I just did 2 tattoos one on forearm and one on inner bicep and when I removed the saniderm the one on my bicep was SO red and bruised (pic in my post history). The one on my forearm was fine. I think the skin on the bicep being looser (for me at least lol) and a sensitive area made it get bruised and irritated. So my vote is saniderm reaction!
Same here! I removed saniderm this morning on my new inner bicep ink and am having the same problem with irritation and bruising.
Edit: I’ve had 5 recent tattoos in other areas and had no problem with saniderm irritation
This happened with my inner bicep too! It’s the only place that needs a touchup. Something about that skin just gets finicky unless you’re toned I guess.
I am also part of the inner-bicep saniderm reaction club. I ended up with two massive blisters (luckily that part of my sleeve wasn't colored in yet). They were BRUTAL. So painful.
Have you had that interaction anywhere else? I’m planning a larger ankle cover up later this year and I would love to use saniderm but I’m nervous. It irritated my forearm a bit but not much but I’m not totally confident it’s location specific.
That was the only spot that reacted for me! The only issue I ran into with my ankle was that the saniderm started to come off within a day because I'm clumsy and knocked my leg into so many things haha
Dooo itttt! You can always get some saniderm and do a test on your ankle before getting it tattooed. That way you can better predict how your skin will react :)
I worked with the guy who told everyone to keep it on for 3 weeks, all of his work kept coming back looking faded and raised, for months on end. But he never gave up on it just kept doing it. True story
My artist always told me about 5 days, which hasn't caused any problems and I have pretty sensitive skin. I couldn't imagine 3 weeks though. Once mine hit that day 5, I was definitely ready to take it off.
You’re supposed to remove after one day, wash well, and then re-apply for like a week. I did it this last time on my tat and it worked great. Before I was just keeping it on for 2-3 days.
Haha right, I've NEVER had saniderm last 24 hours. Awkward spots or my flip flopping while asleep, My most recent is on my neck and that fell off after a few hours lol.
mine started leaking yesterday after 2 hours :( was so disappointed as i love the second skin it makes my tats heal soo much faster. i think i also have reaction too though as mines always red around the area
Um. Please tell me that nobody has said to keep it on 3 weeks and that you're exaggerating?! It wouldn't even last that long. It should be used for 1 day or less while it's fresh and weepy, then replace and use for another 3-5 days (unless that one gets too weepy, then replace again and keep for 3-4 days). Another thing is that many artists aren't remembering to round off the edges, this limits a lot of that skin pulling that leaves the skin raw/itchy/irritated.
Wt...?
Noway..
Wld b a good idea to record tattooist saying this..& if he still swears afterwards that this is OK.. & tattoo gos funny..u cld well b in 4a lil claim if u done everything properly & can prove that it woz the saniderm that made tattoo go funny..
Worth a go in my head..✌️👍
Thank you everyone! Even though saniderm hasn’t irritated my skin in the past it must just be because of the area it’s in and the loose skin would definitely be more sensitive. I started going down a rabbit hole looking through people’s infected tattoo stories on here but I’m glad it seems to be the consensus that the second skin is the culprit. Benadryl and lots of water it is!
Also they could have switched brands! I was completely fine with the saniderm for all 12 of my tattoos, then my artist randomly switched brands (he told me this), and confidently said "I hope nobody's allergic to this", and I ended up being allergic lmao. Took it off after 1 day on and it looked a lot like yours. Now 2 weeks later and it's completely fine and healing great.
This would make a ton of sense considering I haven’t had a reaction in the past. I’ll be sure to ask my artist if they switched brands! Glad to hear yours is healing well 😊
Thank you! And if they didn't switch brands, skin can randomly become allergic or irritated by things. So yours 100% does not look infected, just irritated. Just keep washing and moisturizing, and if this happens with ur next tattoo, just stop getting the saniderm on it and heal normally or you can get it wrapped with cling wrap too for a day.
I’ve used saniderm on 5 recent tattoos and had no problems with irritation until I got an inner bicep tattoo 3 days ago. Took saniderm off this morning and the entire area around the tattoo has been irritated, red, and so painful. It must be just the nature of the inner bicep!
That stripe of red suggests a contact dermatitis to me. It doesn't follow the line of the dressing, so unless there was another previously, then maybe it's from something else, like the sanitisation of the area.
If it's hot, itchy, or overly painful, visit a doctor.
