Second skin tattoo: It is what the name suggests! It is a bandage that acts as another layer of skin to protect the wound below. Again, this wound remains a new tattoo.
The idea was initially used to heal plain burns but later became famous for its use to protect healing tattoos. Their second skin dressings have received rave reviews and are generally highly regarded.
Saniderm dressings are waterproof, breathable, vegan-friendly and latex-free, helping quickly and effectively nourish the tattoo through the aftercare process. The famous tattoo aftercare company After Inked also has its own awesome tattoo bandage kit.
Table of Contents
How does a Second Skin Work?
A second skin protects your tattoo from the outside world. While this extra layer is current, your body begins to heal the wound underneath.
Quickly forms your protective layer of skin over the top of your tattoo.
A second skin also protects against germs and bacteria, protecting your tattoo at its most vulnerable stage. In addition, they allow Oxygen to reach your tattoo and at the same time remove excess moisture vapour, which can slow down the healing process.
How to Wear a Second Skin?
Second skins are informal to use, which is one of the motives they have become so popular.
Apply
- Clean: Clean your tattoo and let it air dry.
- Prune: Use scissors to trim the second skin to the size that will cover your tattoo. You can make it a bit better to protect the tattoo’s skin.
- Separate: Peel back the plastic to reveal the adhesive.
- Positioning: Place it, sticky side down, over your tattoo and press gently.
- Eliminate bubbles: Make sure it is well glued and remove any air bubbles that have formed.
- Remove Backing: Peel off the backing, just as you would a cast.
To delete
- Try an advantage: Choose an edge of the bandage and remove it. If it’s hard to remove, try taking a warm shower to help reduce stickiness.
- Remove slowly: Remove the second skin slowly. It is very similar to removing a Band-Aid. If you pull too fast, it’s going to hurt. It can also damage the new layer of skin underneath. Just go slow, and you’ll be fine
- Clean: Make sure to wash your tattoo carefully after removing the bandage and applying moisturizer.
It is normal to see some ink or blood under the bandage. Usually, this will appear within the first day. After that, if you wish, you can replace the old dressing with a new one, following the application instructions.
However, the same bandage should not be use for more than seven days; remove it to clean your tattoo. Second skins are great, but they don’t work miracles. In the areas that bend or flex, they do not last as long as the areas that remain still.
Advantages of A Second Skin Tattoo
There are several benefits to using a second skin on a new tattoo:
Impermeable
We love that second skins are waterproof, as they give you that extra layer of confidence that your skin is protected from water, which can slow healing. You can shower with it instead, but you should avoid soaking the area in the bathtub or swimming for at least two weeks after getting a new tattoo. Be gentle because too much water can decrease the adherence of the second skin, making it less effective.
Respirable
It is vital as the second skin allows Oxygen to reach the tattoo even when it is under the bandage. Oxygen is critical to the healing process.
Protector
New tattoos are incredibly susceptible to infection. A second skin will shield against germs and bacteria, reducing the chance of infection. A second skin will also defend your tattoo from dirty work environments and clothing rubbing against the area. An added benefit is that your dress is protected if your tattoo bleeds or loses ink in the first few days.
Stay In Place
Unlike cling film, a popular method of protecting a new tattoo, a second skin doesn’t move, even under clothing. As a result, the adhesive film easily slides out of place, irritating the wound.
Control Over Size
You can cut the second skin to size and shape you need to cover the tattoo. This means that it doesn’t matter how big or awkward the form of your tattoo is. You can always cover it adequately.
Easy Healing
With a second skin, the bandage is apply, and the tattoo is left to heal on its own. Again, you will have concord of mind knowing that your tattoo is protected and can effectively heal.
Disadvantages of A Second Skin Tattoo
Despite the clear advantages, that’s not to say they’re suitable for everyone. Here are some reasons why not:
Allergic Reactions
Although the most incredible second skins claim to remain hypoallergenic, it is still possible to have an allergic reaction to them on rare occasions. Therefore, you want to take extra care if you have sensitive skin. Testing a small skin area before using it for a tattoo is good.
Additional Cost
The use of transparent film, although it has its drawbacks, is much cheaper than a second skin. However, it would be best if you weighed the costs against the benefits of having a second skin. Is it worth the investment for you?
Does Not Protect Against Leaks
If you don’t smear it as recommended, or if the skin folds too much in that area, a second skin can leak through. So it is better to check it regularly to avoid accidents. While you have decided on your tattoo regret on the design or the meaning may not last so you may opt for tattoo cover-up or tattoo removal. With this, you might also want to know how effective is tattoo removal for future reference.
Some Changes Skin Undergoes When you Get Tattoo
Now that we know what a tattoo is and where the ink is on the skin, we can move to some exciting things about what happens to our skin (and our bodies) when we get a tattoo. First, we tried to analyze it chronologically, from the first changes to the last one.
1. The Epidermis is Punctured About 50,000 Times Per Minute
The epidermis is the outermost layer of skin and is also the thinnest, typically 0.1 millimeters thick on most body parts. This area of skin comprises twenty layers of dead keratinocytes, cells that are constantly being creat and eliminated and that serve to isolate us from the outside world by combining with epidermal lipids and fats that, together with these cells, give integrity to the skin.
2. Blood Vessels and Nerves Are Broken
Once through the epidermis, the needle loaded with ink reaches the dermis, the second layer of skin. It is also the middle and thickest coating. It no longer consists of dead keratinocytes but of collagen and elastin, fibre-forming molecules which, impregnated with hyaluronic acid (water storage substance), give the skin its volume and consistency.
3. A Channel Forms in the Dermis
Once the dermis is punctured, and blood vessels and nerves are ruptured, a kind of canal forms in the dermis. Imagine a bulldozer going through our skin and forming a tunnel. It would be something similar.
Once this channel forms, the needle releases tiny droplets of ink that fill this channel. So we end up with different tunnels in the dermis that have been fill with pigments of different colours. So at this moment, our skin already has a design. But it doesn’t stop there.
4. They Release Adrenaline
It is not directly a change in the skin but a change that occurs on a physiological level in our body. And when we get tattoo, due to the pain, it causes us. So our adrenal glands start synthesizing (at the brain’s command) adrenaline, a neurotransmitter. So it means that when we’re tattooing, our rhythm speeds up, the Pupils dilate, blood pressure rises, respiratory rate increases, our senses sharpen, we sweat, and memory is stimulate.
