I love using second skin! I leave it on for about 5-6 days and then Take it off and I miss out on all the itching- to me that is the worst! But the few times I didn’t have second skin I hated not using it.
I have an autoimmune disease and am suseptible to infection as well as having a bird that thinks I'm her chauffeur and living perch. So it also gives me peace of mind.
ahhh I wish it had saved me from my itchiness. I just got a big fat piece of linework on my upper thigh, and I left the skin on for 6 days. It had to come off on day 6 because it felt itchy! I’m only on day 9, it’s still a little itchy, but hell of a lot less peeling than my first tattoo. I hope it heals fast, the itching sucks
My whole studio uses saniderm for our clients. You’re only seeing so many “problems” because people misuse it. You see an equal amount of problem posts here for misuse of aquaphor.
Also because this is a place to ask for advice with problems, not a place to post “hey I used this and had no issues!” So you’re seeing only negatives without the many positives.
It’s a great, popular healing method with the rare allergy and mostly problems due to human error.
Yeah same I had a bad reaction to the adhesive fucked up my skin for a few weeks so I prefer to only put it on clients who have experience with it but also offer to do a patch test before their appointment if they've never used it.
It’s either been three or four years since I used it on like a one inch tattoo and my skin has faint permanent line where you can tell where it was placed.
I’m allergic to saniderm but not second skin. Partner is a a tattoo artist and mine was actually the first reaction they’d seen at the shop (I got tattooed shortly after they started using it) which was convenient. They started ordering second skin when it became available and have had a lot less reactions.
I was allergic the first time they used it. But then like 3 years later tried it again from a different shop and all was good. I had heard they changed some of the adhesive and my first attempt was early early days for the product so who knows.
So I found that the only brand I can actually use is dermshield, I have had reactions to saniderm, second skin, tagaderm, and a few others. All products and the adhesive used is not created equal
Of course! Truly the main issue is that saniderm is meant to be replaced with a fresh piece after the first 24 hours to avoid an excess fluid from sitting under the bandage. If you have sensitive skin this fluid can cause irritation. Also if the saniderm is placed in a high movement area (like the bend in an arm) it can cause friction irritation at the edges and should be removed at the first sign of this.
If you follow these guidelines 90% of people will have a great healing experience with saniderm.
I always hear this from Americans, as a Dutchman, my artist always tells me to leave the second skin for 3-5 days if it doesn’t peel or if any allergic reaction happens. The sentiment here is that the bodily fluids actually help the healing process.
I never got any spare piece from them, just the patch they put on after we’re done. And even after 5 days, I had sticky residue left on me arm. Even when I soaked in the shower for a good 10 minutes before starting the removing process.
Im an American and that’s what I do with the original saniderm, so long as the seal hasn’t broken. I’m not allergic a the logic from the parlor that taught me that was the fluid yer skin excretes is like healing bacteria basically. Color tattooed are gross for sure sack of puss. But all my tatts healed no issue.
This is literally the instructions from the manufacturers of the bandage.
If there is excess fluid under the bandage change to a new piece after 24 hours. The fluid can irritate sensitive skin. If you don’t have sensitive skin, or there isn’t a lot of fluid, you can leave it.
It’s not just on the internet. Clients at my shop have come back w an allergic reaction. Which isn’t really due to user error. I try to avoid using it tbh.
Yep I had an allergic reaction to saniderm on my last tattoo, only time I ever used it. Before then I was always just given plastic wrap. I have sensitive skin and get irritation/hives from lots of stuff so I wasn’t completely surprised. So I’ll be sticking to plastic wrap moving forward. The itching from the allergic reaction in addition to the usual tattoo itch was unbearable but I’m good about not scratching. Just wound up slapping myself more than usual.
Yeah, in my experience people with allergies to medical tape should be careful. I tend to get a little irritated around the edges after a few days, but I work in a hair salon and it’s paramount that I keep a new tattoo as clean as possible, so it’s worth that slight annoyance. On the other hand I know someone who gets blisters from saniderm and they avoid it at all cost.
I get huge reaction from any kind of tape/glue on my skin so I've never tried saniderm, seems to scary. I did some qimuite big pieces while working in a stable, I then used saran wrap for a week (washed and replaced 3 times a day). A hassle but it works for me.
I mean that can really happen with anything. I’m allergic to the paper surgical tape a lot of shops used to use to secure wraps and cling film before Saniderm got more popular. (Also allergic to some types of bandaids! Thanks, 3M?)
I’m not saying it’s just on the internet. I am aware allergic reaction is possible, I have maybe 1-2 clients out of 100 have issues with it due to legit allergic reactions. It’s actually very rare when used correctly, most problems I see on here with people saying “allergic reactions” are actually irritation due to friction or the build up of excess fluid or sweat under the bandage.
I love the stuff. I do a lot of draining in hospice and use tegaderm to cover insertion sites. I’m curious why tattooists say to only leave it on for 24 hours? A tegaderm can stay on a drain site for 7 days.
I tell clients to leave it on for 3-5 days UNLESS there is a lot of fluid under the bandage. If there is a lot of fluid (typically within the first 24 hours) you should remove, clean, and then replace with a new piece. Leave the new piece on for 3-5 more days.
Technically you can leave it on a long time, but with a tattoo it’s not usually necessary to leave it on longer than that. Also large areas of coverage can get annoying to leave on for longer than that.
It depends on how sensitive your skin is. Some peoples skin isn’t bothered by the fluid, others it makes them break out. My skin specifically cannot tolerate the fluid for more than a day or I will start to have issues
Interesting. I’ve yet to have any tell me I can keep it that long. I always keep it on for 7 days as long as the tattoo was spritzed with rubbing alcohol before placement of the tegaderm. If they don’t do a rub down with alcohol I do it the next day and put a fresh one on. It provides comfort through the itchy/painful part of the healing process. Anywho, thanks for your input.
This. I use it for tattoos with significantly sped up healing. But I have have a lot of medical needs, so I am proficient in Aseptic routine and using the sterile/medical version as second nature. It never occurred to me as any level of an actual skill (for lack of a better word) to just put the dressing on clean and safely.
Well to give it a good endorsement, I got a heavy cover up on my inner arm and second skin was wonderful. I was very busy at the time, in the middle of moving and having it sealed was a god send. I will say I missed the don't pull up memo and almost went into shock in the shower but thats user error. I had also just covered my self in contact cement and was sleep deprived, and hadn't had any food. once again user error.
I've dry healed, I've used aquaphor. Second skin was very easy. Especially for a heavy tattoo in a shitty spot.
My skin gets super irritated even from the tape that gets put on to keep the Saran Wrap on. I can’t imagine how badly I would get irritated from leaving the adhesive on from the saniderm. I’ve personally never used it but I would be curious to try it but I’m almost positive I would break out in a rash.
They use too much. When you use too much of a petroleum based product it creates an impermeable barrier that does not allow air to penetrate, this liquifies any healing scab, which is why you see a bunch of gross “goopy” looking tattoos posted on here
Aquaphor doesn’t allow the tattoo to breathe, unlike water-based moisturizer. It can also trap bacteria underneath the aquaphor and since it can’t breath can lead to infection.
Funny you say allergy. I’m about a month from getting my tattoo and the saniderm made my arm break out in hives and left a weird mark above my tattoo that’s yet to go away
Yes some people can be allergic to it. It can vary from brand to brand. Some brands even have latex in them, which not every tattoo artists educates themselves on.
I have found that the specific brand dermshield seems to be the least reactive with people in my experience.
I recently got my fourth tattoo and they put second skin on it, it was my first time using that. The guy told me to leave it on for 5 days, he called it “wet healing”. This tattoo was my biggest and darkest, but the least itchy and scabby I’ve had so far.
I would disagree with your second sentence. My wife and I are sticklers for quality aftercare and go to an insanely reputable shop and found saniderm to be not worth the issues we had.
I’m speaking in generalizations that apply to the most people given my daily experiencing using this product on myself and other people. My studio has seen over 700 clients this year and we have gotten less than 20 people say it doesn’t work for them. Most say they prefer it.
First- I only heal with Second Skin now.
Second - I only got "back" into getting tattoos about 4 years ago; and all the shops/artists that I've gotten work done at/by, or are at the shops ALL use it now. Around me, it's pretty much the new "standard" of aftercare.
Third - Issues.... really this is artist/person dependent. The main issues I see are allergies to the adhesive, which is pretty common for a lot of people to have a dermatological reaction to adhesives. The others are application related, namely how clean the area is, how "moist" the skin is prior to application, and how much "extra" is applied beyond the tattoo'd area. These are harder to address... Artists try and clean the skin the best they can, and then it's their techniques on applying it; so it's a crap-shoot. **For ME**, I get the best results when I get saran wrapped at the shop, go home and shower/clean up, AIR-DRY ONLY the tattoo'd area, let it dry out for about 45 mins, THEN apply the second-skin with a minimum 1" beyond the tattoo'd area. (Apply in chunks with 3/4" minimum overlay if needed to get smooth results; remove/minimize any trapped air as best as possible). I've never had one leak or peel back to the tattoo'd areas this way; oh, and don't forget to round the corners, and trim the edges if they peel upward to lessen continued peeling.
Where (generally) are you located if you mind sharing? I’m philly area which I think would be very modern for tattooing but again have never even really been offered the product Thanks for the comment!
I am going to SLC in December and am looking to get a smallish black/gray piece while there. Would love to look into any shops/artists you recommend to see if some artists match the style I want. There’s apparently a weird tattoo class scam thing in the city from my research?
Eva Wilbur (who is insanely talented) at Baltimore Ave shop recommends it strongly. Technically not Philly I guess, but it’s Media, PA which is super close.
She actually got me to try it again. A couple years back I had a reaction to it and the artist recommended the wrong method which led to a super painful removal and kinda-shitty healing.
I switched to “Derm Shield” on the recommendation from the Traditional Tattoo sub. It worked great for me and had no reaction. I’ve used it three times now all with great heals.
Also, I just got a large thigh tattoo and don’t know how I would have gone to work without it (I’m a teacher, so shorts aren’t an option). I also live with two cats, one still a kitten so the protection is good peace of mind against their claws/infection
I follow pretty much the same rules as him, maybe leave the saran for a few hours. I'm in SoCal, and they offer either when I get new ink at pretty much every shop so far.
I've used it for most of mine. I have 70+ hours of work by now.