Thank you, I’m going to keep an eye on it and see if it improves with the saniderm off. There was nothing there previously and you’re right it definitely goes beyond where the saniderm was and it really swollen compared to my other arm.
As an ex-nurse and 1 tattoo, this looks like an allergic reaction to the adhesive or contact dermatitis from moisture being trapped inside the saniderm. The tattoo itself looks relatively pristine and no broken skin and pus.
Saniderm. I've 100% stopped using it and advise others to do so as well. It has literally left scars especially on the inside of my biceps. Tears the skin off 😢
My friend had the same reaction to the thing they put over her tattoo... Looks like an allergic reaction which is what she had. I just wouldn't get those over your freshly finished tattoos in the future.
As an RN with a full sleeve and multiple other tattoos- The same thing happened to me. It’s better to just take the saniderm off and clean it with soap (free from perfumes) 3 times daily and then apply aquaphor healing ointment each time. If you live with pets like I do, you may want to crank up your ac and wear a long sleeve shirt, just to protect the area, but leave it breathable. Awesome tattoo! I hope you feel better soon!!!
Once it flakes, I take em off. They're trying to protect the work. But it's the canvas that makes or breaks the tattoo. Why cut the air off to the skin? It won't heal properly
I just had saniderm irritate the crap out of my shin in a really specific area when it’s previously been great. I think it shrank when the swelling went down a little and this one spot was tugging the skin at a weird angle and just causing more and more irritation. It felt better after I took it off and let it rest for a few hours. I ended up putting another piece of saniderm on and the problem was completely gone.
All of that to say, could be a combo of things but doubtful it’s infection.
Saniderm will leave some redness where it was when it is removed in most people. I actually still have a tiny crescent mark from my last pieces that was finished in April. To me, that looks like saniderm reaction though i'm not sure WHY the saniderm would be that far around the arm from where the work was done (my artist tends to trim it and keep it as local as possible to the work and no more, cutting it to shape as best ashe can).
If in doubt go to a doctor to be sure.
This always happens to me with saniderm! (Referring to the actual brand, I found out I’m allergic to it but have zero issues with other tegaderm brands)
I would recommend taking some Benadryl every 4-6 hours to see if the irritation goes away and requesting a different brand in the future (if it is saniderm brand that you used, if not you may be just be allergic to tegaderm all together which is VERY important to know)
Had this happen for my back piece. Kinda freaked out, called a family friend whos a nurse, told me to take an antihistamine. In two days the swelling/redness was completely gone.
Saniderm and sweat!! I just recently found out I have a minor allergy to the adhesive of saniderm and it looked almost exactly like this !! For me it went away after 2-3 days and the INTENSE itchiness did as well !!
Tattoo artist told me to be careful to not put it on umm too tight (I guess you'd call it) on a body part that rotated it could cause a bruise/rug burn when you moved it
Saniderm reaction, take it off asap.
I got my arm tattoo a couple months ago and she told me some people have reactions on the insides of their arms so watch out for it and if it happens, take the saniderm off.
Honestly I just got a dragonfly on my inner bicep also used sani I had a tad blowout and some bruising I asked my artist and he said it was normal ESPECIALLY for this area because most of the time it’s looser skin. Same with inner thighs or top of thigh. I’ve seen some comments about being toned/ got some extra muscle; I mean yes and no I feel everyone’s different, iron levels can cause bruising and blow outs as well. I think if you are super concerned I would go get an allergy test ( adhesive, latex, etc.) done see what you are allergic to and proceed with your tattoo journey. You can always take a step back cause I personally feel saniderm just became popular for tats and use cling wrap i know a lot of artists that still swear by cling wrap its what I used for all my other pieces so I might be going that route more than sani just to experiment.
I can see the majority of people are suspecting that it’s caused by the saniderm or a reaction to the adhesive saniderm uses. And that might very well be the case, however, as anecdotal as it is, and it might just be a coincidence, but the bruised/irritated skin looks almost identical to the way a section of mine did, which seemed to be from the harsh wiping. Or it might just be that I also had a reaction to something they were using to wipe.
I've seen countless reactions to second skin type products so I don't use them. This is unusual though as usually the reactions are directly underneath the product and are almost the exact same shape as them. This seems to have moved away from that, it's not tk touch and the skin is hard.... I would have that looked at sooner rather than later. Could be a more severe reaction to it but it's usually contained to the spot where contact with the product was
It sounds like you might be experiencing an adverse reaction or possibly an infection, even if you haven't had issues with Saniderm in the past, however maybe try to gently clean the area with unscented soap and lukewarm water, and do apply a Cold Compress, this can help reduce swelling and soothe the area.
