Removing Second Skin Without Hurting Yourself (AKA How to Remove Saniderm)

Sarah Micheletti

Aug. 14, 2025

Client Experience

Health And Wellness

Artist Resources

Second skin, also known as Saniderm, Tegaderm, Dermalize, Derma Shield, or Tatu-Derm, has become the healing method of choice for certain artists and clients who aren't allergic. An easy way to feel more protected during the healing process, it usually goes peachy until it's time to take it off 😬

Disclaimer: I personally have done both traditional and saniderm aftercare but am not a tattoo artist, and you should always follow your artist's aftercare instructions rather than the internet. Internet = decent resource, tattoo artist = expert. This is not medical advice.

How-to properly, safely, and easily remove second skin: Video format

How-to properly, safely, and easily remove second skin: Written format

After your second skin has on for the number of days prescribed by your artist (on average 3 days), it's time to plan for a warm, everything-shower kind of day 🧖

1. Make sure the shower is warm but not hot or scalding. We're trying to loosen up the adhesive but not apply extreme heat to your sensitive, open wound skin.
2. Go through your entire shower routine before getting to the second skin. This gives time for the warm water to loosen the adhesive and makes sure you won't be getting any product (hair, body, otherwise) into your open wound.
3. Begin by gently picking at the edge of the second skin.
4. Gently pull on the material like a command strip, NOT LIKE A BAND AID. Pull in the opposite direction of where the rest of it is attached. Take your time on this step, putting it back into the warm water as-needed. Go slowly, do not rush.
5. Wash gently with anti-bacterial, unscented soap. The most gentle soap you can find, using the most gentle movements. No matter how careful you are, your skin might be a tad irritated from the adhesive, but throughout all steps, you should be as gentle as possible. There may still be adhesive stuck to non-tattooed areas of the skin. It seems to depend on the batch, but recently more folks have reported online dealing with extra sticky adhesive. Don't fret, this should naturally come off within a few days. We don't recommend scrubbing aggressively, give it time instead.
6. Blot or dab dry with a paper towel or perfectly clean and sanitary wash cloth. Emphasis on drying it with something super sanitary.
7. Apply an unscented, fragrance free lotion to moisturize and follow any other aftercare instructions from your artist.

Patience and pulling like a command strip are key to a gentle removal. Good luck, and happy healing 💕

Questions? Comments? We don’t have the fancy ability to do that on the blog yet, but feel free to email us or DM on insta @mindyourink 👋