From the Chair
Answers to common questions about booking, consultations, preparation, pricing, deposits, comfort, aftercare, and healing.
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Send your question or tattoo idea through the consultation request path and Christian will follow up.
If you want to skip the modern adhesive bandages entirely, you are looking at one of the two traditional methods of aftercare.
When you do traditional healing without a barrier film, your primary goal is to let the body form its own natural protective layer (scabs), while keeping it clean.
There are two ways to go. One would be the old school "Dry Healing" process. The other is very similar, but instead of letting it dry out, you simply moisturize and try to prevent thick scabs from forming (very similar to the steps you take after the fifth day of having SecondSkin). Here is a professional rundown of standard traditional aftercare, followed by a breakdown of what actually means (because there is a big difference between the two!).
This is how tattoos were successfully healed for decades before SecondSkin existed. It requires a bit more daily discipline since the tattoo is exposed to the elements.
The Initial Wrap (First 2 to 14 Hours)
The First Wash (The Most Important Step)
The "Ointment" Phase (Days 1–4)
The "Lotion" Phase (Days 4–14+)
Same as the Traditional Method without step three and four.
Some artists and clients prefer “True Dry Healing”, this is a hardcore variant of traditional care where you use zero ointments or lotions whatsoever. You wash the tattoo to keep it clean, but you leave the skin completely dry to heal on its own steam.
Dry healing works incredibly well for small-to-medium linework, script, or tattoos that don't have massive solid blocks of color.
However, for heavy blackwork, realism, or large saturated pieces, most artists prefer at least a little bit of lotion during the peeling phase to keep the skin pliable and prevent deep cracking.
Congratulations on your new tattoo, and thank you for getting it at Embodiment Tattoo! Now let’s make sure it heals perfectly. A tattoo is an investment, and you are officially an art collector. I am so excited for you!
After we complete your tattoo, I will bandage it with a medical-grade barrier (like SecondSkin) and recommend leaving it on for 5 days, provided there is no severe irritation, allergic reaction, or leaking.
SecondSkin, Ultraderm, Saniderm, and Tegaderm are all different brand names for a medical-grade, transparent adhesive bandage that protects new tattoos while they heal. Originally designed for medical wound care, they keep your body’s natural blood plasma locked in while providing a sterile environment. For your tattoo, this results in a simplified healing process and beautiful final results. Your blood plasma heals you better than anything else!
It is water-resistant, breathable, and protects the tattoo from bacteria, debris, and friction, while also saving your clothes and linens from ink and fluid stains.
I tell people: “It’s protecting you, so you want to protect it.” Most of this is common sense:
It is completely normal for your tattoo to weep fluid beneath the bandage in the first 24–48 hours, creating a "fluid bubble" or “ink sac”. This does not mean you need to remove it unless it is particularly large, or the fluid actually breaks the outer seal and leaks out.
By the fourth or fifth day, you might notice a slight odor when up close. Don't worry, that is normal - everything inside is clean, it's just your body's natural healing fluids. Stick it out to the end of the fifth day if you can!
Sometimes redness can occur right around the edges of the bandage. The bandage is a sticker, and if you are active, it can pull and expose a tiny bit of leftover glue that collects fuzz from your clothes and various particles from the environment, causing minor localized irritation.
Despite our best efforts, infections can occasionally happen. Contact a doctor immediately if you experience:
If you have any questions or concerns at any point during your healing journey, please reach out to me directly and I will gladly guide you through it!
A non-refundable deposit is required to secure your appointment date. Artwork and designs will not begin until a deposit has been received. Your deposit goes toward the final price of your tattoo, so it is not an extra expense. Deposits may be transferred once to a new appointment date with at least 7 days’ notice. Changes made with less than 7 days’ notice will result in the loss of the deposit. Same-day cancellations and no-shows will require a new deposit to rebook.
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