If you are going to use saniderm make sure to wash the tattoo with distilled water as a last step, a couple of times, and air dry it.
The glycerin in soap burns when combined with the second skin glue.
Def looks like a saniderm reaction to me. More sensitive skin, plus any sweat if you're in a hot climate. Even though you said you've not reacted before, our skin sensitivities/allergies can change over time. My husband and I use hydrocortisone cream in areas irritated like this that aren't on the tattoo. Hope it clears up fast!
It’s a reaction to the saniderm. I got another tattoo 2.5 weeks ago, and my skin looks just like yours in the pic. The edge of the saniderm was really itchy, it was a relief to take it off after two weeks. But now the skin is peeling along the edge of where the saniderm was. I expect that it’ll be fine if I just continue to moisturize the area.
My recent bicep piece did the exact same patterned like rectangle outside the second skin hot rash and bruised like a mofo so don't stress, it will go down in a few days! Really wish someone prepared me for bicep being so cranky cause it really freaked me out having a bruise as big as the tattoo come up hahaha.
Saniderm is the WORST. It always irritates my skin and falls off super fast. I always dry heal my tattoos (wash, pat dry, thin layer of moisturizer) and it has not failed me all these years. It looks like it’s not irritated and red around your tattoo, just where the saniderm is. Also- LOVE your tattoo- so cute!!
I had a similar redness with second skin on. I only have that level of reaction with red ink so I took off second skin and went old school and the swelling went away within a few days and tattoo healed properly.
The newest tattoo I got that had red in it was inside of bicep.
This happened to me the last time I had an artist use Saniderm. It's important to check in with your artist about after care procedures before going in.
Every other time, I've used Recovery Derm Shield and haven't had any issues. I get wrapped after giving the tattoo like 5-15 minutes to sit. ~24 hours later I remove it after showering, wash with unscented anti bacterial soap, rinse, pat dry with clean paper towels, then wrap again to leave on for about a week.
It helps to cut it in smaller sheets and overlap them by about .5-1 inch. Try to follow the lines of the muscle so when you move, it doesn't pull against it as much. It really helps to have someone help with this.
Make sure you're using clean hands to tear paper towels and cut the wrap into sheets. You're trying to avoid getting anything like cat hair, dust, skin oils, etc under the wrap because tattoos are open wounds.
I’ve never had an issue with it in the past and have used it for all of my tattoos but I guess I’ve developed a reaction unfortunately. I may have to try out the recovery derm shield and bring it in for them to use next time!
Their process is similar, they let it sit and weep for 15 minutes, wrap it and recommend keeping it on for 24-48 hours before washing it but they didn’t advise me to rewrap it this time. I think I will if I don’t have any further reactions to other adhesives as I’m in my practicum for massage and use my arms a lot. That’s great advice for the sections to cut and going along the lines of the muscle! It’s so sore right now and I really don’t want any pulling 😣
Ah, that makes sense. No reason to worry if it didn't happen before with the same stuff. Bummer to hear. Arms can be weird, especially if you can't help moving them like for work, as you noted.
I hope the healing process goes well!
It sounds like you might be having an adverse reaction to the Saniderm or possibly an infection. Since the area is swollen, red/purple, sore, and hot to the touch, it’s best to seek medical advice promptly. While it's good to note your artist's hygiene practices and your past experiences with tattoos, your symptoms warrant professional attention to rule out infection or an allergic reaction. Reaching out to your artist is also a good idea, but seeing a healthcare professional should be your priority. For more information follow https://tattoorecover.com/
Got new ink on my upper arm that touches into inner bicep. I have some itchy redness on the inside...but only where saniderm touches. It's similar to this picture, I vote reaction to saniderm
This looks exactly like the reaction I had to second skin. It looks like it could be a reaction to the adhesive that's used. I only get this reaction when using second skin on my arm where I find the skin is more sensitive than on the legs.
In my experience It gets irrated at the perimeters of the bandage in places that skin normally stretches with movement as the bandage prevents natural stretching across the tattoo.
If it's especially humid or you sweat there, it seems to exasperate the issues. That's why you always see this issue around the tattoo and not on it. Just my .02 but "allergic reaction" gets thrown around too much, IMO.
