Recovery Derm?

Recovery-derm (and similar products) is a medical grade self-adhesive bandage. It is water resistant and hypo-allergenic. This wrap allows your skin to breathe, but protects it from the environment. Because of this, it is safe to keep Tatu-Derm on for 3 to 5 days, but if it is bothering you, remove it and follow the traditional aftercare instructions (found below).

When the tattoo feels closed — dry and less sensitive — then you should remove the bandage. This is typically 3 to 5 days after being wrapped. Remove Recovery-Derm carefully - don't rip off like a band aid. Peel the Recovery-Derm back gently from the edge along itself, as opposed to away from the skin. Warm, soapy water will help break down the adhesive. Removing in the shower is recommended because of this, but not required. After removal, clean the adhesive off the area gently but thoroughly using mild, non-scented (antibacterial) soap. The tattoo should be mostly healed, but some areas may still be in the initial stages. Pick up with normal aftercare where you are in the healing process.

Keep your eye on the wrap. Make sure it stays covering the tattoo completely. If the edges begin to peel that is alright. You can leave as is or carefully cut away any loose edges. Remove immediately if:

• The tattoo becomes exposed / the seal is compromised (if wrap peels back exposing part of the tattoo).

• Water or fluid pools up larger than size of a half dollar or more under the bandage.
It is completely normal for some plasma to leak from the tattoo (making the tattoo appear blurry). It doesn’t mean your tattoo is bleeding out or disappearing. 

• The skin feels irritated by the bandage itself. It is uncommon, but some people may be sensitive to the wrap / the adhesive. The tattoo will be itchy and the bandage may be an annoyance, but if you see a rash forming under the bandage or it feels painful, remove right away.

If any of the above happen or you remove the wrap early for any reason, follow the traditional care below.

Healing the Traditional Way?

Traditional Aftercare​

• Remove the seran wrap no longer than 3 hours after the tattoo was done. Wash gently with liquid, antibacterial soap​, let air dry or pat dry with a clean, soft towel, then wrap in new seran wrap (without ointment or lotion) and leave on for the remainder of the night. Fresh tattoos bleed a bit for the first 2-3 days after they're done, particularly while sleeping, so it's important to keep the tattoo wrapped at night to avoid contact with fabrics. 

• Wash with liquid antibacterial soap 3-5 times a day for the first week, and apply a thin layer of aquaphor to the tattoo after washing and drying every time unless the tattoo will be wrapped in seran wrap.

• During the first week, the tattoo will need to be wrapped in seran wrap at night and any time clothing needs to come in contact with it, to avoid fabric rubbing it and to avoid clothing sticking to it. The tattoo can be unwrapped any time it can be exposed without risk of germs or touching things, so how often it can be unwrapped will depend on the area of the body that it's on.

• For the second week, wash 1-3 times a day with liquid antibacterial soap and apply a thin layer of lotion to the tattoo after washing/drying. 

• For the third week, or until sensitivity and any flakiness are gone, once a day for washing and continue to lotion.

• NO-PICKING, ITCHING, SCRATCHING, SUNNING, SWIMMING, OR SOAKING FOR 2-3 WEEKS FROM THE DAY THE TATTOO WAS DONE. 

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