Best post tattoo care?

[Lochlan]

So I know there are lots of myths out there for tattoo after care, so I would like to open up the discussion to what has worked for you? Every bodies chemistry is unique so lets hear it.......

About three to four hours after getting tattooed I wash my new tattoo with warm water and soap then until it heals I use non-scented, no vitamins Eucerin Lotion. This is the equation that I have learned works best on my body after many attempts and this heals quickest.

Edited September 13, 2010 by Lochlan

[Jake]

Drench the fresh tattoo in Neosporin as soon as the artist finishes. Hahahaha just kidding.

For reals though Aquaphor is the shit. It's made by Eucerin- the same company Lochlan is recommending lotion from- but it has more of a consistency of Vaseline than lotion. I do the standard wash a couple hours after (I've found the exact time isn't crucial to the healing process for me so don't sweat it if you rinse off 6 hours later or 2 hours later) and then apply a thin layer of Aquaphor. It'll look really funky about an hour after application so I usually take that as a cue to dab off the excess with a clean paper towel. Then just reapply as necessary. Personally, it makes my scabs much thinner and flakier and less likely to get infected/stick/fall out.

Basically, use this:

to get colors like this:

PS - Tattoo by Scott Sylvia 2010

Edited September 13, 2010 by Jake
Tattoo credit added

[Gia Dobson]

I wash my new tattoo several hours later with mild soap then let it air dry and depending on size will sometimes put a small amount of antibiotic ointment on it for the first day. After that I use Lubriderm (unscented) to keep it from getting too dry but try and keep all lotions and potions to a minimum and let my body do it's thing.

[Julio Avila]

i keep that bandage on overnight if i can. no joke.

then unscented fragrance free curel.

keep it simple

[dari]

I don't have an opinion on this, but I'd like to share a lingering resentment. I was at the Salt Lake City convention a few years ago, and had just gotten a tattoo by the fabulous Mike Wilson. I was trying to read the ingredients on this alledged aftercare product when this shmoozy sales guy proceeded to ask me who did the tattoo, pretend to know who Mike was, and in a very condescending fashion tried to edjumacate on how to heal a tattoo. As far as I could see, this asshole didn't have a single tattoo anywhere on his body. For the rest of the day, I could hear Brad Pitt muttering "Don't condescend to me motherfucker" in my head. Actually, I can still hear it now.

[andrea]

Ok, that is hilarious. I think just based on having a few visible tattoos I have gotten some pretty ridiculous suggestions on after care from strangers. I myself am an unscented curel and aquafor girl. Seems to work just fine. And sunscreen! I have an obvious un-tan line around my tattoos on my driving arm.

[calbee]

I used Aquaphor on my last piece and it healed perfectly.

[Bunny Switchblade]

Wash gently a few times and let dry until all the plasma has risen out (usually after 2-3 hours) then for the next two days i wash it a few times a day and allow to dry and use just enough Aquaphor to coat it and rub it in the best i can! After two days i switch to lubriderm unscented lotion! It usually flakes on the 4th day and i am pretty much healed within a week at the most! I rarely loose any color!

My hubby tries the same thing and doesn't work for him....LOL

It takes him forever to heal tattoos but they still look awesome after healing!

Everyone is different!

[travis]

Regardless of what I'm using to heal it, whenever I get out of the shower or wash, I pat and let air dry for about 5-10 minutes. I do this to let the pores close back up so I don't clog them up with bacitracin/aquaphor/lotion. Seems to let the skin breathe a little better and heal faster.

[Kevin Campbell]

I don't have an opinion on this, but I'd like to share a lingering resentment. I was at the Salt Lake City convention a few years ago, and had just gotten a tattoo by the fabulous Mike Wilson. I was trying to read the ingredients on this alledged aftercare product when this shmoozy sales guy proceeded to ask me who did the tattoo, pretend to know who Mike was, and in a very condescending fashion tried to edjumacate on how to heal a tattoo. As far as I could see, this asshole didn't have a single tattoo anywhere on his body. For the rest of the day, I could hear Brad Pitt muttering "Don't condescend to me motherfucker" in my head. Actually, I can still hear it now.

Yeah it seems to me that for the most part, the people hawking these aftercare products have no tattoos and I personally believe have no business at all giving aftercare advice to anybody. I remember when that tattoo goo stuff came out like 10 years ago and I tried it out on a fresh tattoo I got a rash and it was super greasy and disgusting, and the tattoo healed like crap. As a matter of fact, every time I have tried out a tattoo specific aftercare product, the tattoo took way too long to heal, and when it finally did, it didn't look so hot.

SO... Now I just wash the tattoo twice a day with fairly hot water and liquid dial, and once it starts peeling (after 3 days usually) I use aveeno unscented twice a day. Now my tattoos heal like Wolverine.

[calbee]

While I'm far from an expert, I would like to add my tattoo artist who did my thigh that took about four hours told me to ice it with an ice bag to take the swelling down and that seemed to help a great deal too.

[MsRad]

Burt's Bees ResQ Ointment works wonders in my opinion (Chris Conn recommended it to me originally). i've had bad reactions to Aquaphor so i always avoid it now, but never with the ResQ ointment. it's obviously not vegan though, so once my supply runs out, i'm back to square one :(

[Jake]

i've had bad reactions to Aquaphor so i always avoid it now, but never with the ResQ ointment.

bad reactions?? what happens out of curiosity?