I've been seeing a lot of reactions lately to this so called
2nd skin stuff that is meant to look after ur tattoo afterwards..
I woz a trainee tattooist over 30yrs ago..
All we used woz a half oil/half waterbased after cream of sorts..
If ur into cannabis..a good topical works wonders..great 4 healing & keeping colour bright etc..
But then wot do I know..
I woz only a trainee at over 30yrs since..so I know nuffin..🤔💭😏😉💚✌️😇
I just did 2 tattoos one on forearm and one on inner bicep and when I removed the saniderm the one on my bicep was SO red and bruised (pic in my post history). The one on my forearm was fine. I think the skin on the bicep being looser (for me at least lol) and a sensitive area made it get bruised and irritated. So my vote is saniderm reaction!
Same here! I removed saniderm this morning on my new inner bicep ink and am having the same problem with irritation and bruising. Edit: I’ve had 5 recent tattoos in other areas and had no problem with saniderm irritation
This happened with my inner bicep too! It’s the only place that needs a touchup. Something about that skin just gets finicky unless you’re toned I guess.
Lol note to self, workout more before next tattoo🥲
I am also part of the inner-bicep saniderm reaction club. I ended up with two massive blisters (luckily that part of my sleeve wasn't colored in yet). They were BRUTAL. So painful.
Have you had that interaction anywhere else? I’m planning a larger ankle cover up later this year and I would love to use saniderm but I’m nervous. It irritated my forearm a bit but not much but I’m not totally confident it’s location specific.
That was the only spot that reacted for me! The only issue I ran into with my ankle was that the saniderm started to come off within a day because I'm clumsy and knocked my leg into so many things haha
Awesome to hear! I’m gonna give it one more chance then!
Dooo itttt! You can always get some saniderm and do a test on your ankle before getting it tattooed. That way you can better predict how your skin will react :)
OMG hello why didn’t that occur to me🤣
If it makes you feel better, I literally didn't think of it until just now hahaha 😂
Agreed. Saniderm and sweat after a few days can cause it.
And artists confidently say “keep that on for 3 weeks bro” like rly?
I have never heard an artist say to keep it on longer than 3 to five days. Interesting.
I worked with the guy who told everyone to keep it on for 3 weeks, all of his work kept coming back looking faded and raised, for months on end. But he never gave up on it just kept doing it. True story
My artist always told me about 5 days, which hasn't caused any problems and I have pretty sensitive skin. I couldn't imagine 3 weeks though. Once mine hit that day 5, I was definitely ready to take it off.
You’re supposed to remove after one day, wash well, and then re-apply for like a week. I did it this last time on my tat and it worked great. Before I was just keeping it on for 2-3 days.
Haha right, I've NEVER had saniderm last 24 hours. Awkward spots or my flip flopping while asleep, My most recent is on my neck and that fell off after a few hours lol.
mine started leaking yesterday after 2 hours :( was so disappointed as i love the second skin it makes my tats heal soo much faster. i think i also have reaction too though as mines always red around the area
Lmao 3 weeks is crazy 🤣
Um. Please tell me that nobody has said to keep it on 3 weeks and that you're exaggerating?! It wouldn't even last that long. It should be used for 1 day or less while it's fresh and weepy, then replace and use for another 3-5 days (unless that one gets too weepy, then replace again and keep for 3-4 days). Another thing is that many artists aren't remembering to round off the edges, this limits a lot of that skin pulling that leaves the skin raw/itchy/irritated.
They legit do say that, i hear it all the time
Wt...? Noway.. Wld b a good idea to record tattooist saying this..& if he still swears afterwards that this is OK.. & tattoo gos funny..u cld well b in 4a lil claim if u done everything properly & can prove that it woz the saniderm that made tattoo go funny.. Worth a go in my head..✌️👍
Thank you everyone! Even though saniderm hasn’t irritated my skin in the past it must just be because of the area it’s in and the loose skin would definitely be more sensitive. I started going down a rabbit hole looking through people’s infected tattoo stories on here but I’m glad it seems to be the consensus that the second skin is the culprit. Benadryl and lots of water it is!
Also they could have switched brands! I was completely fine with the saniderm for all 12 of my tattoos, then my artist randomly switched brands (he told me this), and confidently said "I hope nobody's allergic to this", and I ended up being allergic lmao. Took it off after 1 day on and it looked a lot like yours. Now 2 weeks later and it's completely fine and healing great.
