Do you have a favorite aftercare product for healing a new tattoo? If you do, take the poll! If your favorite product isn't on the list, please choose "other" and leave a comment below and tell us what you prefer to use!
Opinion Poll: What's Your Favorite Tattoo Aftercare Product?
From Karen L. Hudson, About.com GuideMay 20, 2007
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Comments
We use the advice given by Dr. Kris Sperry of Atlanta, Georgia. He composed the original Blood Borne Pathogen course for APT years ago.
Plain white lotion with no fragrance, no aloe. Available anywhere, inexpensive. Give your client the 89 cent travel size available at Walmart. Curel or Lubriderm travel sizes available. (yeah, GIVE them this….you just made a nice chunk of change on their tattoo, right?)
Hey, just heard from a tourist client that her ‘tattooer’ back home told her to use MAYONNAISE on her tattoo!!! Wonder who trained him….Bozo??
In my opinion I’d wait 5 day’s before using lotion. Lotions have been known to draw in bacteria. I’d use Bacitracin or A&D in VARY thin amount’s 3 times a day as needed for the first 5 day’s, then lubriderm lotion until healed!
The guy that I got my tattoo from recommended Bag Balm for the tattoo.
The guy that I got my tattoo from recommended Bag Balm for the tattoo.
After trial and error my husband and I have discovered that a rotation of Bacitracin, Corn Huskers and vitamin E oil (tiny amounts) work best for us. We seem to heal faster, have less scabbing and lose less ink.
At our shop we’ve discovered Tattoo Serum – it is a purified emu oil product. It has no odor, no color and is healing tattoos in days. Check it out http://www.tattooserum.com.
At our shop we’ve discovered Tattoo Serum – it is a purified emu oil product. It has no odor, no color and is healing tattoos in days. Check it out http://www.tattooserum.com.
At our shop we’ve discovered Tattoo Serum – it is a purified emu oil product. It has no odor, no color and is healing tattoos in days. Check it out http://www.tattooserum.com.
The guy I got my first tattoo form actually told me to just let it “dry out” for the first two weeks. He said it loses less color that way. However, after about a week, it started to scab severely, so I asked one of the girls at Custom Tattoos For The Soul on 6th street what she thought I should do. She just told me to put some unscented lotion on it whenever it got really dry and to NEVER EVER PICK AT IT OR SCRATCH IT.
Unscented soap and warm water several times a day for about three days, followed by a very very very light application of plain, unscented lotion. Nothing fancy.
I don’t do anything to mine for the first day. Then I use a thin amount of Aquaphor (diaper rash ointment – pretty cheap) for a couple days. It’s better than using A&D or any other ointment because it’s meant for very sensitive skin and is WATER-BASED. After that I use unscented lotion. I found it’s best to always have a small amount of lotion on it for about a week to reduce scabbing and ink loss (not too much though or it will pull the ink out). My tattoos always heal completely in about a week and I hardly ever lose ink
I’ve alway used preperation H yea I know
what it’s really for but it hasan antibacterial agent issoothing has something for pain, swelling and itch..it’s been healing my work for years
Tattoo Boost seems to be the best. It really makes the skin soft, but best of all, it makes my faded ink shine like new. The formulation is has a nice consistency, is not greasy or filmy at all. The colors on my tattoo come alive almost instantly. It’s a good deal too, and the tube lasts for a long time. Check it out at
half of these products are unsafe for latex allergy sufferers they calim to be safe but a few exapmles of the products that can be harmful to latex allergy sufferers or even deadly in some cases are ..h2 ocean,tattoo goo,mirical lotion tattoo tonic and regular skin lotions like jergens the ingedient that you have to look for is dimethicome or silicone which both are latex..be safe…read lables
I use Tattoo Potion it is a great product its made by a real FDA approved manufacture its water based and helped me heal faster with little peeling. It had all the vitamins also
i went to http://www.tattoopotion.com
I was pretty happy with tattoo tonic because it was mild and the oil is natural and doesn’t just cover up. It didn’t affect my color and I had a very large I got it at a tatoo show so I’m not sure if you can get it everywhere.
I just found this great product when i was in Cali called Tatoopotion it works great for my tat aftercare and i saw they have a sunsreen to keep it from fading.
we recommend washing with satin antimicrobial soap and tattoo serum to all of our clients. we’ve used a number of products in the past, but these two are the best by far
I ve had 2 new tatts in the past 3 weeks and my tat guy sold me some h20cean ,I used A&D and washed 3 times a day with warm water and anti bacteria soap for the first 3 days then as soon as I used the H2Ocean it drew the ink right out of my tattoos while I slept and both are ruined now I have to wait for them to heal to have them fixed does anyone know if this H2ocean could be a bad batch or my skin is just not reacting well to it .
I stopped using right away and went to my tattoo guy and he said just let it totally dry out and let it heal any thoughts .
The rest of my family and I swear by bag balm. I know some artists say not to use it but my tat looks great and so does all the other peoples I know that used it. It heals much faster with bag balm and it’s a cheap product.
TATTOO TONIC!! definitely. Petroleum products just cover up. This one you can feel difference.
I’ve felt the most confident with Lubriderm and with no ointments at all. I have used A & D in the past on a small black & gray with no problems, however now, and with color especially, (the inks coming from different and varied sources), I feel it is a safer and very effective method to use a light coat of Lubriderm only, from the beginning to the end of healing.
I always put baby oil on my skin after showering. Is this bad for my new tats?
Lubriderm and baby oil are not good for tattoos imho. Baby oil is mineral oil…not good. My tattoo artist says petroleum shouldnt be used for healing a tattoo but are good for keeping skin soft and moist after healing.
Hi,
I have a 5 year old tattoo and another one 1 year old.. should I continue applying baby oil after bathing?
I tell my clients to use A&D for 24-48 hours while washing with antibacterial soap and warm water 3-4 times a day. The following 24 hours Dont put anything except to wash it… after that unscented lotion for the next few weeks until its done scabbing. I find that this method speeds the scabbing time down to 1-2 weeks on average and for me personally 3-4 days.
I’ve always just used A+D first aid ointment. I’ve used it on very large color tattoos all the way down to smaller gray scale pieces. I have to call Bs on the “color leeching” theory. I’ve never had a tattoo that looked any different from the day I got it. I’ve always applied some soap via patting when I shower (don’t let the shower hit it directly) patted it dry, and applied a+d also by patting it on and gently rubbing it in,followed by a quick patting with tissue to remove the excess ointment. Personally I think theres way too much hysteria about tattoo care. Follow what your artist says(unless the artist is a nonprofessional and you got it done by a buddy,which I would never recommend,there’s a reason why he’s not a professional,splurge a bit and make sure you don’t get a jail house tattoo)
I’ve had good results with Neosporin, A&D, heard good things about Aquaphor, (also petroleum based, by the way.) I’ve tried Curel which was horrible! I’ll never use it again. I’ve also tried Neutrogena oil free moisturizer, not great.
For my newest tattoo, though, i am using only Tat Wax, and i am LOVING it!!! It is canola oil based, contains many oils, emollients, and vitamins, and just a touch of aloe vera. The Japanese use oils to care for their tattoos, so it makes sense. Totally in love with Tat Wax right now! No scabbing or loss of color at all.