo and it won’t have the sheen of plasma on it as well. That is when you know your tattoo has fully healed!
Tegaderm aftercare
The Tegaderm aftercare has you have the bandage on for about a week, after which you are going to continue to do your normal aftercare. So let’s see what the Tegaderm on your tattoo will look like during the time it is on your skin.
- Day 1: When your tattoo artist has placed the Tegaderm, your tattoo will look very vibrant on your skin with it also looking shiny due to the reflection of light on it.
- Days 1 to 3: This is when you will start to notice your Tegaderm pooling a yellow-brown straw-colored liquid. This is called a tattoo ink sac and is perfectly normal to have! On the end of the 3rd day, you should remove the Tegaderm and clean your tattoo and replace a fresh Tegaderm on your tattoo.
- Days 4 to 7: During this time, you will be leaving the tattoo and Tegaderm alone. It will itch like crazy and any ink sac will dry on its own underneath the bandage. What you need to do during this time is to notice abnormal changes to your tattoo. If the tattoo feels very irritated or there is a grey milky substance oozing from the tattoo, remove the Tegaderm immediately!
- Day 7 onwards: Now is the time to open your Tegaderm from your tattoo and clean it. After that, add your unscented moisturizer and continue your normal tattoo aftercare!
After the Tegaderm is removed, you will notice that the tattoo feels less itchy and flaking is very minimal. This is because the tattoo has already gone through the second week of traditional tattoo aftercare during this period! So all you need to do is keep the tattoo nicely moisturized and clean to ensure that your tattoo heals properly. This might sound good but it is not possible with all tattoos so make sure to follow the method that your tattoo artist has suggested because they will be able to tell the best.
5 Things to Not Do During Tattoo Aftercare
The tattoo aftercare is the most important part of the tattooing process since it will determine how the tattoo will look in the coming years. So there are obviously some things that you absolutely should be avoiding during the aftercare.
They are:
- Direct sunlight: it will cause your tattoo to fade faster and not heal properly, especially in the case of a sunburn on your tattoo.
- Swimming and soaking: a bath sounds nice for your body but not your tattoo. Showering is fine but extended time underwater will cause the ink to come off the tattoo.
- Gym: your local gym is a cesspool of germs and bacteria that you definitely need to avoid for your tattoo. So no going to the gym while your tattoo is healing.
- Sweating: sweating is also something you need to avoid as it acts as a barrier for the tattoo, not letting it breathe properly. So make sure to clean the sweat from your tattoo.
- Using scented moisturizer: anything scented on your tattoo is completely off-limits. It will cause the tattoo to become irritated and even in rare cases cause infection so make sure you are using unscented moisturizers like CeraVe or Lubriderm for your tattoo.
FAQs
Can you overlap Tegaderm on a tattoo?
Overlapping Tegaderm on a tattoo is possible if you are doing it on the edges. You should not overlap Tegaderm over each other as it will make it hard for the skin to be able to breathe.
Can I use Saniderm instead of Tegaderm for my tattoo?
Yes, you can! Tegaderm and Saniderm are the same bandages, where Saniderm was specifically made for tattoos by the company. However, they are also harder to find which is why most people go for Tegaderm which is readily available in your local stores and pharmacies.
What to do if my Tegaderm tattoo leaking?
Your tattoo will naturally ooze plasma which is fine. But if it comes to a point where your Tegaderm starts to leak, you should remove it and then replace it with another one as soon as possible to reduce the risk of infection. If it leaks towards the end of your Tegaderm aftercare, you can have it removed and continue with normal aftercare.
Is it normal to sweat under the Tegaderm tattoo?
It is very normal to sweat under Tegaderm as it is the body’s way of regulating temperature. However, too much sweating will cause the adhesive of the Tegaderm to weaken and expose your tattoo to the outside elements.
What is the fluid under the Tegaderm tattoo?
The fluid under Tegaderm is called lymph fluids which is made up of blood and plasma which helps to heal the wound. Having this fluid during the initial stages of your tattoo aftercare is what quickens the healing process of the tattoo.
Final Thoughts
Tegaderm makes tattoo aftercare very easy. It helps to accelerate the healing of the tattoo and gets you through the toughest part of the healing. However, on a week old tattoo, Tegaderm is not effective. It will cause the tattoo to become very irritated along with a whole host of problems! So you should not put Tegaderm on your tattoo after the first week. Instead, you should follow what your tattoo artist suggests so that your tattoo is able to heal properly and you get a vibrant tattoo at the end of your aftercare!
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