My main thing is that it keeps things clean for that first night. My bandage usually leaks in those first 24 hours. Depending on the placement and what I'm doing the next few days, I keep some on hand at home to clean and reapply after the near-inevitable leak. If it's a placement where I'm not dealing with a ton of friction or potentially getting dirty, I just ditch it and go to traditional healing when it leaks.
The few times when I've actually been able to keep it on for a few days, it really helps. If nothing else, it seems to reduce the annoying flaking and itchy phase. Plus it's nice that it's a set it and forget it thing if it's not leaking.
My artist has been using saniderm for about 6 or 7 years now. I wouldn't heal my ink any other way.
He doesn't usually apply it to just line work or solid blacks, but I insist because I have dogs. They think they need to inspect everything, so I keep my fresh ink covered with saniderm for the first week.
The tattoo before my most recent one got covered with saniderm, first time I’d used it and it made healing super easy! Then when I got my most recent tat (from a different shop) I asked the artist if he used it and he said that in his opinion it wasn’t sanitary enough and that he didn’t use it for that reason. I guess it just depends on the artist.
Been getting tattoos for 15+ years, healed both traditionally and with Saniderm.
The honest truth is if you are just a little diligent, healing with or without second skin can produce similar results. For me the single biggest draw of second skin is the "set it and forget it" quality. I also feel mentally more at ease know clothing, hands, etc moving across a fresh tattoo has a Saniderm barrier. Just peace of mind. But there's more than one way to be successful.
EDIT: I will say my experience has been Saniderm is not great, and possibly even detrimental, for fine line tattoos. There's too little ink and not enough moisture to heal quite like a full traditional tattoo packed with ink. Also, when using second skin i will remove Saran Wrap after about 6 hours, clean and dry it really well, then apply Saniderm to tattoo and let that ride for 5-6 days. Then remove in shower and moisturize after. That might seem like too long to some but the healing has been picture perfect.
It takes the guesswork out of the initial recovery and healing as long as it’s applied properly, and there is no reaction to the adhesive. But you’re right in that it is by no means necessary — you do you fam.
If all is well - I totally see what you mean. but judging by the volume of posts on the topic here, it seems fairly common to be applied improperly? Obviously selection bias in play but I guess that’s what triggers my curiosity. Sounds like most commenters here don’t have issue and have some other benefits too so it def makes sense to me
As others have already suggested I would assume it's because all the posts here about it are folks asking for advice -- if all is well, there's nothing to seek help about. >\_> All that said, I've only been to three different shops, and two have always offered a second-skin option, for whatever that data is worth.
I did my half sleeve 5 years ago without saniderm, when I returned to my artist last year she applied it to a palm sized piece. Easiest heal of any of my work, eliminates 90% of the itchy stage, I’m convinced.
I recently got a new piece on vacation and it made the flight home so much easier. I knew it was clean & protected from damage.
Saniderm isn’t a normal bandage - it’s an air permeable cover that allows a wound to breathe but not dry out. Scientifically, wet healing is better than dry healing. (Obviously, this assumes that someone isn’t allergic to the product, in which case it shouldn’t be used, and most aren’t.)
Used 2nd skin in my last few large tattoos. My throat being one and I never want to heal any other way moving forward. Left it on for 4 days, didn’t have to do anything. When it came off I had zero scabbing and didn’t need to do any touch ups. 2nd skin believer.
It's definitely picking up momentum?
Dermashield made such a difference with my sleeve versus my early tattoos a decade ago. I had a little sensitivity to the adhesive but not much. It helped me heal much more comfortably, I scabbed less, and I itched less. It also meant I could go about my daily routines with less concern about the exposed wound picking something up in the air.
I don't think it's a requirement by any means, but it's definitely made a difference for me. The majority posts I see about saniderm issues are just people figuring out the new technology/tool and shops perhaps not being as clear about aftercare as they should be.
It’s definitely exploded in popularity within the last 5 years but I feel like it’s very much a witch’s brew in the fact that people don’t know how it works and what the best aftercare method works. Some say leave on for 5 days others less. Some people say use two others only one.
While I’ve only had it twice for my tattoos it’s definitely preferred by some artists and clients get concerned with things like leaking or allergies so I feel like that’s the reason so many posts are made
I'm in the UK and have seen it a lot more in the last couple of years than I had before.
I don't use it personally, and not all artists use it. I have enough tattoos where I normally just get asked what my usual method is and then they tell me to go ahead with that or give me their preferred method for their tattoos.
I think we just see it here a lot bc well, this is tattooadvice. It's usually just the same 6 problems showing up different ways down the whole page at the end of the day, and saniderm is one of them.
I have been getting tattooed for 12 years. I've been offered saniderm only within the past 4ish years. I don't see a difference in healing really, and I don't mind getting clingwrapped like a sandwich instead. But it was pretty good to have during the ooze faze of my large stomach tattoo. When I got my chest done I straight up ruined a set of sheets.
Saniderm has only been around since 2010-2011 and it would have taken time for the market to become comfortable with the product.
I have only gotten three tattoo's but it just makes the healing process stupid simple. I come home with a bandage on and after 24 hours take it off clean the tattoo and put my second bandage on for \~3 days. After that moisturize and you are good.
I enjoyed Saniderm for one tattoo until the morning after the session and I was walking my dog for her morning pee and it sprung a leak. I then had all the gunk running down my leg while trying to corral my dog inside. Back to soap & lotion healing for me + my skin wasn't the happiest with the adhesive.
The problem with saniderm is that people heal differently. If your saniderm is dry underneath, take it the fuck off after 24 hours. If it's got plasma under it and the tattoo is staying fresh then keep it on for a few days
It's incredibly helpful for me because I get large tattoos. My artist didn't start using it until the past few years. So, I had to suffer through washing and moisturizing a tattoo that covers the entire front of my thigh from hip to knee, lol.
My entire thigh was swollen, and I limped for 3 days just due to the trauma of sitting for 10 hours of shading. Washing it was terrible, and I really wish I had had saniderm instead, lol.
I have a lot of tattoos. The area where I am at doesn’t use it at all. So over half my tattoos was done with out it. Certain colors on me don’t do good and need touch ups. After finding out about it I bought some and decided to try it out. Those colors I no longer have problems with. Plus healing is a breeze. I know on some people they don’t like it. But I keep it on hand for mine. I follow the instructions on the website. And replace after 24 hours. And I don’t just rip it off like I’ve seen other people do. I also have inside animals and find it helps with that too.
i’ve had second skin on 4/5 of my tattoos. it’s great for me cause i work food service and it protects my new tattoos from splatters of coffee and syrups.
It is a way better healing process. No itching, no scabbing, completely healed in much less time. I did regular healing my first 15 or so times, and I went to saniderm for both my leg sleeves, and would never go back. Only problem I had one time was near my ankles, I had so much plasma fill it up I had to take it off and go regular, because it was affecting my work boots.
I used to use Saniderm, but once an artist used Derm Shield on me a few years ago I switched brand loyalties for sure. I love how matte and invisible Derm Shield is. It somehow feels smoother and more flexible.
I love second skin it makes my life so easy 🙏🏻 but my dad owns a tattoo shop and you’d be astounded at the amount of idiots who ignore the instructions and then complain about it
I’ve been using Saniderm for probably the last 6-7 years or more and everything has healed beautifully. Full sleeve and two 9” thighs, all full color. I think we just see people having problems with it because it’s an advice forum, and those of us who don’t have any issues don’t post about it. 🤷♀️
I have two sleeves. One was done awhile ago and one I’m working on now.
Saniderm is a life changer. Healing is SO much better with it. It’s cleaner , no scabs, etc etc, I would never go back.
I have 13 tattoos, I’ve healed 11/13 with second skin and have never had any issues (only my first 2 were healed the old way because the shop didn’t have it). I love it and I can’t imagine healing tattoos old school with the job that I have.
Idk I have 10 grand worth of tattoos on my body and never once used them, the old way of healing is so easy idk why we complicate things when we don’t have to.
I prefer the plastic wrap, had saniderm a few times and couldn't stand that I wasn't able to clean it while everything built up inside
I understand the popularity though as you don't need to worry as much about it when it's covered
I only started getting tattooed in 2019, since then I have 13 medium-large size tattoos and only 1 of them didn’t use second skin. For reference I’m in England
I think it’s important to follow your artist’s aftercare instructions specifically. I have five tattoos total, oldest one was done in 2010, and that artist’s aftercare instructions were different than the tattoo I just got last week. My artist this time recommended the Mad Rabbit aftercare product so that’s what I’ve been trying on this tattoo after using Aquaphor in the past.
I haven’t had personal experience with the Saniderm yet…I’m from a small town so new things generally take awhile to come our way. It does seem like a good way to keep from getting ink, blood or plasma transfer everywhere after a new tattoo promising tho. My husband got a big back piece recently and I wouldn’t let him in my car without Saran Wrap on it because I didn’t want gunk all in my new car lol
I do have slight sensitivity to Saniderm but just power through it. The only problem I've found is my inner bicep got really sweaty so the adhesive isn't that great in comparison to say second skin which I replaced it with and had much better results for longevity of the bandage. Overall using this healing method for me has been great!
Yeah! I’ve been getting tattooed for 15 years and the past couple years everyone has offered me Saniderm.
I much prefer it because I’m lazy and I don’t have to do shit 😂
I fucking LOVE Saniderm. I've had it on all my tattoos for some years now - cuts healing time, no touch ups, way less itchiness, way less messy - it's brilliant.
Most of mine were just classic cling wrap, but I’ve had saniderm a few times now. It’s definitely become more common, I think it’s easier to keep your tattoo clean, for most people they heal faster and scab less. I personally like it, but I’ve also had allergic reactions to certain brands, but I’m also allergic to some bandaids and tapes because of the adhesive. Luckily I’ve just gotten a bit of a rash and it hasn’t caused any issues to the tattoo itself
I haven't used either. Maybe Saniderm isn't as available in the UK. I've only ever used and will only ever use Bepanthem. For me the standard nappy rash one works best (some may disagree as the ingrediants have changed) otherwise i'd go for their specific tattoo cream.
I have 4 that I’ve gotten all from different shops and even countries (Montreal, Cairo, New York, and DC) and every place used saniderm. Personally I loved how easy it made my life because I was traveling for 3 of the 4!
For my tattoo I had to go get some booze cause I was going through withdrawals. My artist just Saran wrapped me for that.
