gauze vs plastic wrap over a tattoo

[Killercook76]

Oh ok. I never used aquaphor as Nick said not too as it has petroleum in it. He said only unscented lotion. You think that will be OK? I never really ooze, I normally get home, wait three hours, shower and then apply thin coat of lotion.

I was thinking I would get home, after 3 hours wash the tattoos in shower. Then I would air dry, lightly lotion. Once it air dry to where the lotion won't cause the tegaderm not to stick, maybe couple hours, I will put it on. Leave it on 3 days, and remove in shower. Sound good?

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No I wouldn't put lotion on it before you put the tegaderm.. The whole idea of this is to wet heal your tattoo so. I would follow the aquaphor idea. Then again it's up to you. I'm just letting you know how I did it and worked out amazing! Not sure why you would try something different.. it's up to you!!

I wouldn't put anything on your tattoo before you put the tegaderm on. Like I said there is no sure way of doing this because I'm no expert but ..

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No I wouldn't put lotion on it before you put the tegaderm.. The whole idea of this is to wet heal your tattoo so. I would follow the aquaphor idea. Then again it's up to you. I'm just letting you know how I did it and worked out amazing! Not sure why you would try something different.. it's up to you!!

I wouldn't put anything on your tattoo before you put the tegaderm on. Like I said there is no sure way of doing this because I'm no expert but ..

think about it would you put lotion of a fresh cut or scrape?

[Bigboy67]

I've heard guys talk about immediately lotioning their new tattoo form the beginning and it never made much sense to me. I certainly wouldn't put lotion on a fresh road rash, I'm definitely not doing it with my expensive new tattoo, haha

[Killercook76]

I've heard guys talk about immediately lotioning their new tattoo form the beginning and it never made much sense to me. I certainly wouldn't put lotion on a fresh road rash, I'm definitely not doing it with my expensive new tattoo, haha

yup!! I'm no doctor or expert but sometimes common sense goes a long way.

[Killercook76]

OK just to be sure, the next morning, I wash the aquaphor off and dry arm. Once dry I put the tegaderm on.

Sorry, I wasn't trying to change it, I just didn't want to buy aquaphor if didn't have too.

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yes.

No I'm just letting you know what my experiences are . It's working out great.. actually amazing so..

Keep it on for 3 days then you can go to lotion. I just want to give out the advice that I've used .. Not giving anything I read on google or something.

[Killercook76]

Sounds good killer. I will go pick up some aquaphor tonight at walgreens after work. I am wearing a 2 inch tegaderm now to see if I get a reaction. Thanks for all the advice

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Cool !! My pleasure!

[Killercook76]

One last one for you. I just took of the test tegaderm after 1 hour, my arm is red. Do you get redness under? Here it is

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Not sure did you just rip it off? That's why you put it on for three days! Putting it on for 1 hour then ripping it of will definitely irritate your skin I would think.. Honestly I'm not sure ??? Good luck!

[Bigboy67]

You basically just stuck it to your skin then pulled it off when the adhesive was still at its strongest. Try a diff spot, leave it one for at least a day, take it off in the shower running warm water over it while you peel it off, it'll give you a better idea of whether or not you react to it. Also, the few people who had reactions, they mentioned that the reaction took place in the non-tattooed skin, but that it didn't affect the actual tattoo healing negatively

[Killercook76]

Right I forgot to mention the part of peeling it off under got water!!

[JaimeNV]

I have never had anyone use gauze, that sounds like it would stick to the tattoo, i hate when things stick to my tattoos, it makes me cringe thinking about it. haha Recently I have seen some artist use Dri Loc pads, this allows for the absorption of bodily fluids and it allows the tattoo to breath, which I personally believe this would be best for the tattoo.

Although, anyone who has ever tattooed me has used only plastic saran wrap.. i don't really think its necessarily bad for the tattoo since the wrap is on their for less then an hour and everything under the wrap is clean. It might suffocate it but in the end everything is okay, everyone does it this way. I was recently told about a product called tattoo derm, some clients actually request their tattoos be wrapped in this, its more expensive, but its supposed to be a better solution to saran wrap, keeps thing completely shut out from the tattoo and its water resistant etc..

so for my next tattoo since my artist doesnt have tatuderm, i think ill try the dri loc pads, i had seeing fluids build up under the wrap, and the fear of leakage...ewww. :)

I got to thinking the other day, all the tattoo's i've had done in the states the artists has wrapped with plastic wrap, but the tattoo i got up in Canada the artist put some gauze on after she finished with the tattoo. It made me wonder what is better to put on a tattoo would it be gauze because it allows the tattoo to breath and can absorb the blood or is plastic wrap because it suffocates in a sense the tattoo. I preferred the gauze because compared to plastic wrap i didn't notice the gauze, but the plastic wrap irritated my skin so much i've always taken them off right after getting the tattoo because i hated the sweaty, suffocating feeling.

