Recommended SHIELD aftercare instructions

Northern Shield is your tattoo's best defence against a poor heal.

Here is our full, step-by-step instructions for our recommended application and usage for adhesive aftercare products.

Upon completion of your tattoo, the area should be thoroughly cleaned of all soap residue and sterilized before applying any derm product.

Soap residue or bacteria trapped underneath a derm can cause irritation, infection or allergic reactions.

Many clients who experience irritation or suspected allergies have had soap residue adhered to their skin for a prolonged period.

Once the surface is thoroughly cleaned and sterilized (we recommend any medical antiseptic “wound wash” type product) it is ideal to clean the surrounding area with alcohol then to ensure the surrounding skin is dry and free from any natural oils or soap residue.

This will further ensure perfect adhesion by drying out the skin surface.

To apply the product, remove the paper backing from one edge and affix the adhesive directly to the dry, clean skin.

Using this anchor point, peel the remaining paper baking off and press the entire derm firmly to the skin. Once the derm is affixed to the skin, you may peel the top transparent, plastic layer off in an outwards, downward fashion.

Do not peel the top layer off, upwards and away from the skin, as this may lift the edges of the product. Smooth out the applied derm firmly to ensure a full contact adhesion.

In the first 12 to 48 hours of healing, there may be a large volume of fluid buildup; this is normal for any wound.

Our Northern shield has a textured weave to minimize fluid migration and leaking; however, large volumes of fluid, typical on lower limbs, larger tattoos or clients who experience more fluid buildup, may still cause the bandage to leak.

We recommend, to prevent excessive fluid buildup and potential leaking, to change your Derm once within the initial 12 to 48 hours.

Derm should then remain in place for the entire healing process. This is typically 7 to 10 days.

Removing your aftercare early is not recommended and can lead to residual adhesive remaining on the skin. Do not remove in a hot or warm shower, as this will soften, our unique, thermo-resistant adhesive and can, also, cause the adhesive to remain on the skin after removal.

Should the product leak at any stage, the bandage is no longer effective in shielding your tattoo from harmful bacteria. it is imperative that the Derm is removed and re-applied should this happen.

As with all products, even though SHIELD's adhesive is hypoallergenic, there is the potential for irritation or allergies; as such, we recommend a trial patch for clients new to using this product to heal their tattoos.

Irritation and apparent allergic reactions are often caused by soap, bacteria, or petroleum-based products being trapped underneath the Shield; however, should reactions occur, we recommend removing the product and continuing with regular traditional aftercare. Never use topical numbing agents with SHIELD as this can cause a severe reaction.

As with all wound healing, should you feel that the area has been exposed to harmful bacteria or contracted an infection, seek professional medical attention.

The residual adhesive may be removed from a healed surface by firmly rubbing the area with an oil-based lotion such as bio oil or coconut oil.

FAQ

There is fluid leaking out underneath, what should I do?

Should the product leak at any stage, the bandage can no longer shield your tattoo from harmful bacteria. it is imperative that the Derm is removed and re-applied should this happen.

How long do I leave it on for?

We recommend keeping your tattoo shielded for at least 7 to 10 days to ensure that the wound is fully healed before removal.

Removing your shield early may result in residual adhesive on the skin, or tattooed area.

There is adhesive stuck to my skin, what do I do?

Ideally, this will not occur if you keep the product on for the recommended timeframe and remove it as recommended; However, on occasion, there is residual adhesive. This can be removed with any oil-based moisturizing product such as bio-oil or coconut oil and firmly rubbing the healed area.

Residual adhesive will also wear off over time; don't worry, it won't be there forever, but your perfectly healed tattoo will be.

What is the best way to take it off?

Once your tattoo is fully healed, removing your shield after 7 to 10 days should not hurt more than removing a regular band-aid.

We recommend you grit your teeth and pull it off gently and smoothly.

We don't recommend soaking the bandage in a shower or bathtub prior to removal to "soften the adhesive" as this may work with other brands but as SHIELD has a , unique, thermo-resistant adhesive, how water or air can cause additional adhesive to stick to your skin, which is a nuisance to deal with.

Can I shower, bath, hot tub, swim or exercise with this type of aftercare?

Yes, not really, no, no, kinda?

While this type of adhesive is splash proof, we don't recommend pushing your luck. Showering is perfectly fine, but soaking the area for a prolonged time will likely result in water migrating under the bandage, in which case it will have to be removed, cleaned, sterilised and have a fresh layer re-applied.

As for exercise, honestly, it depends on how sweaty you get. Your skin underneath the derm won't magically stop sweating just because you have a bandage on, so getting yourself in a hot mess can create a bit of a swamp under there.

If you feel this will be an issue for you, and we trust that you know your body and how much you are likely to sweat, then we would recommend that you stick to weights or have a few days off from the high intensity workouts.