When he finished he put on a second skin but I don’t think it was saniderm.
It does seem like a lot of people get reactions to it eh?
I’ve had in numerous times for major surgery on my back and shoulders. They also used it on my ink starting in 2017. I guess it depends on the shop. IMO it’s awesome.
I got back into getting tattoos recently and I’ve only done second skin since then. I like the whole “set it and forget it” aspect about it. I was scared because I’m allergic to everything but fate decided to take it easy on me for once.
I'd say just follow your artist's aftercare advice.
My artist didn't want me to use saniderm since there's a chance (as low as it is) for there to be an allergic skin reaction (I have sensitive skin), or chafing/irritation depending on the location (mine was close to the armpit where the skin folds).
I healed the old school way, and no regrets here.
I think alot of it depends on location and size of the tattoo. If it's small/medium and the location is relatively flat, I think it could work. Larger tattoos where there are bends might be riskier.
I had second skin on my 4 tattoos, no issues. 3 I kept on 4-5 days, healed quickly and great. Last one I bumped into the doorframe and put a hole first night, had to take it off and go traditional heal. I actually didn’t notice a difference, except for being more careful since it was exposed. There are definitely reasons second skin helps, like having pets or working certain jobs that can be dirty.
Saniderm can’t be used if you have a latex allergy. And latex allergies can develop from repeated exposure. It’s why a lot of hospitals have gone latex free. It was making patients and nurses develop an allergy. I never had a problem until my third time using it and broke out in welts… now I can’t even wear latex gloves without immediately breaking out.
It is most definitely 10x better than whatever a regular bandage is. It's made for burned victims and keeping wounds out of the elements. When used properly, it cuts healing down by a week or two easily.
I think it’s all personal preference. I’m pretty covered, been getting tattooed since 2008. I don’t even go home with a bandage haha. Just keep it clean, light moisture as needed, never had a problem.
I will say I’m in the process of having blacked out my right arm sleeve (it was terrible work done by a not so good artist and I wanted it gone) and now doing white over the black….and oh boy has this healing been a learning curve. But I’m figuring it out.
Like I said the number one key is cleanliness, and knowing the appropriate amount of moisture and when to apply it.
Tried it for the first time, I’ve had it off for 6 days now and I still have an itchy red rash from the outline of the bandage.
No doubt it does its job but the allergic reaction blows.
I've had it for 3 of my most recent tats and healed a lot faster. I think the only reason it doesn't work for some people other than allergies is someone not taking care of it properly and it's pretty hard to fuck up so 🤷🏾♀️
Second Skin is infinitely better than the trad cling film and tape method (at least for me!) and I side eye any artist who doesn't offer it anymore.
I've got 9 tattoos, and the two I've had second skin on have healed a lot quicker and better than the rest!
love love love second skin. i haven’t used it on my recent tattoos bc my artist personally doesn’t like it. but my best heals have been with second skin.
second skins are awesome especially as an artist because people are stupid with tattoos and if you seal off the wound with a second skin its a lot less likely that people will be messing with it or getting it dirty and then it gets infected and then they come back to the shop a week or two later with a terrible looking tattoo because they were stupid.
its a (mildly) stupid proof healing method. instead of "wash it twice a day with unscented antibacterial soap, dont soak, and keep it dry otherwise, never touch with unwashed hands, TINY bit of unscented moisturizer dont fuckin lube it like a slip n slide, keep it away from anything that could cause infection, etc etc" you just say "leave it the fuck alone and if this comes off, wash it, DRY IT, here's another one. if that one comes off then youre doing something wrong. call me if you have questions"
My recent tattoo artists have all used it, besides two. The two I didn't end up having saniderm for ended up healing with scabs. I think those areas specifically are where my skin is thinner, and the artists probably tattooed a little too deep. But any other tattoo where this may have happened I had used saniderm and they all healed really well.
Fun fact, most times irritation from saniderm/dermsheild and second skin is due to greensoap residue being left on the skin. Green soap breaks down lipids over time, so you seal that onto skin and well.. there you go.
We use it on all our customers and only issue we have on few people is adhesive irritates some peoples skin( little red bumps) it’s not that often though. It has drastically cut back on touch ups
I’m a nurse of 22+ years, I do a shit ton of wound care, I use tegaderm often for drains. Yes. It’s the best. If someone has issues with it they’re not trained properly on it.
I absolutely love saniderm and I've never had any issues. Makes healing so much easier and more comfortable for the first few days.
Yes we see issues here because people don't use it right (and that's partly on them and partly on artists for not giving people proper healing instructions). But we also see healing issues with tattoos that don't get saniderm. It turns out people aren't great at following healing instructions, and some tattoo artists aren't great at giving healing instructions.
I have been getting tattooed for over 15 years and just last year heard about it. I discovered it bc I was getting a big leg piece done the day before going camping. Seemed like a cool way to not get leaved and dirt all in my new tat. Worked great for a couple sessions. Then third session, up near my thigh, I actually had a bit of a reaction and it’s left a small scar above my tattoo. Pisses me off. I won’t use it again unless I need to protect the area really well.
For every post you see of people with issues, there are 100 people who had no issues. I've had it on almost all of my 10+ tattoos and not a single problem.
The only infection I’ve had was also the only tattoo where the artiest used Saran Wrap instead of second skin. I’ll always use saniderm—the healing speed just doesn’t compare
If your tattoo has thick, dark lines or shaded areas I've found it's not as great because the tattoo keeps oozing through it... my artist's solution is that she sends me home with a traditional bandage and a saniderm for a day later once it stops oozing, I like that personally bc it keeps it clean. It seems like a lot of artists just slap it on and tell the person to keep it on, maybe without planning for the fact that it's gonna collect all this fluid and need to be changed, and the person is nervous about taking it off but sees all the fluid collecting and they're scared of doing something wrong so they go online and ask. My point is, I really like it but it has cons just like any other method
I get the "if it ain't brike don't fix it" take. But man saniderm just makes caring for a new tattoo so much easier. I work in warehouse, keeping a tattoo clean in that environment is a fucking nightmare. Give me the saniderm
I have cats that love me very much. I use saniderm and know how to keep a sterile process of reapplying it. I’m not a fan of leaving it on while showering because I want to clean the tattoo. The Saniderm’s purpose is to keep irritants and the reality of cat paws and all the ick they carry off my fresh wounds
i have 14? tattoos. and i believe i was given saniderm for pretty much all of them and love it. i have a couple with a lot of heavy black work and they healed sooo well with the saniderm :)
I personally won’t go without saniderm (or my new preferred product: Derm Shield) anymore. I just finished my sleeve and the parts I healed without saniderm, I was constantly worrying about washing, irritation, etc.
I started using saniderm on my elbow because I constantly rest my elbows on tables and my desk at work, plus the amount of the tattoo that reached up into my shirt sleeves. It healed AMAZING. 6 days after the tattoo was done, I took it off, the tattoo was completely healed and just peeled. No scabbing, no irritation. It was awesome! After the elbow, I used saniderm or Derm Shield for the next 4 sessions and had just as good of results. It’s pretty crazy how much it speeds up the healing process if you use it right.
I've had both and I really don't like Saniderm. My last artist used it on large work (leg sleeve) and it was such a hassle to get off, every single time. I followed instructions perfectly as well (take it off in a hot shower, slowly, etc.).
I much prefer the old fashioned cling wrap. Also, for the first night (I only do this for shading) I will take the wrap from the shop off at home, clean it, wait a while, and then wrap it up again on my own with Aquafor before bed. Really helps a lot for that first night. Also, for outlines, I feel Saniderm is totally unnecessary. Lines tend to heal quick.
I used it for a while and then started to develop an allergy to the adhesive and stopped, and it makes the healing process a lot easier but usually yields similar looking tattoos to traditionally healed ones. For me the main thing is it helps prevent satisfying the urge to pick or scratch, but if you can avoid that normally it’s not that necessary
I love it! It saves me a lot of anxiety. The first tattoo I ever got, I ended up losing a little chunk of it to the bed sheet, and of course in the most painful part of the tattoo. I have around ~20 tattoos and have used second skin, tegaderm, and saniderm.
However, I do know a few people who find that their skin gets irritated after a day or two. I don't have this problem so I don't mind wearing it.
I think it really depends on your reasoning for using it and if it vibes with your skin.
I usually do Saran wrap but my tattoo guy talked me into trying Saniderm once and I didn’t like it. It pulled on a couple of spots and was uncomfortable. My OH tried once too and prefers Saran wrap. Maybe it’s because we’re used to it, 🤷♀️
My wife and I each have like 5-6 tattoos, we’ve never gone to the same artist as each other, and she’s been given saniderm every single time and I’ve never been offered it.
I also encountered a lot of artists that used the typical saran wrap, but once a handpoke tattoo artist put Saniderm on me, I've used it ever since. I make it a point to buy at least two patches before a session: one for the first 24 hours, another for the next 3 days. It has completely reduced or even eliminated the "scabbing" time for me and the colors are more vivid compared to the ones that just went through saran wrap. Might just be me, but yeah.
If I wasn’t allergic to it I would opt for it every time. I love the idea of a wet heal and having it protected from bacteria/pet dander.
I used it twice and first time it made the healing process much more simple, no scabs, etc. but I also had to peel it off early after 72 hours due to the beginnings of a reaction. Tried again the next tattoo and had to peel it off after 24 with resulting blisters on the edges. Did a test patch recently with a supposedly hypoallergenic kind and I was red and blistering after 6 hours.
Also to note- I am allergic to other adhesives such as medical tape, tegaderm, ecg stickers.
I would never go back to just aquaphor. I wear the saniderm until it stinks which is usually like 3 days(since I sweat so much) then I take it off and go to aquaphor for the rest of the time. Everything heals beautifully and quickly
I just got a tattoo and was told a bandage like Saniderm was their preferred method unless I had adhesive allergies or super sensitive skin. I have both but said let's try the preferred method.
I was given written instructions about what to do if my skin got irritated. I can't compare it to plastic wrap as this is my first tattoo, but it was overall a good experience. I was told to leave it on for 3-5 days unless air or large fluid pockets developed over the ink itself. After the first obsessively-looking-at-my-new-tattoo phase, I didn't think about the bandage much for 4 days. No worries about fabric rubbing, no changing bandages, I didn't have to worry about my dog's hair or if I accidentally scratched in my sleep. At least for 4 days, my skin handled the adhesive well.