So, I wanted to know your opinions about putting gauze over a tattoo after it's done vs putting plastic wrap over a tattoo? What would you prefer having over a tattoo?

psst: i wasn't sure if this went here or the tattoo after care section so i just put it here (to be on the safe side)

[Dave Sobel]

Oh ok. I never used aquaphor as Nick said not too as it has petroleum in it. He said only unscented lotion. You think that will be OK? I never really ooze, I normally get home, wait three hours, shower and then apply thin coat of lotion.

I was thinking I would get home, after 3 hours wash the tattoos in shower. Then I would air dry, lightly lotion. Once it air dry to where the lotion won't cause the tegaderm not to stick, maybe couple hours, I will put it on. Leave it on 3 days, and remove in shower. Sound good?

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You really should stick with what your artist has been having you do if it hasn't been causing issues. Aquaphor is exactly the same as Vaseline. 100% petroleum jelly (white peteolatum). They do something to make it a little less thick, but otherwise it's identical.

The way the Tegaderm stuff is supposed to be used is to put it on immediately after the tattoo has been done, left on for 24hours, wash the attoo thoroughly to remove ALL the plasma, then reapply for 48 hours. It is sold specifically for tattoos in roll form as "Tatooderm" The owner of the shop where I work uses it all the time.

Also, discuss it with your artist before using it to make sure he's okay with you using it. Otherwise he may not garantee the work.

[Killercook76]

You really should stick with what your artist has been having you do if it hasn't been causing issues. Aquaphor is exactly the same as Vaseline. 100% petroleum jelly (white peteolatum). They do something to make it a little less thick, but otherwise it's identical.

The way the Tegaderm stuff is supposed to be used is to put it on immediately after the tattoo has been done, left on for 24hours, wash the attoo thoroughly to remove ALL the plasma, then reapply for 48 hours. It is sold specifically for tattoos in roll form as "Tatooderm" The owner of the shop where I work uses it all the time.

Also, discuss it with your artist before using it to make sure he's okay with you using it. Otherwise he may not garantee the work.

I agree if you are unsure about it follow your tattoo artist !! I always state I'm not a professional and these cases are from "my experiences" ! From my experience it's an amazing product!

Aquaphor is used in all the shops i've been tattooed at. As long as you don't over use it it's perfectly fine. Of course it's up to you to follow whatever advice from whatever shop!

From my experience I highly disagree with putting it on for 24 hours then reapplying it. If you ask people that use the product they will tell you it will hurt like s*** ! Plus other things I don't feel like talking about again..

Anyways @petes67bird follow what is good for you bro. I was only giving you advice because you asked me. Otherwise..

This product was used on me by a great tattooer/guy. I've only heard good things about it from others ..

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I did discuss it and he said I healed well and shouldn't proceed with tegaderm. So I am just using the light layers of unscented lotion. Looks good so far, beginning the peel today

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Good advice bro!! I like the product beside healing awesome it' great for when I work. Many artist aren't familiar with this product so there is the unknown aspect of it. Good talking with you !!

[Dave Sobel]

I agree if you are unsure about it follow your tattoo artist !! I always state I'm not a professional and these cases are from "my experiences" ! From my experience it's an amazing product!

Aquaphor is used in all the shops i've been tattooed at. As long as you don't over use it it's perfectly fine. Of course it's up to you to follow whatever advice from whatever shop!

From my experience I highly disagree with putting it on for 24 hours then reapplying it. If you ask people that use the product they will tell you it will hurt like s*** ! Plus other things I don't feel like talking about again..

Anyways @petes67bird follow what is good for you bro. I was only giving you advice because you asked me. Otherwise..

This product was used on me by a great tattooer/guy. I've only heard good things about it from others ..

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Not to get into a pissing contest, but I have been working with someone that has been using Tegaderm sold under the brand Name Tatu Derm for 2 years exclusively. The company recommends 12-24 hours for first application on the fresh tattoo. The only clients that have had trouble with removing the initial piece did so because they didn't peel it correctly. He now has most clients stop in the next day for removal and replacement of the initial piece to avoid user error in removal and replacement.

