Regardless of any type of tattoo that you get, one thing that you will get on your tattoo as you are leaving is a transparent wrap. It might look like Saran wraps around your new tattoo, but it actually is a transparent adhesive bandage meant to protect your new tattoo. These types of bandages are used by medical professionals to keep wounds protected. Two of the most well-known of these are Tegaderm and Saniderm.
While they both are transparent bandages, they have some differences that set them apart. While you can use them for various purposes beyond just tattooing, you might be surprised by how different they are and the purposes they have. So if you want to know more about these two brands, then read on and find out Tegaderm vs Saniderm differences!
Key Takeaways
- The initial wrap of the tattoo is meant to keep you safe and also promote healing for the new tattoo.
- There are some differences between Tegaderm and Saniderm, but the differences are because of their use-case.
- When it comes to choosing between them, it is completely up to you which one you want to use. There are also alternatives to these two as well.
Why is the Initial Wrap Necessary?
When you walk out of a tattoo shop with new ink, it should be wrapped up within the first 24 hours. This is because your new tattoo is an open wound which if not protected would be a chance for bacteria to attack and cause an infection. Due to how many times you are being pierced per minute, the tattooed skin will take longer than usual to heal. This is the first reason why the initial wrap is necessary.
The second reason why the initial wrap is important is due to the oozing and rejection of ink from the skin. The skin will ooze a mixture of blood, ink, and plasma from the site of the tattoo. In order for the bleeding to not spread everywhere, the tattoo is kept under wrap. Plus, when the tattoo is bathed in plasma, it improves the healing of the tattoo. So it is also beneficial!
Tegaderm vs Saniderm: Comparisons
Other than their names, there are various differences between the two products. So let’s identify the differences and understand why these small differences set the two products apart and what makes them quite similar.
Use Purpose
Even though Tegaderm and Saniderm are both medical-grade adhesive bandages, you will be surprised to know that Saniderm was made specifically for tattoos! Tegaderm is well-known in the medical industry for the great benefit it provides in keeping patients safe. To make a similar product for new tattoos, which are basically open wounds, Saniderm was created. It was made specifically with tattoos in mind, while Tegaderm is mostly used for medical purposes like cuts and bleeding. Both serve the same purpose, just a different type of purpose.
Adhesive
Both products use adhesive to stick to the skin and keep it protected. But Tegaderm’s adhesive is more potent and sticks for a longer period than Saniderm’s! This might be due to Saniderm’s use of tattoos. The adhesive is advised by tattoo artists to be kept on for the first 24 hours and then removed it to start tattoo aftercare. So the weaker adhesive makes sense. Tegaderm’s adhesive is built for a medical procedure that needs to be airtight and requires a stronger adhesive. Therefore, Tegaderm has a stronger adhesive than Saniderm.
Thickness
Saniderm is a bit thicker than Tegaderm. This is to ensure that any blood and ink pooled in the tattoo ink sack stays put and doesn’t break out of the sack. Tegaderm is a lot thinner and is mainly to pool slight bleeding. It can’t really hold a large ink sack. That is why Saniderm was made for tattoos. Tegaderm’s thinness allows freer movement of the muscles and joints. So Tegaderm basically gives up the holding capability to be more movable.
Durability
Both are durable bandages, just in different ways. Saniderm is more durable in that it can hold a large pool of blood and ink. Tegaderm is more durable because of the stronger adhesive, meaning it won’t move. It will also last a really long time on your skin so you won’t have to worry about the bandage at all. So when comparing the two, they have durability in different aspects.
Ease of removal
When it comes to removing, you might think that Tegaderm’s stronger adhesive would make it harder to remove. But surprisingly, both have a similar ease of removal so you won’t have to worry about removing them as these two are probably the easiest to remove bandages for tattoos! The only difference might be that Tegaderm hurts a little less than Saniderm to remove. But that can easily be remedied if you apply a bit of oil on the adhesive to weaken it.
Price and availability
Because Saniderm is made specifically for tattoos, its price is higher and its availability is a lot less than Tegaderm. If you go to a pharmacy, chances are you will find Tegaderm more frequently than Saniderm. This is mainly because Saniderm was specifically made for tattoos while Tegaderm is a normal medical-grade bandage. The thickness of Saniderm also contributes to its higher cost.
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Choosing Between Tegaderm and Saniderm
So when you want to choose between Tegaderm and Saniderm, which should you choose? Ideally, you could use both of them! It will really be dependent on your tattoo artist and what they will be using. Most tattoo shops are equipped with Saniderm because tattoo artists trust them more. But when you are at home and want to change it, you would have to have Saniderm on hand.
Overall, the difference between them is too minute to say which is better than the other. I would say that if you can’t find Saniderm then you can replace it with Tegaderm. Personally, I think Tegaderm’s thinness when compared to Saniderm makes it better to wrap it around joints and other moving parts of your body. But if you have a tattoo that has a lot of shading done like a black sleeve tattoo, then Saniderm would be best to hold the tattoo ink sack.
At the end of the day, it is a personal preference which one you want to choose. Tegaderm is cheaper and more readily available and I see no problem in using that instead of Saniderm.
Other Adhesive Bandage Alternatives for Tattoos
How about the times you don’t want to use either Tegaderm or Saniderm, what will you choose to wrap your tattoo at night or right out of the tattoo shop? Lucky for you, there are other brands of transparent adhesive bandages that are quite similar to both Tegaderm and Saniderm. They might or might not be better than these two, but it is all personal preference when it comes to choosing.
So here are some of the other brands of bandages you can use on your new tattoo:
- Recovery Derm Shield
- Ink Guard
- Nexcare
- Hypafix
- DermaSaver (is not transparent but still does the job)
Since Tegaderm and Saniderm are considered to be industry-standard, there are not many other options in the adhesive bandage. Luckily, Tegaderm is readily available!
FAQs
What are the similarities between Tegaderm and Saniderm?
Both these bandages are water-resistant, breathable, and are considered to be medical grade so they can be used to cover wounds like a tattoo.
Can you wear Saniderm overnight?
Yes, you can! Saniderm and Tegaderm are meant to last for at least a week after being put on so you are free to have them overnight. But make sure you remove it after 3 days and continue aftercare for better healing of the tattoo.
Can you sweat under Saniderm?
You can sweat a little while having Saniderm on but you should avoid sweating too much. Sweat can weaken the adhesive of Saniderm and it has the potential to come off when you don’t want it to.
Final Thoughts
Protecting your new tattoo with an adhesive bandage is the first of many tattoo aftercare steps that you will have to take. The bandage that you will be using to protect your tattoo stops the blood from spilling and is bathed in plasma to improve the initial healing of the tattoo. Saniderm and Tegaderm are not that different from each other and the difference between them is that Saniderm was specifically designed for tattoos! You can choose either one of them as they are quite similar, and these two are the best. There are other brands like Derm Shield bandage you can try but nothing beats Saniderm and Tegaderm!
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