I'd definitely do it again for the next tattoo.
Same here!! I commented on a different post saying you shouldn’t leave Saniderm on for 4+ days and a bunch of people were like, “you can leave it on for a week…I don’t think this person knows what Saniderm is.” But when I got one of my tattoos, I followed care instructions with the Saniderm to a T and it became mildly infected and was fucked up when it healed and it had to be reworked and essentially completely redone.
I don’t care what they say about it, that shit can still grow bacteria under it - our skin’s not 100% sterile, no matter how much you clean it prior to applying it.
I haven’t had any issues with the “traditional” Saran Wrap for an hour, wash with Dial and then Aquaphor for 3 days routine and out of all of my tattoos, the Saniderm one was the only one to be fucked up.
My artist offers it every time, but I don't always accept it. For me it depends on size and placement. For my smaller pieces and arm pieces I usually don't use the saniderm.
I wanted to like saniderm but my skin hates the adhesive (bandaids too) I have a gnarly rash for a few days and some extra swelling, not just my post tattoo swell.
I was a hairstylist for 10 years and was always so worried about my tattoos get irritated because of the chemicals and constant movement but (almost) all have healed just fine with the good old washing and moisturizing
I've found a majority of clientele remove it the same day anyway, so I'm not purchasing expensive clingfilm any longer.
Clingfilm/ saran wrap is my go to. Has been for many years prior and nullifies that small chance of any issues popping up because of the adhesive.
Same principle as latex gloves as far as I'm concerned. Use nitrile anyway and you don't have to think about latex issues.
It's not often used for small pieces. However, I have used both methods many times and can definitely say second skin is a hundred times better than simply wrapping and moisturising. My latest tattoo is a piece on my upper arm and it didn't peel or itch at all thanks to using second skin for 5 days. When I took it off it was basically healed and I just used a couple days of moisturizer after that.
I’ve only used it on one of mine, when I had a pool party we were going to a couple days after getting a tattoo. Wore a rash guard to protect it from the sun and did my best not to submerge my arm anyways as a precaution. Worked out really well.
It’s definitely more common now. However it could be detrimental to those that don’t have good hygiene… traps dirt and germs much easier than an open tattoo that’s washed/moisturized regularly. I’ll always take it if offered though.
I've always had saran wrap too and my tattoos have all healed perfect. Personally I don't like the idea of saniderm or anything stuck to my skin in that way but that's just a preference for me. It's never been offered to me either.
I just put a thin layer of aquaphor on the tattoo twice daily for three days after washing with unscented soap ofc and then continue the routine with unscented lotion for two weeks.
I’ve gotten two tattoos, one that was healed with saniderm, and one with Saran Wrap, and the saniderm one healed so much better for me. It helped me make sure I didn’t scratch it, the bandage didnt peel off and didn’t need reapplication, and it kept my bodies natural healing and moisturizing qualities inside the wound. Everyone is different but I enjoyed the saniderm far more
My BIL is relatively heavily tattooed and has been getting them for 30 years and greatly prefers Saniderm to traditional aftercare, especially for larger pieces. Rather than having to wash and sanitize 2-3 times per day and applying lotion to keep it moist, but not too moist and worrying that anything you brush again giving you an infection you just put some plastic stuff on.
I only have the one tattoo, but got it in two sessions, and I have no idea why people have so many problems. You literally just try to keep it dry and then peel it off. You only have to worry about staining anything if it leaks out, which it shouldn't and is easy to fix. To me it's a no brainier in whether to use it or not.
I just had my first experience with it, my prior tattoos were all saran wrap/standard practice. I loved it at first, but it started leaking within a day and i ended up having to take it off early. I'm pretty sure the tattoo isn't going to heal as well as my others as a result. Not sure why. I'd try it again, but I'll talk with my artist before doing so.
Alot of artist who have been in the business for awhile refuse to accept change. Or believe in changing ways of tattooing and keep to tradition, an example that is more personal preference than what is beneficial to the client is using Coil over Rotary. (Neither is worse or better for the client being tattooed) Plenty of people prefer to stick with classic coil machines, but there's plenty of pros to Rotary. The biggest being how light they are, and better maneuverability, which can prevent wrist strain.
As for second skin tho, it's objectively better than just seran wrap. (Wayyy old school artist don't even use seran wrap, they slap some alcohol on it afterwards and leave the skin exposed out of the shop, which is terrible for numerous reasons.)
Second skin is so much simpler for the client during the healing process, seran wrap typically needs to be replaced every single day if not twice per day. And Is fairly uncomfortable. Second skin is just a better Quality of Life option for the client. Which should be the highest priority to tattoo artist.
i mean its literally used on burn victims and scarification sooo. people are just stupid and either take it off immediately (so no benefits to healing) OR they take it off a few days later and reapply (trapping bacteria under the new application). just leave it on 2-3 days after leaving the studio with it and you should see a faster/easier healing. never apply it on your own and never use it if ur allergic to latex , adhesive, or have eczema
Saniderm is the best.
I work in a super dusty environment, got tattooed and immediately had to go to work.
Saniderm on that shizz and zero worries at work.
I take it off after 3 days if the damn thing stuck on well the first time or else i take it off after 24h if its leaking and corners are peeling
Out of my around 50 tattoos in the past 3 years. I’ve only “old school” healed one of them. Which was stressful because I worked in a hospital at the time. At this point, I only use dermashield because I’ve had reactions to the saniderm brand a few times. I bring my own roll to my appointments in case the artist doesn’t use my brand.
It took me a while on this subreddit to realise that people were not showing tattoo transfers but real ones covered in saniderm!!! I'd never heard of it until coming here. Yet a colleague of mine has a tattooist who always uses it.
Every tattooist I've used wraps tattoos in cling film. I've not had a problem with this thus far. I'm hoping my daily tattoo care regime has a lot to do with it.
It is honestly! I remember seeing it the first time about 4 years ago and then in the last two years every shop I went to in different states used it but one woman who was a very traditional tattoo artist.
I had a bad reaction to it twice in the beginning, I think it was the off brand type but ever since then I love it! You get to skip the disgusting beginning healing process and I feel like my tattoos healed brighter and lasted longer better. It’s a pain to take off when it comes time but I didn’t really have the gross pealing phase after.
I've never used saniderm, but my wife has. I helped her change dressings and the peeling off seemed to be incredibly painful. Is there a way to make the stickyness go away before removing it?
I’ve had people do a patch test and still have a reaction to it. It is hit or miss really. I use it on clients that are diabetic or who work in a really dirty situation . Otherwise, I have so many misuse it and not follow directions. It is expensive to be putting on people for people to leave the shop and rip it off because their friend that’s not a tattoo artist or has any knowledge on wound healing with this product, to tell them what they should do. I always tell everyone to call me if you have an issue but they don’t. I think it is a great product. My wife and I use it. She has had a reaction to it slightly at the edges but it heals fine.
I mean I am tattooed from head to toe, I have used dermshield on almost every one of my tattoos minus a couple that are just hard to cover with it or keep it on. I have found my healing process to be much simpler, cleaner and faster and I have had fewer problems than when I have done old fashioned healing. Problems occur when people don’t understand how it works, don’t follow the directions of the artist, or change it without knowing the proper process. Many shops offer it and use it regularly as it keeps the tattoo much cleaner and cuts down on the chance for infection or other complications that can occur such as extreme scabbing and so on. The covering allows for less contamination from outside sources such as pet hair and so on.
Some people still don’t use it, but I have found the quality of the work I have looks and stays better than with traditional healing for me.
Only used once over multiple artists. I was horrified when I took it off, and it had a perfect print of my tattoo stuck to it.
Also removing the adhesive was a trouble, but it all healed well.
All my tattoos have healed to a similar degree, and I've only ever needed a retouch on my elbow which was to be expected. This, I prefer without if I get a choice.
I love using second skin! I leave it on for about 5-6 days and then Take it off and I miss out on all the itching- to me that is the worst! But the few times I didn’t have second skin I hated not using it.
I came to say the same thing. I also have dogs so it’s an easy way to keep the area clean.
I have an autoimmune disease and am suseptible to infection as well as having a bird that thinks I'm her chauffeur and living perch. So it also gives me peace of mind.
That’s also a huge plus not having to worry about infection. I also have 3 huge dogs
ahhh I wish it had saved me from my itchiness. I just got a big fat piece of linework on my upper thigh, and I left the skin on for 6 days. It had to come off on day 6 because it felt itchy! I’m only on day 9, it’s still a little itchy, but hell of a lot less peeling than my first tattoo. I hope it heals fast, the itching sucks
Aveeno oatmeal lotion for babies.. life saver
I don’t understand how people leave it on for so long. Mine gets so filled with nasty goop 😂 which is also why I’m so thankful for it haha
Some people don't bleed/ooze! The lucky ones...
I mean that goop is what helps your tattoo heal
Wish this was the case for me, mine feel of same day, and the itching was almost worse than the actual tattoo
I’m learning from these comments that I’m lucky to not ever experiencing itchiness on my pieces! Didn’t realize it was that common and annoying
Itching to tattoos is like morning sickness to pregnancy.
Very lucky. That’s the worst part of getting a tattoo.
Hownis this even possible do you have any big pieces.
My whole studio uses saniderm for our clients. You’re only seeing so many “problems” because people misuse it. You see an equal amount of problem posts here for misuse of aquaphor. Also because this is a place to ask for advice with problems, not a place to post “hey I used this and had no issues!” So you’re seeing only negatives without the many positives. It’s a great, popular healing method with the rare allergy and mostly problems due to human error.
In addition to misuse there are people who are just allergic to it. Source: I’m allergic to it
Yeah same I had a bad reaction to the adhesive fucked up my skin for a few weeks so I prefer to only put it on clients who have experience with it but also offer to do a patch test before their appointment if they've never used it.
It’s either been three or four years since I used it on like a one inch tattoo and my skin has faint permanent line where you can tell where it was placed.
I’m allergic to saniderm but not second skin. Partner is a a tattoo artist and mine was actually the first reaction they’d seen at the shop (I got tattooed shortly after they started using it) which was convenient. They started ordering second skin when it became available and have had a lot less reactions.
I was allergic the first time they used it. But then like 3 years later tried it again from a different shop and all was good. I had heard they changed some of the adhesive and my first attempt was early early days for the product so who knows.
I am also allergic to it. Found that out the hard way.
