Dry healing

[slayer9019]

So me and a friend were talking about this the other day. When we started getting tattooed we always did all of the aftercare instructions as prescribed. This involved numerous applications of Aquaphor, lotion, etc etc. As time passed (and we were getting tattooed very regularly) we have done less and less to our tattoos. I simply wash them with super-super-hot water the first couple of days to get all the gunk off. At this point I pretty much just dry heal all my tattoos unless they are "ultra crunchy" feeling. The results at least for both of us have actually been better. I heal pretty much a day before my next session (2 weeks exactly apart), and my tattooer has always been amazed at how fast and clean I heal. While I am not sure if it related to the person tattooing us (same person) but I know we have pretty different skin. Anyone else use this method?

[Mark Bee]

This is exactly what I do these days. With excellent results, too.

[Graeme]

I rewrap, but once I'm done with that, I don't put anything on it. I've had great results. I'm not sure it heals any faster though. Me and my wife get tattooed together and she does the Aquaphor/lotion thing and our tattoos seem to heal at about the same rate, but it's with different tattooers, different spots, etc., so who knows. I intend to stick with the rewrap/dry heal though.

[Avery Taylor]

If the tattoo is wrapped by the tattooer that is the last time anything happens to it. I have never had much problem healing, but I am getting my knee tattooed in a three weeks so we'll see how that goes. Actually I'm getting my knee and my ribs tattooed on the same day. I am an idiot.

[semele]

I rewrap and then dry heal. I seem to swell less if I rewrap, but I think I heal pretty much exactly the same whether or not I put stuff on it. I hate the feeling of aquaphor, so dry healing is a lot less of a hassle. Will probably skip the rewrapping when I start my back, as sitting around with my whole torso mummified in saran wrap doesn't sound like any fun.

[CaptCanada]

From what I've learned is that the first few washes are the most important. If it's in a location that's easy to wash I can get minimal peeling and no scabs, where as if it's a hard to reach place (upper back) get noticeably harder healing. It seems too me, dry or with creams, the first few washes is what gets a clean heal.

[Shaun1105]

I got a tattoo at the beginning of April and dry healed it at the tattooers instruction. I got a tattoo in mid-May from a different tattooer and used an unscented lotion regularly starting the evening of the day after I got tattooed. Both of these tattoos healed great (better than the previous 2 tattoos I have) and at in about the same amount of time.

I found the second method of lotioning frequently - but sparingly each time - to be less itchy and overall more comfortable so I'll probably stick with that over the dry heal.

Based on my (very limited!) experience I think that a really good hot first wash and then regular washing the first couple days is more important than lotion/no lotion.

[Killercook76]

I re-wrap only because I don't want to stain my sheets or clothing... I used to do it for 24 hours but I found that 12 hours is good enough.. I healed the same in other words. I do put lotion on but I usually wait a good day or so before i do . It all depends where I get tattooed.

[Brock Varty]

The first three days is the most important. I use aquafore on day three twice and then complete dry heal from then on.

[irezumi]

Tattooers are the worst at taking care of tattoos. All those things we tell you to do? Most of us don't do any of that shit, mostly because we're lazy.

I've never had anything heal poorly no matter what I did or didn't do for aftercare.

[HaydenRose]

When I got my shoulders done I used aquaphor for the first time and eventually switched to lotion, making sure it dried out well before putting anything on. However, a lot of color fell out. When I got them touched up, I decided to completely leave them alone and keep them clean and they healed beautifully. Granted, it was two different tattooers each time, but I really doubt that would make a difference.

[iowagirl]

The ones on my upper body all were easier to heal and all healed fast, compared to my ankles and feet. I did the same healing thing these last two times, same artist, one was the cherry blossoms on my upper arm/back, and the other my feet, and my blossoms were gorgeous immediately w/maybe one little piece peeling. My feet...lordy they scabbed and peeled and itched, had those big pieces that come loose and stand up and look all weird. JD's that he had on his back when I got my feet done was just as perfect as my blossoms. Same artist, same healing process.

[darkest light tattoo]

dry heal is the way to go

[guitguy]

My last tattoo was my fifth in total, but it was the first in a number of years. 80% coverage of my inner bicep. It was the first time I could remember being instructed to let it dry out and that lotion was somewhat optional. The work was done on a Tuesday and I waited til Friday to apply anything after washing. I started using Aveeno prompted by what I thought to be a massive amount of peeling and feared that I had waited too long. I kept up with the Aveeno for a couple of weeks to prevent the skin from feeling tight and itchy. The results seem to be fine. I have always been very careful with new work but have always lived in fear of inadvertantly fucking things up.

Other than the picking off of scabs, are there ways that we can loose ink during the healing process?

[slayer9019]

My last tattoo was my fifth in total, but it was the first in a number of years. 80% coverage of my inner bicep. It was the first time I could remember being instructed to let it dry out and that lotion was somewhat optional. The work was done on a Tuesday and I waited til Friday to apply anything after washing. I started using Aveeno prompted by what I thought to be a massive amount of peeling and feared that I had waited too long. I kept up with the Aveeno for a couple of weeks to prevent the skin from feeling tight and itchy. The results seem to be fine. I have always been very careful with new work but have always lived in fear of inadvertantly fucking things up.