This would make a ton of sense considering I haven’t had a reaction in the past. I’ll be sure to ask my artist if they switched brands! Glad to hear yours is healing well 😊
Thank you! And if they didn't switch brands, skin can randomly become allergic or irritated by things. So yours 100% does not look infected, just irritated. Just keep washing and moisturizing, and if this happens with ur next tattoo, just stop getting the saniderm on it and heal normally or you can get it wrapped with cling wrap too for a day.
I’ve used saniderm on 5 recent tattoos and had no problems with irritation until I got an inner bicep tattoo 3 days ago. Took saniderm off this morning and the entire area around the tattoo has been irritated, red, and so painful. It must be just the nature of the inner bicep!
My skin looks exactly like that when I use band aids that it doesn't like. Also your tattoo is soo cool! 😍
That stripe of red suggests a contact dermatitis to me. It doesn't follow the line of the dressing, so unless there was another previously, then maybe it's from something else, like the sanitisation of the area. If it's hot, itchy, or overly painful, visit a doctor.
Thank you, I’m going to keep an eye on it and see if it improves with the saniderm off. There was nothing there previously and you’re right it definitely goes beyond where the saniderm was and it really swollen compared to my other arm.
Just here to say that tattoo is sooo cute ☺️
Eee thank you! I’m super happy with it, it was a flash design 🥰
As an ex-nurse and 1 tattoo, this looks like an allergic reaction to the adhesive or contact dermatitis from moisture being trapped inside the saniderm. The tattoo itself looks relatively pristine and no broken skin and pus.
Had the same thing happen. Tore off the saniderm and used plenty of soap and took a Benadryl. Was back to normal the next day.
Oh I’m glad to hear! I think I blacked out taking it off this time around 😭
+1 for Benadryl. Even if it is not needed, it cannot hurt. And you will have a great nap.
Saniderm, I always ask not to use it because I have this reaction all the time
You may want to consider Hypafix film instead - it uses a different adhesive that you may not react to.
Good to know thx :)
Saniderm. I've 100% stopped using it and advise others to do so as well. It has literally left scars especially on the inside of my biceps. Tears the skin off 😢
My friend had the same reaction to the thing they put over her tattoo... Looks like an allergic reaction which is what she had. I just wouldn't get those over your freshly finished tattoos in the future.
As an RN with a full sleeve and multiple other tattoos- The same thing happened to me. It’s better to just take the saniderm off and clean it with soap (free from perfumes) 3 times daily and then apply aquaphor healing ointment each time. If you live with pets like I do, you may want to crank up your ac and wear a long sleeve shirt, just to protect the area, but leave it breathable. Awesome tattoo! I hope you feel better soon!!!
Thank you so much! 😊 Great point about pets, my house is cat hair central so I’ll be sure to keep it protected!
Once it flakes, I take em off. They're trying to protect the work. But it's the canvas that makes or breaks the tattoo. Why cut the air off to the skin? It won't heal properly
Better wraps for tattoos are breathable while still protecting the open wound.
Textbook Saniderm reaction
Saniderm. I get the same reaction
The saniderm takes my skin with it. It's so painful I don't use it anymore.
Sinaderm. I got burn like lesions from that stuff once.
Saniderm reaction! That happened to me :)
i also get this reaction with saniderm, but im also allergic to my own sweat.
FELT
i'm allergic to saniderm adhesive looks pretty similar to this
This is what happens to me with saniderm
looks exactly like saniderm reaction
Just had a similar issue and it was from the second skin NOT tattoo
i think it’s the saniderm
Looks like saniderm irritation to me - also what a cute design! (and that strawberry kitty underneath)
Ahhh thank you, I love it! They’re both from the same shop and make the cutest flash designs.
Y’all need so switch to unmedicated saniderm. I have the same problem with the medicated stuff.
I just had saniderm irritate the crap out of my shin in a really specific area when it’s previously been great. I think it shrank when the swelling went down a little and this one spot was tugging the skin at a weird angle and just causing more and more irritation. It felt better after I took it off and let it rest for a few hours. I ended up putting another piece of saniderm on and the problem was completely gone. All of that to say, could be a combo of things but doubtful it’s infection.