As far as the Aquaphor goes, although in most cases people won't have any serious problems with it, in some cases it can actually cause a person to develop a staph outbreak. And very quickly after they begin using it.

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I did discuss it and he said I healed well and shouldn't proceed with tegaderm. So I am just using the light layers of unscented lotion. Looks good so far, beginning the peel today

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That's great! I am a big fan of the old maxim "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" As long as your work is regularly healing fine then that's what matters.

[Killercook76]

I agree if you are unsure about it follow your tattoo artist !! I always state I'm not a professional and these cases are from "my experiences" ! From my experience it's an amazing product!

Aquaphor is used in all the shops i've been tattooed at. As long as you don't over use it it's perfectly fine. Of course it's up to you to follow whatever advice from whatever shop!

From my experience I highly disagree with putting it on for 24 hours then reapplying it. If you ask people that use the product they will tell you it will hurt like s*** ! Plus other things I don't feel like talking about again..

Anyways @petes67bird follow what is good for you bro. I was only giving you advice because you asked me. Otherwise..

This product was used on me by a great tattooer/guy. I've only heard good things about it from others ..

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Not to get into a pissing contest, but I have been working with someone that has been using Tegaderm sold under the brand Name Tatu Derm for 2 years exclusively. The company recommends 12-24 hours for first application on the fresh tattoo. The only clients that have had trouble with removing the initial piece did so because they didn't peel it correctly. He now has most clients stop in the next day for removal and replacement of the initial piece to avoid user error in removal and replacement.

As far as the Aquaphor goes, although in most cases people won't have any serious problems with it, in some cases it can actually cause a person to develop a staph outbreak. And very quickly after they begin using it.

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That's great! I am a big fan of the old maxim "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" As long as your work is regularly healing fine then that's what matters.

Ok great!

[Gregor]

As far as the Aquaphor goes, although in most cases people won't have any serious problems with it, in some cases it can actually cause a person to develop a staph outbreak. And very quickly after they begin using it.

Wheres the science for this ? Aquaphor is almost the same stuff as bepanthen (panthenol vit b cream) how can it give you staph ? From what I am led to believe, you get staph from not washing an open wound properly. I suppose if you are rubbing the cream in with dirty hands you can get it . But the cream doesnt cause it !! Im sure the Lawyers at eucerin would have something to say about those claims lol ...

Edited December 3, 2013 by Gregor
Wrong person quoted sorry Killercook76 !!

[Fala]

We already have staph on our skin, perhaps the Aquaphor/benpathen/petroleum jelly traps it in the body, and if in a weakened immune system, turns into a full on infection? Dirty hands/contaminated cream would be another culprit!

[Dave Sobel]

Wheres the science for this ? Aquaphor is almost the same stuff as bepanthen (panthenol vit b cream) how can it give you staph ? From what I am led to believe, you get staph from not washing an open wound properly. I suppose if you are rubbing the cream in with dirty hands you can get it . But the cream doesnt cause it !! Im sure the Lawyers at eucerin would have something to say about those claims lol ...

Although Aquaphor has Panthenol in it, it is not a cream, and it is approximately 99% petroleum in the form of petroleum jelly, and mineral oil. Creams are around 50% water give or take depending on the particular one, and so the petroleum in them absorbs more quickly into the skin instead of sitting on top creating a non-breathable barrier as well as a lovely place for dirt and bacteria to hang out and enter your new tattoo through the wet scab that normally would protect you if it were dry.

As far as the science of staph is concerned, everyone carries their own strain of staph bacteria at all times. Some staph infections are caused by coming into contact with someone else's staph and being unable to fight it off, but plenty are actually just flare-ups of our own bodies staph. Any time there is a wound to a person's body, the chances of the bodies staph bacteria blooming into a full blown infection are increased. Staph flourishes in a warm, moist, airless environment which is exactly what you create when you put a layer of petroleum on top of your new tattoo. If you've ever had a bunch of red bumps, or even small whiteheads form on or around a new tattoo, that was your bodies staph flaring up.

I've had a few clients over the years have no infection problems with their tattoos when using lotion as a moisturizer, but then develop staph outbreaks within a day after trying Aquaphor.