[MsRad]

i just break out in a rash (the red itchy kind with little bumps) and it caused my tattoo to swell more than average. i've got sensitive skin, and lotions, ointments, make-up, deodorant, even metal containing nickel (or at least i believe this is the cause) can break me out into a rash. so far i've been lucky pigment/inks in my tattoos, but i just stay away from Aquaphor as i honestly believe it has something to do with a reaction from when i sweat, and i noticed when using Aquaphor, it held in a lot of moisture.

what can i say, i'm just a freak of nature when it comes to my skin (actually i blame it on genetics). i also have keratosis polaris, aka permanent goosebumps, on my arms and upper legs which is annoying.

[xjamestravisx]

Ive got one thats doing the same thing right now. But its the first time its happened, so I think Ive just used too much or something, because I just got a giant tattoo on one side of my chest.

I wash it when I get home, and take the hottest shower I can and use Aquaphor twice a day, every day until it heals. Typically, just enough to make it shiny. But in this present case, I've just used too much. I wash it once or twice a day. I try to keep it as simple as possible.

[Dani Oakley]

As of late I've been digging this regimen. Let the first wash be with the hottest water you can stand. Then for 1- 2 days I use Out To Sea and after that I simply use vitamin E oil. I've been happy with the results. The vitamin E really cuts down on big poofy scabs and chunky peeling....of course, my lovely tattooers have a hand in that as well :)

[Patrick]

i've had bad reactions to Aquaphor so i always avoid it now

Same here. Eff Aquaphor.

I heal my tattoos with a nice raw bacon rub and some hooker spit. Kidding, kidding. A few hours after getting tattooed, I wash the tattoo, and then leave it uncovered and let my body take care of the rest for the most part. If things start looking a bit dry, then I use some Lubriderm sensitive skin shenanigans.

[jamessamaniego]

my recent routine to customers has been:

-take bandage off 1-2 hours after getting tattooed

-wash with warm/hot water and antibacterial soap to open up the pores and let out excess blood/plasma, then rinse with a cool/cold water to close the pores

-let air dry then apply THIN layer of aquaphor or preferred ointment (a&d, tattoo goo, h2ocean...whatever works for ya)

I dont recommend re-covering/bandaging as the tattoo tends to be swollen/irritated after and with the warmth/blood/plasma could potentially be a bacteria breeding ground.....but everyone has their way!

[MsRad]

I wash the tattoo, and then leave it uncovered and let my body take care of the rest for the most part.

i think we tend to not trust our own bodies/systems, but after the first week of healing, i pretty much let mine do it's thing.

always turns out just fine.

Edited October 14, 2010 by MsRad
added mroe content

[Valerie Vargas]

i sincerely think, keeping it clean and dry is the best way, for me.

i leave the wrap till either bedtime or the morning, depending on the area tattooed or the size of the tattoo.i wash mine with fairly hot water and soap for the first few days to stop it from weeping, the first wash is the most important and i will take a while to wash it. if towards the end of healing it feels a bit dry thats when i might use a pea sized amount of unscented moisturizer.

i get too many customers believing its the cream that heals the tattoo and look at me funny when i tell them, its not the cream doing the healing, its the skin, so take care of it and dont smother cream on hoping for a miracle.

[matt cee]

i let my body heal my tattoos on its own. keep it clean and dont pick the scabs. lotion a bit if its itchy and peeling

[RockelMan]

Hello everyone! Well my method for healing up after getting new ink is as follows:

After getting tattooed I leave the bandages on until bed time. That night I wash the tattoo with a mild soap and cold water to keep the pores closed(don't want to open the pores and draw out and of that fresh ink). Then I pat dry the area with paper towel. I don't apply anything on it to allow it to breath for the night.

for the next 2 days I repeat my washing procedure and drying with no application of products. (Showers are lukewarm too, just till the scabs are off). The next morning I apply Black Cat Tattoo Healing salve. This is when the healing procedures are that I wash the tattoo at night and apply the salve in the mornings. At about 1 week (give or take a day or two) from getting the tattoo, all the scabs are off and the itch is gone. Once the scabs are gone I use Lubriderm Unscented lotion to make my skin nice and soft LOL

[unlikeyourown]

just wash the tattoo twice a day with fairly hot water and liquid dial, and once it starts peeling (after 3 days usually) I use aveeno unscented twice a day. Now my tattoos heal like Wolverine.

i resemble that sentiment completely! my artist loves to tattoo me and tells everyone i am a mutant for the fact that generally i am healed within a weeks time haha. aveeno with the green top for life ;]

[Lochlan]

here are some relevant threads and blogs:

Good Client Behavior

Your Favorite Clients & Client Experiences

Cancellation List

Tattoos Today and Research

Tattoo appointment etiquette

Yelp and Tattoo Shops

LST Preferred Tattoo Professionals

Now That I'm Sixty, Do I regret it?

[Rob Wag]

My first post. Just wanted to say Hi :) Probably the wrong thread but wait. I used LPI Tattoo Aftercare / Skincare because it smells like Mango & Coconut and was already used before getting inked as the tattoo artist said it would prevent from bleeding and turning red.

He was right. I also tried bepanthen which i dont like that much since it is too much chemicals.

Since then i am a fan of the lpi shea mango body butter

Hope that helps a bit.

Cya soon