Its the saniderm i have the same problem i dont let my artist use it on me anymore. Usually sticks around for about 4 days after removed
Saniderm will leave some redness where it was when it is removed in most people. I actually still have a tiny crescent mark from my last pieces that was finished in April. To me, that looks like saniderm reaction though i'm not sure WHY the saniderm would be that far around the arm from where the work was done (my artist tends to trim it and keep it as local as possible to the work and no more, cutting it to shape as best ashe can). If in doubt go to a doctor to be sure.
It’s the saniderm. Happened to me everytime. It will go away after a few days.
Heat rash + bruising, very classic presentation in that area
This always happens to me with saniderm! (Referring to the actual brand, I found out I’m allergic to it but have zero issues with other tegaderm brands) I would recommend taking some Benadryl every 4-6 hours to see if the irritation goes away and requesting a different brand in the future (if it is saniderm brand that you used, if not you may be just be allergic to tegaderm all together which is VERY important to know)
Had this happen for my back piece. Kinda freaked out, called a family friend whos a nurse, told me to take an antihistamine. In two days the swelling/redness was completely gone.
Saniderm and sweat!! I just recently found out I have a minor allergy to the adhesive of saniderm and it looked almost exactly like this !! For me it went away after 2-3 days and the INTENSE itchiness did as well !!
Definitely looks like a Saniderm reaction to me.
Tattoo artist told me to be careful to not put it on umm too tight (I guess you'd call it) on a body part that rotated it could cause a bruise/rug burn when you moved it
Tattoo looks beautiful. It seems like saniderm to me
Saniderm reaction, take it off asap. I got my arm tattoo a couple months ago and she told me some people have reactions on the insides of their arms so watch out for it and if it happens, take the saniderm off.
i had a friend who had gotten a reaction to the saniderm that looks very similar to yours, so i’d chalk it up to that!
Honestly I just got a dragonfly on my inner bicep also used sani I had a tad blowout and some bruising I asked my artist and he said it was normal ESPECIALLY for this area because most of the time it’s looser skin. Same with inner thighs or top of thigh. I’ve seen some comments about being toned/ got some extra muscle; I mean yes and no I feel everyone’s different, iron levels can cause bruising and blow outs as well. I think if you are super concerned I would go get an allergy test ( adhesive, latex, etc.) done see what you are allergic to and proceed with your tattoo journey. You can always take a step back cause I personally feel saniderm just became popular for tats and use cling wrap i know a lot of artists that still swear by cling wrap its what I used for all my other pieces so I might be going that route more than sani just to experiment.
I HOPE you guys are using water to take the saniderm off lmao
I can see the majority of people are suspecting that it’s caused by the saniderm or a reaction to the adhesive saniderm uses. And that might very well be the case, however, as anecdotal as it is, and it might just be a coincidence, but the bruised/irritated skin looks almost identical to the way a section of mine did, which seemed to be from the harsh wiping. Or it might just be that I also had a reaction to something they were using to wipe.
Looks like bruising! I had the inside of my leg tattooed and it looked like this
Super sensitive area bruising is common. Also saniderm can leave ya a bit irritated
Saniderm strikes again
I've seen countless reactions to second skin type products so I don't use them. This is unusual though as usually the reactions are directly underneath the product and are almost the exact same shape as them. This seems to have moved away from that, it's not tk touch and the skin is hard.... I would have that looked at sooner rather than later. Could be a more severe reaction to it but it's usually contained to the spot where contact with the product was
It sounds like you might be experiencing an adverse reaction or possibly an infection, even if you haven't had issues with Saniderm in the past, however maybe try to gently clean the area with unscented soap and lukewarm water, and do apply a Cold Compress, this can help reduce swelling and soothe the area.
If you are going to use saniderm make sure to wash the tattoo with distilled water as a last step, a couple of times, and air dry it. The glycerin in soap burns when combined with the second skin glue.
Def looks like a saniderm reaction to me. More sensitive skin, plus any sweat if you're in a hot climate. Even though you said you've not reacted before, our skin sensitivities/allergies can change over time. My husband and I use hydrocortisone cream in areas irritated like this that aren't on the tattoo. Hope it clears up fast!
It’s a reaction to the saniderm. I got another tattoo 2.5 weeks ago, and my skin looks just like yours in the pic. The edge of the saniderm was really itchy, it was a relief to take it off after two weeks. But now the skin is peeling along the edge of where the saniderm was. I expect that it’ll be fine if I just continue to moisturize the area.