As far as what I know of staph and how it works, the knowledge came from reading a paper written by researchers at Johns Hopkins university about staph, and the most effective cleaning agent to use in the hospital to reduce infections from cross-contamination.

One last thing. You wouldn't use Vaseline on a new tattoo would you? People quit using that stuff on their tattoos decades ago because of the regular infections that came along with the use of it. Aside from being slightly less sticky, and having a very small percentage of other added chemicals added, Aquaphor is nearly identical. A little bit of all vegetable oil based lotion is much better for not only your tattoo, but for your personal health overall.

[Gregor]

I can see that petroleum based creams cause can cause scabbing , but the creams themselves dont cause staph. As you say we are all covered in staph , but it doesn't become a problem until the skin is opened. I have been using bepanthen for years and have never had an infection. I think good hygiene ad not layering huge amounts of cream on the tattoo is key to preventing infection . On my most recent tattoos I have been rewrapping for 3 days and this has turned out the fastest healing scab free tattoos I have ever had.

[Ragen]

I can see that petroleum based creams cause can cause scabbing , but the creams themselves dont cause staph. As you say we are all covered in staph , but it doesn't become a problem until the skin is opened. I have been using bepanthen for years and have never had an infection. I think good hygiene ad not layering huge amounts of cream on the tattoo is key to preventing infection . On my most recent tattoos I have been rewrapping for 3 days and this has turned out the fastest healing scab free tattoos I have ever had.

Bepanthen's totally amazing. Well, it works for me at least. I never rewrap, though. But then again I heal weirdly fast - the bleeding stops pretty much in ten minutes after I was tattooed so my tattoos are always clean and dry and I never get any scabs.. for which I am eternally grateful, haha

[Victor]

I have tried many ways to heal a tattoo and have had the best results healing Tattoos with Plastic Wrap (I discontinue plastic wrap once tattooed area starts to peel furiously, ie, surface of skin closed completely approximately 4-7 days) ...and here is some medical backing to support this procedure...

The concept of keeping the nonsurgically closed wounds moist and protected is not new. There is documentation indicating that the ancient Mesopotamians dressed their wounds with fine linen soaked in oil. The Greeks applied animal fat and wrapped the wounds, and the Roman applied ashes, oil and herbs and wrapped the wounds. In 1927, Dr. Helmut Schmidt, from Germany, started to use cellophane, which was semi-occlusive, as a bandaging material. He and a handful of other German physicians were able to show that using cellophane rather than standard bandages cut down on infections and sped healing. In 1939, an American, Dr. E.L. Howes, published the first article, “Cellophane as a Wound Dressing,” in the medical journal, Surgery.

George Winter, in 1962, published the first controlled study describing how the occluded wounds epithelialized faster than those that were exposed to air. Since then, multiple controlled studies have established that a moist wound environment could facilitate cellular growth and collagen proliferation. Dry wound tissue is more prone to infection, scarring, delayed healing and pain. However, excessive moisture in the wound bed can impair the healing process and also cause periwound maceration.

The benefits of moisture

Likewise attitudes to ‘simple’ bandages – used to keep the wound clean and dry – are changing. No one would argue over the benefits of providing a degree of protection to wounds. But keeping it dry, usually with a gauze bandage that allows air to get to the site, and allowing a scab to form, while it doesn’t always slow the healing process, does seem more likely to leave a scar.

As far back as the 1960s research was showing that wounds that were kept moist healed better than those left to dry. However, it has taken until relatively recently for gauze-based bandages, to give way to ‘semi-occlusive’ bandages that effectively maintain the moisture balance of the wound site by sealing it off but also allowing the transmission of oxygen, nitrogen and water vapour.

The natural environment of the cell is moist. Dry cells – for instance hair and nails – are dead cells, incapable of reproducing at their point of origin. Perhaps the most important benefit of a moist bandage is that it provides an optimum environment for cells to stay alive and replicate.

Supporting the healing process

A wound is a break in the protective barrier of the skin. It allows moisture to escape from the underlying moist tissue and causes the death the superficial cells, a process that results in the familiar scab, composed largely of dried blood and other fluids.

While traditional thinking is that the scab is nature’s own barrier to moisture loss, newer thinking sees the scab as an inefficient barrier to moisture loss. Scabs also prevent new cells from colonising the wound area. When a scab is allowed to form, epidermal cells have to penetrate deeper into the dermis where the environment is moist before they can proliferate. This means that the wound will only heal from the bottom up whereas in a moist environment the wound heals from the sides and bottom at the same time.

