saline tattoo removal aftercare

Saline Tattoo Removal Healing and Aftercare Advice

Written by: Lisa Henning

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Published:

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Time to read 9 min

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Saline Tattoo Removal Aftercare

These aftercare instructions are specific to treatments using Botched Ink saline tattoo removal lightening serum. Please DO NOT follow this advice if your technician used salt and saline or any other brand of saline tattoo removal, Botched Ink saline solution works differently, and has a simple healing process


Please read the Botched Ink aftercare instructions to prevent complications, and achieve optimum results for your microblading or permanent makeup removal

The Drying Phase

First 48 hours:


After your technician has completed a saline removal treatment, the area is already drying out, with no weeping or bleeding . It’s important that you allow the skin to fully dry during the next 48 hours, no sweating or washing the area, and definitely no skin creams of any kind!


Drying out skin like this prevents any irritation or inflammation and will catch more lifted pigment in the dry skin scab, keep the skin in good condition, even improving any scarring. For lip liner treatments, during this drying phase keep lip movements small and to a minimum!


Any redness subsides or dries out within a few hours. Ideally do not touch the area for 48 hours, or with exceptionally clean hands. A Botched Ink saline tattoo scab can just look like dried out skin, don't expect visible thick scabbing with our saline solution


It is very important you follow all saline tattoo removal aftercare instructions to prevent complications

The Scab Phase

After 48 hours:


The treated area is now very dry, and a dried out skin scab will have formed, you might visibly see pigment in the scab! To make the scabbing process look and feel nicer, we can begin to use our prescribed aftercare, Cavilon barrier cream for good and faster healing


USE ONE SINGLE APPLICATION of Cavilon cream , the size of a rice grain per brow, on and slightly around the scab. This single application will last for 3 to 4 days, leaving a soft film over the skin. Use too much and you’ll get a soggy scab and we don’t want that!


If you don't have Cavilon cream or film, please don't use anything else. Most other products are unsuitable to use on a scab, and we need a scab to form to pull out the unwanted pigment. Tattoo aftercare or vitamin e oil would cause problems rather a good and faster healing after a Botched Ink treatment, though may be recommended with other products or treatments


Now you can get the scab a little wet when washing and use a shower spray, though do avoid excessively wetting or rubbing the area. While the scab remains firmly attached, leave it! Gentle daily bathing the treated area will help naturally move things along


There is no need for additional aftercare like vitamin e oil, this is because Botched Ink does not cause irritation or inflammation during the removal process of microblading or permanent makeup. Many other types of saline tattoo removal do


Do not disrupt the scabbing process. If you attempt to remove the scab before it naturally heals away from the treated area. If you pick off a scab too soon, the skin beneath will still be raw and you’ll have an open wound! This is much harder to manage and may need medical advice and vitamin e oil on any redness or scarring


Because Botched Ink is a gentle treatment and healing, you'll be able to have new permanent makeup or microblading sooner than if there were a prolonged healing

Skin Prone to Hyperpigmentation

For those prone to hyperpigmentation, follow ‘The Drying Phase’ advice. After 48 hours the scab and surrounding skin must NOT be allowed to dry out or hyperpigmentation can occur. Re-apply a tiny rice grain sized amount of Cavilon cream every 2 or 3 days until skin returns to a normal colour

The Healing Process

Post scabbing and in-between treatments


Nothing is real for the first 0-8 weeks as the treated area becomes completely healed. After a saline tattoo removal treatment the milky colored healing skin clouds over old pigment, this means it may initially look like more pigment has been removed than actually has


Once the scabbing has naturally healed away, be conscious to treat the area gently, you could trigger the skin to over heal and get sore! No makeup, exfoliating, excessive sun exposure, sun creams or skin creams containing actives, some of these boost skin turnover which would make freshly healed skin sore


Botched Ink removal treatments are gentle when compared to other types of saline removal or laser tattoo removal. After the initial treatment you'll feel much more confident, knowing what to expect, when you


We'd also advise no chemical peels or hot tubs until at least 6 weeks after a treatment, when the healing and aftercare process has completed, but at this time you're also ready for another saline removal or lightening session

The Removal Process

Removing, improving or lightening pigment is a correction process which may take several sessions. After 3 treatments we’ll have a better idea how easily the pigment is removing and begin to plan a new permanent cosmetic procedure after your final saline treatment


Pigment can look darker before it gets lighter, this is because the pigment is being flushed up and out of your skin, ready for the next lightening session. Mature or saturated tattoos may initially respond slowly as we wake up the skin, and pigment misplaced in the deeper levels begins to surface


Brown pigment is made up of black, red, yellow, white and green. Black usually removes first, this can reveal other colours not previously seen. Brows can look warmer during the process if they contained red pigment

