# How do you guys protect your fresh tattoo's from contact on shift?



## chriso (Jun 18, 2013)

Finishing up one of my sleeves and have my shifts coming up on the weekend, I'm wondering how you guys protect your fresh tats from the nasty S*** out there on shift? I know saran wrap is a breeding ground for bacteria. Just trying to figure out some options.


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## ExpatMedic0 (Jun 18, 2013)

Remember, they often keep bleeding or oozing for hours, maybe even a a full day. I would not go to work under any circumstances in the first 12 hours with out them bandaged and covered. Everything is still an open wound, just ready for outside invaders to hop in. After The first day I would wear a long sleeve duty shirt for sure. Do not keep a bandage or saran wrap on them for more than the first 24 hours from my understanding. Do not re bandage!  Follow your tattooist care instructions. Keep them covered with clothing and protected from the sun, and from all the work related fluids and diseases you will encounter. Wash them with soap and water often. 


I have 2 full sleeves myself but I have never been on duty immediately after getting a lot of work done which is exposed. When I have been to work, its been some days after the tattoos, I keep them covered with long sleeve shirt and lots of non-scented lotion.


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## Mariemt (Jun 18, 2013)

I would tape fresh dry gauze over it and wear clothing over it on top of not going to work until it is scabbed over.


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## joycarlaina (Jun 20, 2013)

Keep it wrapped with gauze.  Make sure you're changing it often enough, too.


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## Handsome Robb (Jun 20, 2013)

I wear a compression sleeve on my arm. When it's fresh usually Vaseline gauze so it doesn't tear it to pieces when I remove it and a thing kling wrap job works well.

My artist said Saran Wrap under the compression sleeve changed q4-6 hrs with a rock solid wash during changing. Worked but was kinda a pain, of course we got a p1 working arrest in the middle of my re bandaging. :wacko:

A long sleeved uniform shirt would be much better than the compression sleeve. Still waiting on my uni shirts to show up.


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## Cleric (Jun 21, 2013)

This is one of the reasons I avoided getting sleeves, and instead went for the torso wrap around. Trying to deal with the s*** (literally and figuratively) we get daily, trying to nurse a giant wound on my arms would drive me crazy.

I might actually consider one of the Vaseline occlusive dressings with gauze over top. I haven't tried it, but it just popped into my head with the conversation.


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