What can you use for your tattoo?

Answer 1

Bacitracion or Aquaphor ointment...don't let it get dry that's how they fade quickly

....actually, not true. I am a tattoo artist with 10 years experience doing and getting tattooed. I have one healing as we type.

after you get your tattoo, it will usually be bandaged. I leave that on until I get home and get ready for bed. Now, it has a pinkish fluid oozing from it(a mixture of blood and plasma) so I gently remove my bandage (wetting the bandage if it is stuck) and wash it with Cetyphyl soap and my fingertips. I rinse the tattoo by filling my hand with water and pouring it over the tattoo to gently wash away the soap. I use water that is a comfortable temp. for me.

I then get a clean towel and blot the water from it very very gently. Don't rub it. Just dab off the water and let it finish off air drying.

Now the goal of healing is for the tattoo to dry out, scab, and flake. So, I don't put ANYTHING on my tattoo for at least 2 days. If any oozing occurs, catch it quickly and gently blot it with your clean towel. The fluid that oozes from the tattoo is normal, but if you let it build up, it will dry and crust making your scab thicker. This is what I want to avoid.

Don't touch the tattoo except to wash it. This is extremely important because it is an open avenue to infection, so if you have a dirty job, wear a long sleeved loose fitting shirt to keep dirt out of it. Change your sheets regularly (because I have dogs, I always sleep in clothes that cover my new tattoo to keep dog hair out of it because animal fur can carry staph.)

After 2 days or so, the scab should be flat and dry. Once it starts to feel tight I start putting Aveeno lotion on it, once or twice a day.

That's it. Follow these basic don't and you should be fine:

Don't touch it

Don't pick it

Don't scratch it

Don't submerge it in water until the scab has flaked off

Don't expose it to sunlight while it is healing

Don't expose it to dirt

Don't put a bunch of stuff on it

Big no-no's for putting on your tattoo:

No vaseline

no a & d

no aquaphor

no neosporin

no bacitracin

all of these have a petroleum base. Petroleum creates an air tight barrier over the skin which doesn't allow for the drying out, scabbing and flaking that should occur. Many times these ointments clog the pores in and around the tattoo causing pimples to break out in the entire area. Plus, ointments cause fresh tattoos to ooze for longer and a thicker scab to form, which can result in loss of color in certain areas as well as fading.

Basically, the less you do to your healing tattoo, the better and faster it will heal.

So, review...

Don't put ANYTHING on it for at least 2 days. You don't ever have to put anything on it in fact, this method is called 'dry-healing'.

Keep it clean.

That's it...sorry so long

Answer 2

bacitracin or Aquaphor healing ointment

Answer 3

A tattoo artist in a studio.