Other than the picking off of scabs, are there ways that we can loose ink during the healing process?

I guess I would say I put lotion on it if it is overly dry and looks like it would crack or something. Just keep it comfortable. When I heal my knee/thigh I am probably going to only occasionally lotion my knee.

[sbhikes]

Dry heal works fine except that if the tattoo feels dry and crackly and uncomfortable, a little lotion is soothing.

[Hospitelli]

I remember when I first got tattooed I was following the after care instructions to a tee. Aquaphor for first few days and lotion after that 3x a day till it was healed. Now that I've broken out a few times on my arm I've found myself not putting on as much or as often cause the pores wore getting clogged. It was to the point where it might as well consider it to be dry healing and haven't noticed too much of a difference. I think from now on I'll go the route of dry healing and using lotion at my discretion.

[lving4today]

I'm not a fan of aquaphor, on large tattoos its annoying. I just dry heal with some lotion after a week of healing. No problems no worries

[iowagirl]

I didn't want to make a separate thread on this, since it relates to the healing process. Getting my hair done Tuesday and while I was processing, she was working on another girl. A friend came in to wait for her and she was complaining about her new tattoo. (these are newly 18 year old girls that think they're the shit so I just kept reading my book) Stylist told her to ask me her questions. ("Oh yeah, I see you've got a tattoo on your foot too!" says she...cuz you know, that 10 minute cross compares to my four hour peony but yeah, we're both tatted up comrades.) She got it I think she said last week, and was told to keep it covered for 5 days (or maybe 7)..not to do a thing to it, keep it covered. It's a little tiny cross coming up the side of her foot. If it's 2 inches tall I'd eat my hat. Thin, done kind of like..a paintbrush effect, if that makes sense?? She said the guy told her it's a "wet tattoo" or "wet ink tattoo" or something? She said it was gross, ink was coming out all over in the wrapping the whole time. Well, now she says it hurts really bad. How smart is it to cover a tattoo for five entire days??? The longest I've ever covered was overnight, for three nights, and only so I didn't stick.

[slayer9019]

I didn't want to make a separate thread on this, since it relates to the healing process. Getting my hair done Tuesday and while I was processing, she was working on another girl. A friend came in to wait for her and she was complaining about her new tattoo. (these are newly 18 year old girls that think they're the shit so I just kept reading my book) Stylist told her to ask me her questions. ("Oh yeah, I see you've got a tattoo on your foot too!" says she...cuz you know, that 10 minute cross compares to my four hour peony but yeah, we're both tatted up comrades.) She got it I think she said last week, and was told to keep it covered for 5 days (or maybe 7)..not to do a thing to it, keep it covered. It's a little tiny cross coming up the side of her foot. If it's 2 inches tall I'd eat my hat. Thin, done kind of like..a paintbrush effect, if that makes sense?? She said the guy told her it's a "wet tattoo" or "wet ink tattoo" or something? She said it was gross, ink was coming out all over in the wrapping the whole time. Well, now she says it hurts really bad. How smart is it to cover a tattoo for five entire days??? The longest I've ever covered was overnight, for three nights, and only so I didn't stick.

That is NOT a good idea.

[iowagirl]

Thanks for the reply. I didn't think it was smart, and told her not to do that w/any other tattoos she gets.

[KristenR]

I just got a new tattoo on my foot and the guy who did it is having me dry heal it. I've been pleasantly surprised at how well it's going. I love that I haven't stuck to my sheets, theres no scabbing, and it overall feels so much better than any of my other tattoos felt during the first 4 days.

It's hard to separate the dry healing from the fact that I have been able to be completely barefoot and stationary so far, though...so nice to get tattooed when I have time off.

[slayer9019]

Thanks for the reply. I didn't think it was smart, and told her not to do that w/any other tattoos she gets.

I treat a tattoo like I would any other wound. Would you keep an old bandage on for a few days on a massive scratch? I wouldn't!

[DevilMan]

I have become of fan of dry healing too, when i got my earlier tattoo's I was told to apply bephanten or something similar on it. It did work fine, but the tattoo's were always 'sticky'.

When I got my first (full) sleeve last year I was told to 'just do nothing' :) And it went great, after getting home i washed it, and repackaged it for the night, but after that nothing.

The first few days i didn't need to do anything, after that i got a bit dry on some places, and i put some (generic) lotion it, usually once a day was enough..

And like was said earlier, it's a wound, and needs to breath to heal, and not to be suffocated with some goey stuff.

On another forum i frequent most members are keeping their tattoo moist, and 'brag' about not having scabs or anything.... no ofcourse not, they are rubbing everything off by lubricating the thing 10 times a day....

[Lionel Cosgrove]

aquafor the first day, lubriderm after until peeling stops