Tegaderm/Saniderm/Tatuderm healing process

[HettyKet]

Well, officially, (in the capacity it's designed for) it's to be used for 3 to 7 days before being removed / changed, so, yeah, a longer application or re-application is fine. In fact, 3 days really is the minimum it should be left on for.

The only reason I like to change it after the first 3 days is, well, vanity. I want to be able to see my tattoo better :rolleyes: After re-applying I leave it on until you can see the fine skin flakes are separated and ready to peel, kind of like snakeskin I suppose. Usually takes another 2 or 3 days.

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Oh that was to @Bigboy67

[Bigboy67]

@HettyKet... Ah I see. I'm already at the snakeskin/sunburn stage, so maybe I'll pass for this round anyways. Appreciate the info though. I do recall wearing Tegaderm for a full week after a back surgery and it worked great, guess I should've known it should be fine for tattoo application.... Duh!

[KegRN]

@graybones just supplement your iron and use Tylenol instead of ibuprofen, it's an NSAID that doesn't have anticoagulant properties

Tylenol is effective for pain and fever reduction but it is not an NSAID and does not have any anti-inflammatory effects.

[Bigboy67]

Tylenol is effective for pain and fever reduction but it is not an NSAID and does not have any anti-inflammatory effects.

My fault. Thought Tylenol had anti inflammatory effects. Please, always feel free to correct any bro science I present, haha. Thanks for the info @KegRN

[graybones]

Thanks @KegRN, good to know. Looking at this again I realize I read the thread title wrong, sorry for threadjacking.

[Cork]

$30 of Tegaderm later, my ass and fire spots are mostly covered. Hopefully they hold well while under flexion.

[Orangutango]

I found it feels strange at first @Cork , but after moving through a normal range of motion with it a few times it's barely noticeable.

Enjoy your next hassle free three days, I'm considering pushing my time to 96 hours when I finish my ribs, see if it's any different.

[exume]

Ordered a few 4x10s to try it out, will report back with results

[Cork]

Piling on a lot of little strips is not worth it. After sleeping, then 8 hours of work, I've moved enough to pop off over half of what was laid down last night. This was only meant as an experiment, so I have learned that I should have planned ahead and bought bigger strips. I relied on what was in the store, and it wasn't enough. I'm going to make an online order and hope that it comes in quickly before I get to the scabby part and start losing ink.

[HettyKet]

Oh, that must be really annoying @Cork. How did you apply it? I'm wondering if it was being stretched, rather than contracting as you moved. If you applied it with your legs straight it was doomed, I'm afraid.

For it to move with you you need to apply it when in the position that streatches the area a much as is going to happen - so, it the case of an arse you want to be applying it when squatting, or while laying on your back with your knees drawn right up. Inelegant but necessary!

[Bigboy67]

I've used multiple strips on multiple occasions now, with no leakage except for leaking out if the bottom bandage which would happen even if you used on sheet.

But I'm sure it is MUCH more of an issue when it's your rump

[Cork]

I tried to make sure it was applied when I was in an inconvenient position. But a spot like my lower back, I didn't realize how much I was moving I guess. @HettyKet

And I had to take the rest off. Just had a shower and ended up with little pouches filled with water. Definitely couldn't keep it on after thinking about how much potential germs could have just had their way in. I've used an antibacterial and lotioned up, and I'm just hoping the larger sheets show up soon.

[Bigboy67]

@Cork don't you have a medical supply store nearby? Or a nurse friend? Tegaderm should be available pretty easily locally if you can't wait for the convenient shipment method

[Cork]

Well I already bought it, but the closest CVS/Walgreens only had the small strips.

[tatB]

@Cork did you happen to have a photo of your back after you applied the tegaderm? might help use trouble shoot for you. also did you apply it the same night you were tattooed? the amount of plasma that your body creates in those first 8-12 hours might have lubricated the the patches so much that they slide around and popper off.

...or maybe you just need to stop flexing your glutes to impress women.

[Cork]

@Cork did you happen to have a photo of your back after you applied the tegaderm? might help use trouble shoot for you. also did you apply it the same night you were tattooed? the amount of plasma that your body creates in those first 8-12 hours might have lubricated the the patches so much that they slide around and popper off.

...or maybe you just need to stop flexing your glutes to impress women.

I applied it the same night to try and stave off some ruined sheets. I thought I remembered reading about how some others put it on the night right afterwards and it held up. Like I said I'm pretty sure it was just because I was trying to use the small patches to cover a big area. I would imagine if you don't apply the small ones uniformly, then you'll get them pulling each other off. No pics, but I will definitely try and put them on while I'm stretched better.

[tatB]

I applied it the same night to try and stave off some ruined sheets. I thought I remembered reading about how some others put it on the night right afterwards and it held up. Like I said I'm pretty sure it was just because I was trying to use the small patches to cover a big area. I would imagine if you don't apply the small ones uniformly, then you'll get them pulling each other off. No pics, but I will definitely try and put them on while I'm stretched better.