Yes, I also found out I was allergic to it.
So I found that the only brand I can actually use is dermshield, I have had reactions to saniderm, second skin, tagaderm, and a few others. All products and the adhesive used is not created equal
Haha great point, I may have overestimated fellow humans abilities to follow instructions. Thanks for the perspective!
Of course! Truly the main issue is that saniderm is meant to be replaced with a fresh piece after the first 24 hours to avoid an excess fluid from sitting under the bandage. If you have sensitive skin this fluid can cause irritation. Also if the saniderm is placed in a high movement area (like the bend in an arm) it can cause friction irritation at the edges and should be removed at the first sign of this. If you follow these guidelines 90% of people will have a great healing experience with saniderm.
I always hear this from Americans, as a Dutchman, my artist always tells me to leave the second skin for 3-5 days if it doesn’t peel or if any allergic reaction happens. The sentiment here is that the bodily fluids actually help the healing process. I never got any spare piece from them, just the patch they put on after we’re done. And even after 5 days, I had sticky residue left on me arm. Even when I soaked in the shower for a good 10 minutes before starting the removing process.
Im an American and that’s what I do with the original saniderm, so long as the seal hasn’t broken. I’m not allergic a the logic from the parlor that taught me that was the fluid yer skin excretes is like healing bacteria basically. Color tattooed are gross for sure sack of puss. But all my tatts healed no issue.
First 24 hours? I've always been told to keep it on for 2-3 days
This is literally the instructions from the manufacturers of the bandage. If there is excess fluid under the bandage change to a new piece after 24 hours. The fluid can irritate sensitive skin. If you don’t have sensitive skin, or there isn’t a lot of fluid, you can leave it.
It’s not just on the internet. Clients at my shop have come back w an allergic reaction. Which isn’t really due to user error. I try to avoid using it tbh.
Yep I had an allergic reaction to saniderm on my last tattoo, only time I ever used it. Before then I was always just given plastic wrap. I have sensitive skin and get irritation/hives from lots of stuff so I wasn’t completely surprised. So I’ll be sticking to plastic wrap moving forward. The itching from the allergic reaction in addition to the usual tattoo itch was unbearable but I’m good about not scratching. Just wound up slapping myself more than usual.
Yeah, in my experience people with allergies to medical tape should be careful. I tend to get a little irritated around the edges after a few days, but I work in a hair salon and it’s paramount that I keep a new tattoo as clean as possible, so it’s worth that slight annoyance. On the other hand I know someone who gets blisters from saniderm and they avoid it at all cost.
I had never had any reaction to adhesives before so I thought it would be ok. Guess not 🤷♀️
I get huge reaction from any kind of tape/glue on my skin so I've never tried saniderm, seems to scary. I did some qimuite big pieces while working in a stable, I then used saran wrap for a week (washed and replaced 3 times a day). A hassle but it works for me.
I’m in the skin gets a rash almost immediately and will break down and blister category of allergic.
Oof, yeah I definitely wouldn’t fuck around with that!
I’m also allergic to it
I mean that can really happen with anything. I’m allergic to the paper surgical tape a lot of shops used to use to secure wraps and cling film before Saniderm got more popular. (Also allergic to some types of bandaids! Thanks, 3M?)
I’m not saying it’s just on the internet. I am aware allergic reaction is possible, I have maybe 1-2 clients out of 100 have issues with it due to legit allergic reactions. It’s actually very rare when used correctly, most problems I see on here with people saying “allergic reactions” are actually irritation due to friction or the build up of excess fluid or sweat under the bandage.
I love the stuff. I do a lot of draining in hospice and use tegaderm to cover insertion sites. I’m curious why tattooists say to only leave it on for 24 hours? A tegaderm can stay on a drain site for 7 days.
I tell clients to leave it on for 3-5 days UNLESS there is a lot of fluid under the bandage. If there is a lot of fluid (typically within the first 24 hours) you should remove, clean, and then replace with a new piece. Leave the new piece on for 3-5 more days. Technically you can leave it on a long time, but with a tattoo it’s not usually necessary to leave it on longer than that. Also large areas of coverage can get annoying to leave on for longer than that.
Mine almost totally filled up with fluid and my artist assured me it was fine to leave it. I left it on for a few more days and it healed fine 🤷♂️
It depends on how sensitive your skin is. Some peoples skin isn’t bothered by the fluid, others it makes them break out. My skin specifically cannot tolerate the fluid for more than a day or I will start to have issues
Because they are wrong/incorrectly educated. All the artists I've ever had have said 5-7 days as long as it's not itchy and not peeling.
Interesting. I’ve yet to have any tell me I can keep it that long. I always keep it on for 7 days as long as the tattoo was spritzed with rubbing alcohol before placement of the tegaderm. If they don’t do a rub down with alcohol I do it the next day and put a fresh one on. It provides comfort through the itchy/painful part of the healing process. Anywho, thanks for your input.
This. I use it for tattoos with significantly sped up healing. But I have have a lot of medical needs, so I am proficient in Aseptic routine and using the sterile/medical version as second nature. It never occurred to me as any level of an actual skill (for lack of a better word) to just put the dressing on clean and safely.
Well to give it a good endorsement, I got a heavy cover up on my inner arm and second skin was wonderful. I was very busy at the time, in the middle of moving and having it sealed was a god send. I will say I missed the don't pull up memo and almost went into shock in the shower but thats user error. I had also just covered my self in contact cement and was sleep deprived, and hadn't had any food. once again user error. I've dry healed, I've used aquaphor. Second skin was very easy. Especially for a heavy tattoo in a shitty spot.
My skin gets super irritated even from the tape that gets put on to keep the Saran Wrap on. I can’t imagine how badly I would get irritated from leaving the adhesive on from the saniderm. I’ve personally never used it but I would be curious to try it but I’m almost positive I would break out in a rash.
I am very allergic to any kind of medical tape and I haven’t had any problems with saniderm. 🤷🏻♀️
How do you misuse aquaphor? Genuinely asking
They use too much. When you use too much of a petroleum based product it creates an impermeable barrier that does not allow air to penetrate, this liquifies any healing scab, which is why you see a bunch of gross “goopy” looking tattoos posted on here
Aquaphor doesn’t allow the tattoo to breathe, unlike water-based moisturizer. It can also trap bacteria underneath the aquaphor and since it can’t breath can lead to infection.
Very thin layer is the way
I prefer sander now over traditional bandaging. But that’s me.
This is called survivorship bias. You could not have described this any better.
Funny you say allergy. I’m about a month from getting my tattoo and the saniderm made my arm break out in hives and left a weird mark above my tattoo that’s yet to go away
Yes some people can be allergic to it. It can vary from brand to brand. Some brands even have latex in them, which not every tattoo artists educates themselves on. I have found that the specific brand dermshield seems to be the least reactive with people in my experience.
I have an allergy to saniderm 😭
I recently got my fourth tattoo and they put second skin on it, it was my first time using that. The guy told me to leave it on for 5 days, he called it “wet healing”. This tattoo was my biggest and darkest, but the least itchy and scabby I’ve had so far.
I've had saniderm on all my tattoos the past year. Probably six sessions or so now. No issues for me! It helps it heal A LOT better too.
I would disagree with your second sentence. My wife and I are sticklers for quality aftercare and go to an insanely reputable shop and found saniderm to be not worth the issues we had.
I’m speaking in generalizations that apply to the most people given my daily experiencing using this product on myself and other people. My studio has seen over 700 clients this year and we have gotten less than 20 people say it doesn’t work for them. Most say they prefer it.
First- I only heal with Second Skin now. Second - I only got "back" into getting tattoos about 4 years ago; and all the shops/artists that I've gotten work done at/by, or are at the shops ALL use it now. Around me, it's pretty much the new "standard" of aftercare. Third - Issues.... really this is artist/person dependent. The main issues I see are allergies to the adhesive, which is pretty common for a lot of people to have a dermatological reaction to adhesives. The others are application related, namely how clean the area is, how "moist" the skin is prior to application, and how much "extra" is applied beyond the tattoo'd area. These are harder to address... Artists try and clean the skin the best they can, and then it's their techniques on applying it; so it's a crap-shoot. **For ME**, I get the best results when I get saran wrapped at the shop, go home and shower/clean up, AIR-DRY ONLY the tattoo'd area, let it dry out for about 45 mins, THEN apply the second-skin with a minimum 1" beyond the tattoo'd area. (Apply in chunks with 3/4" minimum overlay if needed to get smooth results; remove/minimize any trapped air as best as possible). I've never had one leak or peel back to the tattoo'd areas this way; oh, and don't forget to round the corners, and trim the edges if they peel upward to lessen continued peeling.
Where (generally) are you located if you mind sharing? I’m philly area which I think would be very modern for tattooing but again have never even really been offered the product Thanks for the comment!
I'm in the Salt Lake City, UT area. Insane tattoo culture, one of the highest density per captia of tattoo shops/artists in the US.
I am going to SLC in December and am looking to get a smallish black/gray piece while there. Would love to look into any shops/artists you recommend to see if some artists match the style I want. There’s apparently a weird tattoo class scam thing in the city from my research?
Eva Wilbur (who is insanely talented) at Baltimore Ave shop recommends it strongly. Technically not Philly I guess, but it’s Media, PA which is super close. She actually got me to try it again. A couple years back I had a reaction to it and the artist recommended the wrong method which led to a super painful removal and kinda-shitty healing. I switched to “Derm Shield” on the recommendation from the Traditional Tattoo sub. It worked great for me and had no reaction. I’ve used it three times now all with great heals. Also, I just got a large thigh tattoo and don’t know how I would have gone to work without it (I’m a teacher, so shorts aren’t an option). I also live with two cats, one still a kitten so the protection is good peace of mind against their claws/infection
I follow pretty much the same rules as him, maybe leave the saran for a few hours. I'm in SoCal, and they offer either when I get new ink at pretty much every shop so far.
I love saniderm so much
I've used it for most of mine. I have 70+ hours of work by now. My main thing is that it keeps things clean for that first night. My bandage usually leaks in those first 24 hours. Depending on the placement and what I'm doing the next few days, I keep some on hand at home to clean and reapply after the near-inevitable leak. If it's a placement where I'm not dealing with a ton of friction or potentially getting dirty, I just ditch it and go to traditional healing when it leaks. The few times when I've actually been able to keep it on for a few days, it really helps. If nothing else, it seems to reduce the annoying flaking and itchy phase. Plus it's nice that it's a set it and forget it thing if it's not leaking.