Newer moist dressings such as polymer films and foams, hydrocolloids, hydrogels and calcium alginates allow much less moisture evaporation and may also act as insulation, helping to maintain the optimum temperature needed to support the process of cell replication.

Keeping infection at bay

Moist dressings are also many times more effective than dry dressings at preventing infections. This is as important for the child in the playground as it is to the patient in hospital, where opportunistic antibiotic resistant bacteria can so easily enter a wound site.

In this respect, moist healing is something of a paradox. Most of us would assume that a moist environment would be a breeding ground for germs, but this belief does not acknowledge how efficient the body can be at fighting infection. Nor does it acknowledge that a wound colonised by bacteria is not necessarily at risk of infection.

All wounds, no matter how carefully cleaned, are colonised by bacteria. The problem arises when harmful bacteria are given the opportunity to multiply. In a properly nourished body, natural infection fighting mechanisms can effectively keep these bacteria in check.

Moist healing actually helps decrease the likelihood of infection. There is evidence, for instance, that while bacteria can penetrate up to 64 layers of gauze they are incapable of penetrating a single layer of polymer film. There is also evidence to show that the infection rate of wounds covered with gauze is 7% compared with 2% for a moist hydrocolloid dressing.

One reason for this may be that a moist dressing helps to maintain the slightly acidic condition of the skin which helps to inhibit certain types of bacteria including Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Less pain too

Patients also report less pain when wounds are kept moist. Newer dressings may also protect nerve endings helping to reduce the perception of pain. They also do less damage to the wound site when a dressing is being changed.

Another intriguing possibility about the effectiveness of moist dressings is that they help to maintain the electrical integrity of the wound site.

By keeping the site moist it allows the body’s own electrical current to flow more or less uninterrupted. It has been shown that the electrical charge of wound tissue is positive, relative to the surrounding intact skin. This positive current is thought to orchestrate the migration of healing cells to the site, but cannot flow if the skin is dry.

This understanding provides a context into studies of electroacupuncture and the successful healing of a variety of wounds, even those that had failed to heal with prior conventional therapy.

[cameroncrazie80]

I'm not trying to be a jerk, but was it necessary to post a medical journal?

And you keep your tattoo wrapped for 4-7 days?? I get that you probably change it, but this isn't a wound that requires a dressing for that long. Would you wrap a scrape on your knee for 4-7 days? But whatever works for you man.

[Orangutango]

I'm not trying to be a jerk, but was it necessary to post a medical journal?

And you keep your tattoo wrapped for 4-7 days?? I get that you probably change it, but this isn't a wound that requires a dressing for that long. Would you wrap a scrape on your knee for 4-7 days? But whatever works for you man.

Probably would depend on who I'd paid to scrape it and how much I care about the appearance of the lifelong scrape. Not all tattoos are healed equally and I would likely end up with a much patchier heal if I let a tattoo scab up in the way a graze/scrape/road rash does. Not saying you have to rewrap, just that some people do and it works for them.

Depending on where it is, what clothes you have to wear for work/climate, having a tattoo covered by a barrier layer of some kind can be as much a comfort thing as much as any sort of healing improver. If you read the often evangelical 'derm thread, the comfort of having a protective layer is a big bonus for some.

(I find when people begin a statement with 'not trying to be...' they are aware that they are. Along the same lines that say 'with all due respect,' usually comes with none. Nothing personal, just how it reads to me.)

[cameroncrazie80]

Was my post directed towards you?

I understand the comfort thing, but that's not what was used in the medical journal of the post above mine that I was referring to.

Using the "not trying to be" or all due respect" to make yourself try to sound like the bigger person responding to a post that in no way shape or form had anything to do with you makes you look like the bigger ass than me.

Don't really see a reason that you felt it necessary to try to play big brother or protector for someone else.

[Orangutango]

It's a forum dude, if you were having a private msg then it wouldn't have involved me, it was a long way of trying to explain why you can't conflate a scrape and a tattoo, while also explaining why some people rewrap.

[cameroncrazie80]

But again, your reasoning of re-wrapping is understandable, but had nothing to do with what was used in the post I'm referring to. I didn't come here to get in little who's the bigger internet tough guy matches or am I going to be the reason this thread get's off topic, so let it go and move on.

[Rightonkaleyross]

Gauze would scare me because if it dries it will get stuck and might pull the ink out. Gauze might be okay if you moisten it before you pull it off.