There's No Guarantee

Tattoo removal is a treatment with many variables, it can be a long process as only a percentage of the unwanted pigment is extracted each session. How much tattoo pigment is removed, or how many sessions are needed during the correction process, cannot be known or guaranteed. Complete tattoo removal may not be possible with saline tattoo removal, or indeed with laser removal


Failure to follow all aftercare instructions, or any additional personal advice given, may reduce the effect of the treatment, or result in undesirable problems such as hyperpigmentation, scarring, infection or inflammation

Problems During Healing

In the unlikely event you do not have an easy healing process, your technician cannot offer medical advice, however we, as the owners and developers of Botched Ink, can offer additional advice


If the advice below isn't what you need, or you need further support, you can message @botchedink directly on  Instagram  or  Facebook  , or use any of the contact forms on our website. If it's an out of hours emergency, you will be notified and given our emergency phone number

Swollen Eyes a Day or Two After an Eyebrow Treatment

This can be a reaction for people who often swell post treatment, or get a lot of that clear liquid coming out of a wound. It can be alarming, but it's not typically anything to worry about


Botched Ink causes the skin to dry out so fully and so quickly, that the bodies natural healing response, lymph and swelling, has no escape route other than to swell the eyes. The swelling will be reabsorbed by the body over the next 12-24 hours. During this time it's advisable to be cautious with any food sensitivities as your immune system may be heightened


If you're a hay fever sufferer who typically needs additional medical support, it's best to wait until after hay fever season for your next treatment

Treated Area has Become Wet, Red or Sore

Botched Ink has been formulated to dry out skin in a matter of hours. Your technician will have made sure this has started, with no wetness on the skin as you leave their salon or clinic. You're advised during 'The Drying Phase' to allow the area to fully dry out for the next 48 hours


It's worth remembering that your skin has been saturated with a specially formulated salt solution, and salt is not only a preservative, but it's drying properties prevent bacteria growing


It is very important when healing your skin after a Botched Ink treatment, that the above aftercare is read carefully. If you used unsuitable products on the treated area during the healing phase, this is most likely the cause of wet, red or sore skin


If this is allowed to continue the skin may begin an overgrowth of new sore skin, a granuloma, which is difficult to improve without medical intervention


It's very tempting to keep apply cream to red or sore skin, but this is also likely to make matters worse, especially if the scab is still attached. You must allow the area to fully dry out, cleaning with a saline solution, one that you might use for cleaning piercings. Wet gently pat dry with a clean paper towel. Keep the area exceptionally clean


Once the skin has fully healed, resume gentle care for the skin. You may need to use a scar repair cream if the area was wet, red or sore for any length of time, as residual redness may take up to six months to normalise


The only allergy risk with Botched Ink is if you're allergic to aloe vera, and your technician will have covered this during your initial consultation and client forms. However there is a risk you can have a reaction to the tattoo pigment, see next section

Treated Area Feels Itchy, Maybe also with Little Bumps

This is the start of a reaction, most likely to the tattoo pigment. Pigment that's been safely held in the skin, still degrades over time, and tattoo removal is releasing the pigment from its safe place. This is slightly different from a pigment allergy, as you would have experienced that when you first had the microblading or permanent makeup


The reaction is most likely the bodies histamine response and it's probably around 6 weeks after your treatment. You need to stop the histamine reaction within a few days, otherwise your urge to scratch the itch can cause even more problems, especially if you start applying the wrong kinds of cream


You stop a histamine reaction by taking anti-histamine tablets, take a full 14 days dose to be sure. Only use a histamine cream if the skin is still fully intact

Booking your Next Treatment

A second treatment can be carried out after 8 weeks, a third after 12 weeks. Please don't rush your skin, it needs to settle. Further treatments are assessed on a case-by-case basis depending on how your skin has healed during the process


You will notice continued lightening over the weeks and months between session, and maintaining the quality of your skin is our ultimate goal, especially if you're looking to have another permanent cosmetic procedure

After my first treatment, my eyebrows are even darker than before! What’s happened?

Oh, this is a good thing! Pigment that was deeper in your skin has now surfaced, enabling more to remove after the next treatment. You may also see the color correcting as the tattoo fades, and the desired result may just be to lighten the permanent makeup or microblading

How Many Sessions to Achieve Optimum Results?

During your initial consultation we take a thorough history of your tattoo, how many treatments and top ups you’ve had, when was the last treatment etc. This helps me understand your tattoo and skin better and advise. As a guide, we always recommend a client mentally and financially commits to a course of 3 treatments, then we can assess how easily the pigment is removing and form the next plan

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Lisa Henning owner of Botched Ink saline solution

The Author: Lisa Henning

Lisa Henning is the owner and developer of Botched Ink, an industry leading saline removal brand offering comprehensive training, online and in-person, and our exclusive Botched Ink® saline removal solution. Contact Lisa directly on Instagram, Facebook, or by Email