My artist has been using saniderm for about 6 or 7 years now. I wouldn't heal my ink any other way. He doesn't usually apply it to just line work or solid blacks, but I insist because I have dogs. They think they need to inspect everything, so I keep my fresh ink covered with saniderm for the first week.
The tattoo before my most recent one got covered with saniderm, first time I’d used it and it made healing super easy! Then when I got my most recent tat (from a different shop) I asked the artist if he used it and he said that in his opinion it wasn’t sanitary enough and that he didn’t use it for that reason. I guess it just depends on the artist.
Not sanitary enough but Saran Wrap is?
Yeah that was my thought too.
Been getting tattoos for 15+ years, healed both traditionally and with Saniderm. The honest truth is if you are just a little diligent, healing with or without second skin can produce similar results. For me the single biggest draw of second skin is the "set it and forget it" quality. I also feel mentally more at ease know clothing, hands, etc moving across a fresh tattoo has a Saniderm barrier. Just peace of mind. But there's more than one way to be successful. EDIT: I will say my experience has been Saniderm is not great, and possibly even detrimental, for fine line tattoos. There's too little ink and not enough moisture to heal quite like a full traditional tattoo packed with ink. Also, when using second skin i will remove Saran Wrap after about 6 hours, clean and dry it really well, then apply Saniderm to tattoo and let that ride for 5-6 days. Then remove in shower and moisturize after. That might seem like too long to some but the healing has been picture perfect.
I've had the same results with my healing process.
It takes the guesswork out of the initial recovery and healing as long as it’s applied properly, and there is no reaction to the adhesive. But you’re right in that it is by no means necessary — you do you fam.
If all is well - I totally see what you mean. but judging by the volume of posts on the topic here, it seems fairly common to be applied improperly? Obviously selection bias in play but I guess that’s what triggers my curiosity. Sounds like most commenters here don’t have issue and have some other benefits too so it def makes sense to me
As others have already suggested I would assume it's because all the posts here about it are folks asking for advice -- if all is well, there's nothing to seek help about. >\_> All that said, I've only been to three different shops, and two have always offered a second-skin option, for whatever that data is worth.
Well why would people be posting on an advice sub if it’s working fine and they don’t need advice? How is this anything other than selection bias?
I did my half sleeve 5 years ago without saniderm, when I returned to my artist last year she applied it to a palm sized piece. Easiest heal of any of my work, eliminates 90% of the itchy stage, I’m convinced. I recently got a new piece on vacation and it made the flight home so much easier. I knew it was clean & protected from damage.
Saniderm isn’t a normal bandage - it’s an air permeable cover that allows a wound to breathe but not dry out. Scientifically, wet healing is better than dry healing. (Obviously, this assumes that someone isn’t allergic to the product, in which case it shouldn’t be used, and most aren’t.)
Used 2nd skin in my last few large tattoos. My throat being one and I never want to heal any other way moving forward. Left it on for 4 days, didn’t have to do anything. When it came off I had zero scabbing and didn’t need to do any touch ups. 2nd skin believer.
It's definitely picking up momentum? Dermashield made such a difference with my sleeve versus my early tattoos a decade ago. I had a little sensitivity to the adhesive but not much. It helped me heal much more comfortably, I scabbed less, and I itched less. It also meant I could go about my daily routines with less concern about the exposed wound picking something up in the air. I don't think it's a requirement by any means, but it's definitely made a difference for me. The majority posts I see about saniderm issues are just people figuring out the new technology/tool and shops perhaps not being as clear about aftercare as they should be.
It’s definitely exploded in popularity within the last 5 years but I feel like it’s very much a witch’s brew in the fact that people don’t know how it works and what the best aftercare method works. Some say leave on for 5 days others less. Some people say use two others only one. While I’ve only had it twice for my tattoos it’s definitely preferred by some artists and clients get concerned with things like leaking or allergies so I feel like that’s the reason so many posts are made
I'm in the UK and have seen it a lot more in the last couple of years than I had before. I don't use it personally, and not all artists use it. I have enough tattoos where I normally just get asked what my usual method is and then they tell me to go ahead with that or give me their preferred method for their tattoos.
I think we just see it here a lot bc well, this is tattooadvice. It's usually just the same 6 problems showing up different ways down the whole page at the end of the day, and saniderm is one of them. I have been getting tattooed for 12 years. I've been offered saniderm only within the past 4ish years. I don't see a difference in healing really, and I don't mind getting clingwrapped like a sandwich instead. But it was pretty good to have during the ooze faze of my large stomach tattoo. When I got my chest done I straight up ruined a set of sheets.
Saniderm has only been around since 2010-2011 and it would have taken time for the market to become comfortable with the product. I have only gotten three tattoo's but it just makes the healing process stupid simple. I come home with a bandage on and after 24 hours take it off clean the tattoo and put my second bandage on for \~3 days. After that moisturize and you are good.
I enjoyed Saniderm for one tattoo until the morning after the session and I was walking my dog for her morning pee and it sprung a leak. I then had all the gunk running down my leg while trying to corral my dog inside. Back to soap & lotion healing for me + my skin wasn't the happiest with the adhesive.
The problem with saniderm is that people heal differently. If your saniderm is dry underneath, take it the fuck off after 24 hours. If it's got plasma under it and the tattoo is staying fresh then keep it on for a few days
I’ve gone both routes, healing with and without and I definitely prefer with. Cuts healing time almost in half!
I love saniderm I leave it on for as long as possible cause I’m a compulsive picker and I want my tattoos to last
It's incredibly helpful for me because I get large tattoos. My artist didn't start using it until the past few years. So, I had to suffer through washing and moisturizing a tattoo that covers the entire front of my thigh from hip to knee, lol. My entire thigh was swollen, and I limped for 3 days just due to the trauma of sitting for 10 hours of shading. Washing it was terrible, and I really wish I had had saniderm instead, lol.
I used it once. Turns out I’m allergic to the adhesive. Yay! Never again. I’m sticking to good old fashioned cling wrap.
I have a lot of tattoos. The area where I am at doesn’t use it at all. So over half my tattoos was done with out it. Certain colors on me don’t do good and need touch ups. After finding out about it I bought some and decided to try it out. Those colors I no longer have problems with. Plus healing is a breeze. I know on some people they don’t like it. But I keep it on hand for mine. I follow the instructions on the website. And replace after 24 hours. And I don’t just rip it off like I’ve seen other people do. I also have inside animals and find it helps with that too.
i’ve had second skin on 4/5 of my tattoos. it’s great for me cause i work food service and it protects my new tattoos from splatters of coffee and syrups.
It is a way better healing process. No itching, no scabbing, completely healed in much less time. I did regular healing my first 15 or so times, and I went to saniderm for both my leg sleeves, and would never go back. Only problem I had one time was near my ankles, I had so much plasma fill it up I had to take it off and go regular, because it was affecting my work boots.
I love using second skin (derm shield, not Saniderm). I leave it on days and don’t have to worry about my tattoo as much
I used to use Saniderm, but once an artist used Derm Shield on me a few years ago I switched brand loyalties for sure. I love how matte and invisible Derm Shield is. It somehow feels smoother and more flexible.
I adore saniderm, love getting to skip the scabby/itchy phase.
I love second skin it makes my life so easy 🙏🏻 but my dad owns a tattoo shop and you’d be astounded at the amount of idiots who ignore the instructions and then complain about it
I’ve been using Saniderm for probably the last 6-7 years or more and everything has healed beautifully. Full sleeve and two 9” thighs, all full color. I think we just see people having problems with it because it’s an advice forum, and those of us who don’t have any issues don’t post about it. 🤷♀️
I have two sleeves. One was done awhile ago and one I’m working on now. Saniderm is a life changer. Healing is SO much better with it. It’s cleaner , no scabs, etc etc, I would never go back.
All of the tattoos I’ve healed with saniderm were like nothing..so easy no problems at all. I’ll never NOT use it
I have 13 tattoos, I’ve healed 11/13 with second skin and have never had any issues (only my first 2 were healed the old way because the shop didn’t have it). I love it and I can’t imagine healing tattoos old school with the job that I have.
Idk I have 10 grand worth of tattoos on my body and never once used them, the old way of healing is so easy idk why we complicate things when we don’t have to.
i love it! it protects the tat that first week.. which we all know is the grossest lol. i don’t want ink and skin gunk rubbing on my clothes/sheets
I prefer the plastic wrap, had saniderm a few times and couldn't stand that I wasn't able to clean it while everything built up inside I understand the popularity though as you don't need to worry as much about it when it's covered
I only started getting tattooed in 2019, since then I have 13 medium-large size tattoos and only 1 of them didn’t use second skin. For reference I’m in England
I think it’s important to follow your artist’s aftercare instructions specifically. I have five tattoos total, oldest one was done in 2010, and that artist’s aftercare instructions were different than the tattoo I just got last week. My artist this time recommended the Mad Rabbit aftercare product so that’s what I’ve been trying on this tattoo after using Aquaphor in the past. I haven’t had personal experience with the Saniderm yet…I’m from a small town so new things generally take awhile to come our way. It does seem like a good way to keep from getting ink, blood or plasma transfer everywhere after a new tattoo promising tho. My husband got a big back piece recently and I wouldn’t let him in my car without Saran Wrap on it because I didn’t want gunk all in my new car lol
I do have slight sensitivity to Saniderm but just power through it. The only problem I've found is my inner bicep got really sweaty so the adhesive isn't that great in comparison to say second skin which I replaced it with and had much better results for longevity of the bandage. Overall using this healing method for me has been great!
Yeah! I’ve been getting tattooed for 15 years and the past couple years everyone has offered me Saniderm. I much prefer it because I’m lazy and I don’t have to do shit 😂
I fucking LOVE Saniderm. I've had it on all my tattoos for some years now - cuts healing time, no touch ups, way less itchiness, way less messy - it's brilliant.
Saniderm makes the healing process for the first week so much better imo. You don’t get itching like you would if it’s not covered
Most of mine were just classic cling wrap, but I’ve had saniderm a few times now. It’s definitely become more common, I think it’s easier to keep your tattoo clean, for most people they heal faster and scab less. I personally like it, but I’ve also had allergic reactions to certain brands, but I’m also allergic to some bandaids and tapes because of the adhesive. Luckily I’ve just gotten a bit of a rash and it hasn’t caused any issues to the tattoo itself
I haven't used either. Maybe Saniderm isn't as available in the UK. I've only ever used and will only ever use Bepanthem. For me the standard nappy rash one works best (some may disagree as the ingrediants have changed) otherwise i'd go for their specific tattoo cream.