Do you not normally wrap it with anything the first night? If you dont you might see some benefit just from having this stuff on for one night. So it might not be a completely failed experiment.

[Killercook76]

I applied it the same night to try and stave off some ruined sheets. I thought I remembered reading about how some others put it on the night right afterwards and it held up. Like I said I'm pretty sure it was just because I was trying to use the small patches to cover a big area. I would imagine if you don't apply the small ones uniformly, then you'll get them pulling each other off. No pics, but I will definitely try and put them on while I'm stretched better.

Yeah definitely the day after. For various reasons!! The strips you buy at CVS are kinda useless because they are too small ! I personally like the 4x4 size or 6x8.

[Cork]

I do normally wrap after the first night, at least after the last 2 sessions. I scabbed real bad probably 4 sessions ago, and each healing process has gone better than the last. Each session I had wrapped for an extra night, haha. It's easy to wrap a leg though, real hard to wrap my entire back. That's what I wanted to rely on the Tegaderm for.

[tatB]

Update on my 2nd experience using tegaderm:

-Got tattooed on Saturday, wore original plastic wrap/meat pad bandage for 15 hours.

-Washed and let dry for ~10 minutes. Applied Tegaderm.

-Wore the Tegaderm for ~60 hours (probably should have waited another 12 hours but I was impatient), then removed with soap and warm water.

Upon careful inspection after letting dry for 15 minutes 99% looked to be in the light sunburn peel stage. I had some small areas of outline that are slightly indented and when I pressed a paper towel against those areas a faint bloody imprint was left of the paper towel. I lightly dabbed those areas with the paper towel every few minutes for about 30 min until the bloody imprinting stopped. Applied lotion then dabbed a few more times over the next hour or so but saw no bloody or plasma. This morning those small areas are still indented and I'm guessing they will go through a slightly thicker scabby peeling process.

Not worried because I've experienced some of these areas with non-tegaderm healing and they usually heal fine.

Some photos:

Five minutes after removal:

15 minutes after removal:

Close-up trying to show the "indented" areas described above. They are the darker shinner areas mostly in the area of hair below the eye on the right:

[Cork]

Looks good @BrianH

So my Tegaderm came in the mail and I applied it on Thursday. The tattoo was just getting out of the flake stage and into the scab stage so I was grateful for the opportunity to protect them. I seem to scab poorly and lose ink with the scab, so the Tegaderm is acting as a good shield to keep the scabs in place. Right now I am itchy as hell, and I'm hoping to be able to remove it tomorrow at the latest. I keep testing the sensitivity of certain spots, so if it still feels sensitive, ie scabby, I will be keeping the Tegaderm on.

Anyone have any experience with removing the Tegaderm with scabs underneath? I'm assuming it won't rip the scab off. That would be a pretty bad product to use for surgery recovery, haha.

[scubaron]

I put on Tegaderm about 2 hours after getting my tattoo after washing and drying it. Left the Tegaderm on for 4 days. I got no scabbing.

I think it's meant to put on early and left on for several days.

[Killercook76]

Looks good @BrianH

So my Tegaderm came in the mail and I applied it on Thursday. The tattoo was just getting out of the flake stage and into the scab stage so I was grateful for the opportunity to protect them. I seem to scab poorly and lose ink with the scab, so the Tegaderm is acting as a good shield to keep the scabs in place. Right now I am itchy as hell, and I'm hoping to be able to remove it tomorrow at the latest. I keep testing the sensitivity of certain spots, so if it still feels sensitive, ie scabby, I will be keeping the Tegaderm on.

Anyone have any experience with removing the Tegaderm with scabs underneath? I'm assuming it won't rip the scab off. That would be a pretty bad product to use for surgery recovery, haha.

NO tegaderm is meant to put on before you start peeling. Usually the next morning so there isn't too much plasma build up. I never heard anyone putting it on while peeling. Will it rip off your scabs.. not too sure about that but that its a possibility? Yes it is used for surgery recovery but not days after the surgery.

It's not a good idea putting it on over scabs and peeling then removing it the next day. The adhesive is fairly strong that is one of the reasons you need to keep it on for at least 2 or 3 days. You may get some fairly extreme irritation..... It all depend on what part of your body but don't be surprised!

[9Years]

Yeah, @Cork I hate to say it, but I agree with what @Killercook76 said. In my limited experience (healed 2 tattoo sessions this way now) the adhesive can be pretty tacky when you're removing the dressing. It definitely has some pull. If I were in your shoes I would keep the 'derm on as long as possible to make sure the scabs are ready to flake off before removing.

Good luck!

[Cork]

@Killercook76 No it hasn't been on for just one day. I've had it on since Thursday afternoon! That makes today day #4. So my hope is that the skin under the scabs is nearly healed.

* edit - And that's what I'm thinking will happen is that the scabs will flake right off like what @9Years says.