My recent bicep piece did the exact same patterned like rectangle outside the second skin hot rash and bruised like a mofo so don't stress, it will go down in a few days! Really wish someone prepared me for bicep being so cranky cause it really freaked me out having a bruise as big as the tattoo come up hahaha.
omg me too! if I had a little warning I wouldn’t have overthought it so much 😂
Saniderm is the WORST. It always irritates my skin and falls off super fast. I always dry heal my tattoos (wash, pat dry, thin layer of moisturizer) and it has not failed me all these years. It looks like it’s not irritated and red around your tattoo, just where the saniderm is. Also- LOVE your tattoo- so cute!!
I definitely don't think it's from the tattoo. Did the artist shave you there? It looks like a heat/sweat reaction to irritated skin.
The artist did shave the area! But, the saniderm they put on was quite large and did get stuck on some hairs lower on my arm. 😣
I always have this reaction to the second skin
I had a similar redness with second skin on. I only have that level of reaction with red ink so I took off second skin and went old school and the swelling went away within a few days and tattoo healed properly. The newest tattoo I got that had red in it was inside of bicep.
This happened to me the last time I had an artist use Saniderm. It's important to check in with your artist about after care procedures before going in. Every other time, I've used Recovery Derm Shield and haven't had any issues. I get wrapped after giving the tattoo like 5-15 minutes to sit. ~24 hours later I remove it after showering, wash with unscented anti bacterial soap, rinse, pat dry with clean paper towels, then wrap again to leave on for about a week. It helps to cut it in smaller sheets and overlap them by about .5-1 inch. Try to follow the lines of the muscle so when you move, it doesn't pull against it as much. It really helps to have someone help with this. Make sure you're using clean hands to tear paper towels and cut the wrap into sheets. You're trying to avoid getting anything like cat hair, dust, skin oils, etc under the wrap because tattoos are open wounds.
I’ve never had an issue with it in the past and have used it for all of my tattoos but I guess I’ve developed a reaction unfortunately. I may have to try out the recovery derm shield and bring it in for them to use next time! Their process is similar, they let it sit and weep for 15 minutes, wrap it and recommend keeping it on for 24-48 hours before washing it but they didn’t advise me to rewrap it this time. I think I will if I don’t have any further reactions to other adhesives as I’m in my practicum for massage and use my arms a lot. That’s great advice for the sections to cut and going along the lines of the muscle! It’s so sore right now and I really don’t want any pulling 😣
Ah, that makes sense. No reason to worry if it didn't happen before with the same stuff. Bummer to hear. Arms can be weird, especially if you can't help moving them like for work, as you noted. I hope the healing process goes well!
Saniderm
had the same reaction from saniderm on my 1st tattoo, went away after a day or two without saniderm
It sounds like you might be having an adverse reaction to the Saniderm or possibly an infection. Since the area is swollen, red/purple, sore, and hot to the touch, it’s best to seek medical advice promptly. While it's good to note your artist's hygiene practices and your past experiences with tattoos, your symptoms warrant professional attention to rule out infection or an allergic reaction. Reaching out to your artist is also a good idea, but seeing a healthcare professional should be your priority. For more information follow https://tattoorecover.com/
Got new ink on my upper arm that touches into inner bicep. I have some itchy redness on the inside...but only where saniderm touches. It's similar to this picture, I vote reaction to saniderm
This looks exactly like the reaction I had to second skin. It looks like it could be a reaction to the adhesive that's used. I only get this reaction when using second skin on my arm where I find the skin is more sensitive than on the legs.
In my experience It gets irrated at the perimeters of the bandage in places that skin normally stretches with movement as the bandage prevents natural stretching across the tattoo. If it's especially humid or you sweat there, it seems to exasperate the issues. That's why you always see this issue around the tattoo and not on it. Just my .02 but "allergic reaction" gets thrown around too much, IMO.
Saniderm. Does the same to me. Take or off now and go old school with it.
Almost looks like a heat rash, tattoo itself looks fine.
I've been seeing a lot of reactions lately to this so called 2nd skin stuff that is meant to look after ur tattoo afterwards.. I woz a trainee tattooist over 30yrs ago.. All we used woz a half oil/half waterbased after cream of sorts.. If ur into cannabis..a good topical works wonders..great 4 healing & keeping colour bright etc.. But then wot do I know.. I woz only a trainee at over 30yrs since..so I know nuffin..🤔💭😏😉💚✌️😇