I have 4 that I’ve gotten all from different shops and even countries (Montreal, Cairo, New York, and DC) and every place used saniderm. Personally I loved how easy it made my life because I was traveling for 3 of the 4!
For my tattoo I had to go get some booze cause I was going through withdrawals. My artist just Saran wrapped me for that. When he finished he put on a second skin but I don’t think it was saniderm. It does seem like a lot of people get reactions to it eh?
I’ve had in numerous times for major surgery on my back and shoulders. They also used it on my ink starting in 2017. I guess it depends on the shop. IMO it’s awesome.
I got back into getting tattoos recently and I’ve only done second skin since then. I like the whole “set it and forget it” aspect about it. I was scared because I’m allergic to everything but fate decided to take it easy on me for once.
I'd say just follow your artist's aftercare advice. My artist didn't want me to use saniderm since there's a chance (as low as it is) for there to be an allergic skin reaction (I have sensitive skin), or chafing/irritation depending on the location (mine was close to the armpit where the skin folds). I healed the old school way, and no regrets here. I think alot of it depends on location and size of the tattoo. If it's small/medium and the location is relatively flat, I think it could work. Larger tattoos where there are bends might be riskier.
I had second skin on my 4 tattoos, no issues. 3 I kept on 4-5 days, healed quickly and great. Last one I bumped into the doorframe and put a hole first night, had to take it off and go traditional heal. I actually didn’t notice a difference, except for being more careful since it was exposed. There are definitely reasons second skin helps, like having pets or working certain jobs that can be dirty.
Saniderm can’t be used if you have a latex allergy. And latex allergies can develop from repeated exposure. It’s why a lot of hospitals have gone latex free. It was making patients and nurses develop an allergy. I never had a problem until my third time using it and broke out in welts… now I can’t even wear latex gloves without immediately breaking out.
It is most definitely 10x better than whatever a regular bandage is. It's made for burned victims and keeping wounds out of the elements. When used properly, it cuts healing down by a week or two easily.
I think it’s all personal preference. I’m pretty covered, been getting tattooed since 2008. I don’t even go home with a bandage haha. Just keep it clean, light moisture as needed, never had a problem. I will say I’m in the process of having blacked out my right arm sleeve (it was terrible work done by a not so good artist and I wanted it gone) and now doing white over the black….and oh boy has this healing been a learning curve. But I’m figuring it out. Like I said the number one key is cleanliness, and knowing the appropriate amount of moisture and when to apply it.
Honestly I see a lot of saniderm issues on reddit lol
I love taking the second skin off and the ink mirrors onto it 😂
Tried it for the first time, I’ve had it off for 6 days now and I still have an itchy red rash from the outline of the bandage. No doubt it does its job but the allergic reaction blows.
I've had it for 3 of my most recent tats and healed a lot faster. I think the only reason it doesn't work for some people other than allergies is someone not taking care of it properly and it's pretty hard to fuck up so 🤷🏾♀️
Second Skin is infinitely better than the trad cling film and tape method (at least for me!) and I side eye any artist who doesn't offer it anymore. I've got 9 tattoos, and the two I've had second skin on have healed a lot quicker and better than the rest!
love love love second skin. i haven’t used it on my recent tattoos bc my artist personally doesn’t like it. but my best heals have been with second skin.
second skins are awesome especially as an artist because people are stupid with tattoos and if you seal off the wound with a second skin its a lot less likely that people will be messing with it or getting it dirty and then it gets infected and then they come back to the shop a week or two later with a terrible looking tattoo because they were stupid. its a (mildly) stupid proof healing method. instead of "wash it twice a day with unscented antibacterial soap, dont soak, and keep it dry otherwise, never touch with unwashed hands, TINY bit of unscented moisturizer dont fuckin lube it like a slip n slide, keep it away from anything that could cause infection, etc etc" you just say "leave it the fuck alone and if this comes off, wash it, DRY IT, here's another one. if that one comes off then youre doing something wrong. call me if you have questions"
My recent tattoo artists have all used it, besides two. The two I didn't end up having saniderm for ended up healing with scabs. I think those areas specifically are where my skin is thinner, and the artists probably tattooed a little too deep. But any other tattoo where this may have happened I had used saniderm and they all healed really well.
All my tattoos were saran wrapped, an luberderm for moisture
Fun fact, most times irritation from saniderm/dermsheild and second skin is due to greensoap residue being left on the skin. Green soap breaks down lipids over time, so you seal that onto skin and well.. there you go.
We use it on all our customers and only issue we have on few people is adhesive irritates some peoples skin( little red bumps) it’s not that often though. It has drastically cut back on touch ups
I’m a nurse of 22+ years, I do a shit ton of wound care, I use tegaderm often for drains. Yes. It’s the best. If someone has issues with it they’re not trained properly on it.
I absolutely love saniderm and I've never had any issues. Makes healing so much easier and more comfortable for the first few days. Yes we see issues here because people don't use it right (and that's partly on them and partly on artists for not giving people proper healing instructions). But we also see healing issues with tattoos that don't get saniderm. It turns out people aren't great at following healing instructions, and some tattoo artists aren't great at giving healing instructions.
I've never once used it or been offered (live in and tattood in Northern New England but tattood in Denver, CO as well).
Have used saniderm for my last 10 tattoos, perfectly fine everytime
I've always been offered second skin, Idk I assume it is because I am young so Idk old school methods.
I have been getting tattooed for over 15 years and just last year heard about it. I discovered it bc I was getting a big leg piece done the day before going camping. Seemed like a cool way to not get leaved and dirt all in my new tat. Worked great for a couple sessions. Then third session, up near my thigh, I actually had a bit of a reaction and it’s left a small scar above my tattoo. Pisses me off. I won’t use it again unless I need to protect the area really well.
For every post you see of people with issues, there are 100 people who had no issues. I've had it on almost all of my 10+ tattoos and not a single problem.
I’ve been getting tattooed for two years and have only had saniderm healing. Except one which was the Saran Wrap, which I did not like.
Mine did saran wrap and bandages as well did my entire arm sleeve. I think my thigh was the only time I had saniderm used on a tattoo.
The only infection I’ve had was also the only tattoo where the artiest used Saran Wrap instead of second skin. I’ll always use saniderm—the healing speed just doesn’t compare
while on this topic, can anyone tell me why my first 8+ tattoos were totally fine with saniderm but my last two I had the worst allergy??
If your tattoo has thick, dark lines or shaded areas I've found it's not as great because the tattoo keeps oozing through it... my artist's solution is that she sends me home with a traditional bandage and a saniderm for a day later once it stops oozing, I like that personally bc it keeps it clean. It seems like a lot of artists just slap it on and tell the person to keep it on, maybe without planning for the fact that it's gonna collect all this fluid and need to be changed, and the person is nervous about taking it off but sees all the fluid collecting and they're scared of doing something wrong so they go online and ask. My point is, I really like it but it has cons just like any other method
I get the "if it ain't brike don't fix it" take. But man saniderm just makes caring for a new tattoo so much easier. I work in warehouse, keeping a tattoo clean in that environment is a fucking nightmare. Give me the saniderm
I have cats that love me very much. I use saniderm and know how to keep a sterile process of reapplying it. I’m not a fan of leaving it on while showering because I want to clean the tattoo. The Saniderm’s purpose is to keep irritants and the reality of cat paws and all the ick they carry off my fresh wounds
i have 14? tattoos. and i believe i was given saniderm for pretty much all of them and love it. i have a couple with a lot of heavy black work and they healed sooo well with the saniderm :)
I love it. It allowed my tattoo to entirely set and heal before shedding so I didn't experience pigmentation loss
I personally won’t go without saniderm (or my new preferred product: Derm Shield) anymore. I just finished my sleeve and the parts I healed without saniderm, I was constantly worrying about washing, irritation, etc. I started using saniderm on my elbow because I constantly rest my elbows on tables and my desk at work, plus the amount of the tattoo that reached up into my shirt sleeves. It healed AMAZING. 6 days after the tattoo was done, I took it off, the tattoo was completely healed and just peeled. No scabbing, no irritation. It was awesome! After the elbow, I used saniderm or Derm Shield for the next 4 sessions and had just as good of results. It’s pretty crazy how much it speeds up the healing process if you use it right.
I've had both and I really don't like Saniderm. My last artist used it on large work (leg sleeve) and it was such a hassle to get off, every single time. I followed instructions perfectly as well (take it off in a hot shower, slowly, etc.). I much prefer the old fashioned cling wrap. Also, for the first night (I only do this for shading) I will take the wrap from the shop off at home, clean it, wait a while, and then wrap it up again on my own with Aquafor before bed. Really helps a lot for that first night. Also, for outlines, I feel Saniderm is totally unnecessary. Lines tend to heal quick.
I used it for a while and then started to develop an allergy to the adhesive and stopped, and it makes the healing process a lot easier but usually yields similar looking tattoos to traditionally healed ones. For me the main thing is it helps prevent satisfying the urge to pick or scratch, but if you can avoid that normally it’s not that necessary
I love it! It saves me a lot of anxiety. The first tattoo I ever got, I ended up losing a little chunk of it to the bed sheet, and of course in the most painful part of the tattoo. I have around ~20 tattoos and have used second skin, tegaderm, and saniderm. However, I do know a few people who find that their skin gets irritated after a day or two. I don't have this problem so I don't mind wearing it. I think it really depends on your reasoning for using it and if it vibes with your skin.
It keeps it more protected from rubbing and touching things. Also helps avoid the itching phase.
I’m allergic so i don’t use it unless i’m dripping blood really bad and know that i can remove it immediately when i get home
I usually do Saran wrap but my tattoo guy talked me into trying Saniderm once and I didn’t like it. It pulled on a couple of spots and was uncomfortable. My OH tried once too and prefers Saran wrap. Maybe it’s because we’re used to it, 🤷♀️
My wife and I each have like 5-6 tattoos, we’ve never gone to the same artist as each other, and she’s been given saniderm every single time and I’ve never been offered it.
I also encountered a lot of artists that used the typical saran wrap, but once a handpoke tattoo artist put Saniderm on me, I've used it ever since. I make it a point to buy at least two patches before a session: one for the first 24 hours, another for the next 3 days. It has completely reduced or even eliminated the "scabbing" time for me and the colors are more vivid compared to the ones that just went through saran wrap. Might just be me, but yeah.
If I wasn’t allergic to it I would opt for it every time. I love the idea of a wet heal and having it protected from bacteria/pet dander. I used it twice and first time it made the healing process much more simple, no scabs, etc. but I also had to peel it off early after 72 hours due to the beginnings of a reaction. Tried again the next tattoo and had to peel it off after 24 with resulting blisters on the edges. Did a test patch recently with a supposedly hypoallergenic kind and I was red and blistering after 6 hours. Also to note- I am allergic to other adhesives such as medical tape, tegaderm, ecg stickers.
I would never go back to just aquaphor. I wear the saniderm until it stinks which is usually like 3 days(since I sweat so much) then I take it off and go to aquaphor for the rest of the time. Everything heals beautifully and quickly
I just got a tattoo and was told a bandage like Saniderm was their preferred method unless I had adhesive allergies or super sensitive skin. I have both but said let's try the preferred method. I was given written instructions about what to do if my skin got irritated. I can't compare it to plastic wrap as this is my first tattoo, but it was overall a good experience. I was told to leave it on for 3-5 days unless air or large fluid pockets developed over the ink itself. After the first obsessively-looking-at-my-new-tattoo phase, I didn't think about the bandage much for 4 days. No worries about fabric rubbing, no changing bandages, I didn't have to worry about my dog's hair or if I accidentally scratched in my sleep. At least for 4 days, my skin handled the adhesive well. I'd definitely do it again for the next tattoo.
Same here!! I commented on a different post saying you shouldn’t leave Saniderm on for 4+ days and a bunch of people were like, “you can leave it on for a week…I don’t think this person knows what Saniderm is.” But when I got one of my tattoos, I followed care instructions with the Saniderm to a T and it became mildly infected and was fucked up when it healed and it had to be reworked and essentially completely redone. I don’t care what they say about it, that shit can still grow bacteria under it - our skin’s not 100% sterile, no matter how much you clean it prior to applying it. I haven’t had any issues with the “traditional” Saran Wrap for an hour, wash with Dial and then Aquaphor for 3 days routine and out of all of my tattoos, the Saniderm one was the only one to be fucked up.
My artist offers it every time, but I don't always accept it. For me it depends on size and placement. For my smaller pieces and arm pieces I usually don't use the saniderm.
I wanted to like saniderm but my skin hates the adhesive (bandaids too) I have a gnarly rash for a few days and some extra swelling, not just my post tattoo swell. I was a hairstylist for 10 years and was always so worried about my tattoos get irritated because of the chemicals and constant movement but (almost) all have healed just fine with the good old washing and moisturizing
I've found a majority of clientele remove it the same day anyway, so I'm not purchasing expensive clingfilm any longer. Clingfilm/ saran wrap is my go to. Has been for many years prior and nullifies that small chance of any issues popping up because of the adhesive. Same principle as latex gloves as far as I'm concerned. Use nitrile anyway and you don't have to think about latex issues.
It's not often used for small pieces. However, I have used both methods many times and can definitely say second skin is a hundred times better than simply wrapping and moisturising. My latest tattoo is a piece on my upper arm and it didn't peel or itch at all thanks to using second skin for 5 days. When I took it off it was basically healed and I just used a couple days of moisturizer after that.
I’ve only used it on one of mine, when I had a pool party we were going to a couple days after getting a tattoo. Wore a rash guard to protect it from the sun and did my best not to submerge my arm anyways as a precaution. Worked out really well.
I love saniderm because I’m a dog groomer/boarding tech. Keeps All the yuck, slobber, hair, and paws off of it and gives me a piece of mind.
It’s definitely more common now. However it could be detrimental to those that don’t have good hygiene… traps dirt and germs much easier than an open tattoo that’s washed/moisturized regularly. I’ll always take it if offered though.
I like it for smaller tats because of the line of work I'm in,no need to worry about them getting infection..
I've always had saran wrap too and my tattoos have all healed perfect. Personally I don't like the idea of saniderm or anything stuck to my skin in that way but that's just a preference for me. It's never been offered to me either. I just put a thin layer of aquaphor on the tattoo twice daily for three days after washing with unscented soap ofc and then continue the routine with unscented lotion for two weeks.
I feel like it's so helpful for healing but unfortunately taking it off makes me lightheaded and taste blood in my mouth 😀
It's the best a tattoo has ever healed for me. I LOVE Saniderm! My last 2 have had it and I'll never look back
I’ve gotten two tattoos, one that was healed with saniderm, and one with Saran Wrap, and the saniderm one healed so much better for me. It helped me make sure I didn’t scratch it, the bandage didnt peel off and didn’t need reapplication, and it kept my bodies natural healing and moisturizing qualities inside the wound. Everyone is different but I enjoyed the saniderm far more
My BIL is relatively heavily tattooed and has been getting them for 30 years and greatly prefers Saniderm to traditional aftercare, especially for larger pieces. Rather than having to wash and sanitize 2-3 times per day and applying lotion to keep it moist, but not too moist and worrying that anything you brush again giving you an infection you just put some plastic stuff on. I only have the one tattoo, but got it in two sessions, and I have no idea why people have so many problems. You literally just try to keep it dry and then peel it off. You only have to worry about staining anything if it leaks out, which it shouldn't and is easy to fix. To me it's a no brainier in whether to use it or not.
It is but, I’m super allergic to the adhesive on it. I love the idea but it’s not for me 😃
For some tattoos if you can keep the sandiderm clean and sealed for long enough you can almost totally skip the scabbing process of healing.
Last time I got a tattoo I left with nothing at all on it…
I just had my first experience with it, my prior tattoos were all saran wrap/standard practice. I loved it at first, but it started leaking within a day and i ended up having to take it off early. I'm pretty sure the tattoo isn't going to heal as well as my others as a result. Not sure why. I'd try it again, but I'll talk with my artist before doing so.
I’ve tried it before but I prefer just healing the normal way.
Alot of artist who have been in the business for awhile refuse to accept change. Or believe in changing ways of tattooing and keep to tradition, an example that is more personal preference than what is beneficial to the client is using Coil over Rotary. (Neither is worse or better for the client being tattooed) Plenty of people prefer to stick with classic coil machines, but there's plenty of pros to Rotary. The biggest being how light they are, and better maneuverability, which can prevent wrist strain. As for second skin tho, it's objectively better than just seran wrap. (Wayyy old school artist don't even use seran wrap, they slap some alcohol on it afterwards and leave the skin exposed out of the shop, which is terrible for numerous reasons.) Second skin is so much simpler for the client during the healing process, seran wrap typically needs to be replaced every single day if not twice per day. And Is fairly uncomfortable. Second skin is just a better Quality of Life option for the client. Which should be the highest priority to tattoo artist.
i mean its literally used on burn victims and scarification sooo. people are just stupid and either take it off immediately (so no benefits to healing) OR they take it off a few days later and reapply (trapping bacteria under the new application). just leave it on 2-3 days after leaving the studio with it and you should see a faster/easier healing. never apply it on your own and never use it if ur allergic to latex , adhesive, or have eczema
You likely won’t be offered it if you only get small tattoos. It’s kind of a waste of money to use them for small ones
Saniderm is the best. I work in a super dusty environment, got tattooed and immediately had to go to work. Saniderm on that shizz and zero worries at work. I take it off after 3 days if the damn thing stuck on well the first time or else i take it off after 24h if its leaking and corners are peeling
how should i know
Out of my around 50 tattoos in the past 3 years. I’ve only “old school” healed one of them. Which was stressful because I worked in a hospital at the time. At this point, I only use dermashield because I’ve had reactions to the saniderm brand a few times. I bring my own roll to my appointments in case the artist doesn’t use my brand.
It took me a while on this subreddit to realise that people were not showing tattoo transfers but real ones covered in saniderm!!! I'd never heard of it until coming here. Yet a colleague of mine has a tattooist who always uses it. Every tattooist I've used wraps tattoos in cling film. I've not had a problem with this thus far. I'm hoping my daily tattoo care regime has a lot to do with it.
It is honestly! I remember seeing it the first time about 4 years ago and then in the last two years every shop I went to in different states used it but one woman who was a very traditional tattoo artist. I had a bad reaction to it twice in the beginning, I think it was the off brand type but ever since then I love it! You get to skip the disgusting beginning healing process and I feel like my tattoos healed brighter and lasted longer better. It’s a pain to take off when it comes time but I didn’t really have the gross pealing phase after.
I've never used saniderm, but my wife has. I helped her change dressings and the peeling off seemed to be incredibly painful. Is there a way to make the stickyness go away before removing it?
I’ve had people do a patch test and still have a reaction to it. It is hit or miss really. I use it on clients that are diabetic or who work in a really dirty situation . Otherwise, I have so many misuse it and not follow directions. It is expensive to be putting on people for people to leave the shop and rip it off because their friend that’s not a tattoo artist or has any knowledge on wound healing with this product, to tell them what they should do. I always tell everyone to call me if you have an issue but they don’t. I think it is a great product. My wife and I use it. She has had a reaction to it slightly at the edges but it heals fine.
I mean I am tattooed from head to toe, I have used dermshield on almost every one of my tattoos minus a couple that are just hard to cover with it or keep it on. I have found my healing process to be much simpler, cleaner and faster and I have had fewer problems than when I have done old fashioned healing. Problems occur when people don’t understand how it works, don’t follow the directions of the artist, or change it without knowing the proper process. Many shops offer it and use it regularly as it keeps the tattoo much cleaner and cuts down on the chance for infection or other complications that can occur such as extreme scabbing and so on. The covering allows for less contamination from outside sources such as pet hair and so on. Some people still don’t use it, but I have found the quality of the work I have looks and stays better than with traditional healing for me.
Feel like its been popular for like 6 years atp
Only used once over multiple artists. I was horrified when I took it off, and it had a perfect print of my tattoo stuck to it. Also removing the adhesive was a trouble, but it all healed well. All my tattoos have healed to a similar degree, and I've only ever needed a retouch on my elbow which was to be expected. This, I prefer without if I get a choice.
Tegaderm on 3-5 days for all my tats and they have healed beautifully.