Tattoo Healing

[InkedAngel]

What do you use on your tattoos during the healing process?

[Deviant Magenta]

I used to use Bepanthen but I found that it encouraged skin peeling too soon, and I end up with new skin which is really not ready for exposure and they go all puckery, despite the moisturising I do. I now, with significant success, use active grade manuka honey after I rinse the new tattoo, and pretty much leave it like that. After a few days, I start using a combination of unrefined shea butter and hypercal cream. 5 have been using this method on my leg which has always been tricky to heal. Occasionally when I get a small tricky spot which is oozing or really sore, I use manuka honey impregnated gauze for a few days.

[InkedAngel]

I tried bepanthen too but felt it was very greasy didn't like it at all, I tried using vaseline on my last tattoo and hated it the healing time was much longer than usual so I now use Aqueous bp cream and it works well for me, Viper doesn't use anything in the healing process which I find odd but it works for him, I suppose everybody has their own healing process when it comes to tattoos.

[pooh73]

I tried bepanthen but found it really greasy. DH swears by tattoo goo so tried that and it works well. doesn't go sticky, heals well - and smells GORGEOUS!!!!!
xxx

[DeadlyPoison]

*cough* im gonna get told of for this...

i moisturize is the day of and after it is done and then i leave it! not a thing till the scab as come off and the skin starts peeling...then i moisturize more and thats it!

[Deviant Magenta]

Nahh, you're not. Everyone has their way of sorting it out and all skins are different. So long as you say you don't use ajax and scouring pad...

[DeadlyPoison]

ouuuucchhh!!!!

nooo! i did try bepanthen but found i was allergic to it! not a good start!

it annoys my tattooists cuz i have a bad reaction to vaseline when they're tattooing me, they're usually wiping it off as fast as they're putting it on!

[diesel423]

:eek:hmm... i dini use anything?!

[Ditzy di]

Nahh, you're not. Everyone has their way of sorting it out and all skins are different. So long as you say you don't use ajax and scouring pad...

:D:D ajax:D:D

[Lily]

I use a wee bit of bepanthen and keep the cling film on for the first few days, then nothing til the scab's off, then I moisturise a bit. It's difficult to be too prescriptive though as I heal differently every time.

[Ditzy di]

I am in abit of a dilema as to what to use for my next tattoo Bepanthen has worked well for some of my tattoo's but not all and it ruins your clothes too! But savlon is abit too watery and comes off to quickly oh what to do???

[Adele]

bepanthen all the way for me! don't have to apply it as often and helps with the itching

[Lily]

Bepanthen has worked well for some of my tattoo's but not all and it ruins your clothes too!
If it's ruining your clothes maybe you're putting a bit too much on? I'm sure I slathered it on when I got my first session on my sleeve and it did get everywhere, but washed off ok. I then realised I was using too much, though it can be hard to spread just a wee bit on if you've had quite a big area done and it's sore.

I've found that keeping the cling film on stops the mess on my clothes and stops me sticking to the sheets/pyjamas as well as being much more comfortable the first couple of days. I suppose this depends where the tattoo is and how big it is.

Oh dear, I feel like I'm completely waffling now. What do I know? hahaha

[KandiGyrl]

I use Dial anit-bacterial soap and unscented lotion, works very well.

[STEALTH K3]

I use cling film and thats it it tends to keep in damp and there are no harsh scabs it gets a bit snotty though

[pin_up]

I swear down the best damn thing for a new tattoo is preperation H for hemmorhoids (think that's how you spell it) you can buy it over the counter from pretty much anywhere including supermarkets. It comes as a gel and leaves a very thin film over the tattoo so not only is it doing the job for the healing process but it is also protecting your new addition from any unwanted dirt, also it dries instantly so no more wrecked greasy clothes and because it is mostly water based I think you would be hard pressed to have an allergic reaction to this stuff!
My other half is a tattooist and he has always used the stuff for those reasons but the best one is that rather than your tattoo forming a "proper" scab and simply leaves it with a fine layer of dry skin over the top so no puckering or itchyness either and it does not draw any colour out, in fact I have found that your tattoo stays alot brighter than usual as the colour is not soaked up into big ol' nasty scabs.
Give it a go girls and let me know how you get on, trust me it works like magic!
Hope this helps lovelies xxx:Dxxx

[Ditzy di]

OOOh sounds interesting I might give that a go with my next one!

[DeadlyPoison]

yeah i got told prep h is good for ink!!

i was always told however to never use anything vaseline based on a tattoo as it can pull out the colour or send it gooey (for want of a better word) i used to use savlon then got told off for that by my tattooist (which is weird cuz my mum n dad used that for 20 ish years without a problem) so damned confusing

[NADUAHMARIE]

I use an antibiotic that my artist prescribes-bacitracin, till it is nice and smooth, at least 2 weeks, then I keep it lotioned everyday with a thick cream. I am in Texas where it is always hot and my skin dries and the tat looks nasty so the cream keeps it looking nice. My peeling is never bad and it heals easily. My wrist bracelet healed in no time and was so simple to care for. Even my tiger which is my biggest piece healed great.

[STEALTH K3]

For my latest Tattoo I use cling film have usewd it many times now and I would not go bacj to anything else it was done on Wednesday and there are no scabs now

[coleford ink]

For my latest Tattoo I use cling film have usewd it many times now and I would not go bacj to anything else it was done on Wednesday and there are no scabs now

Not the same piece I hope ;)

I dont use any cream at all. Wash with hot water and unscented antibacterial soap.Then douse with cold water pat dry.Couple times a day for first 2 days.

Then leave it alone.

Works for me :)

[DeadlyPoison]

am having to use savlon on my newest cuz its split :(

[CherryB]

Ive heard different things over the years and have used all sorts on my tats. I use dove soap, pat dry and then an intensive moisturiser like vaseline intensive care or nivea. I also swear by Tattoo Goo for older tats as it keeps their colour and sharpness although it smells strongly of lavendar!

My partner uses Bepanthen and thinks is great. Not much scabbing, no itching and heals well. :cool:

[DeadlyPoison]

i got told of recently by alot of people on BME/IAM for using Savlon.
then got told next tat i have dont use ANY CREAM just wash it twice a day in warm water with a perfume free soap!

[CherryB]

i got told of recently by alot of people on BME/IAM for using Savlon.
then got told next tat i have dont use ANY CREAM just wash it twice a day in warm water with a perfume free soap!

Hi :) Ive always been told not to use savlon or vaseline. However my friend Jon used savlon on all his tats and thinks its great. I guess were all different. I use what works for me and thats that. Ive had no problems with any of mine healing. Ive even used Dove soap and then just left them before now too :)

[DeadlyPoison]

dove soap is GREAT stuff

[Sherav]

Well don't laugh but..

I used Preparation H - I was shocked but it really did the business with no serious greasy feel.

I have also used aquaphor from the states which was also ok but not seen for sale in the UK.

Matthew

[AdamSmith]

well there are various ways to remove tattoo, u can select that works better on your skin.bepanthen is widely used for the purpose but if it does not suit u, avoid it. u can also go for bp cream that.

[theadmin]

Bepanthen is a nappy rash cream and contains petroleum which does nothing to preserve the tattoo ink. There are much better products on the market now like After Inked which is petroleum & parabens free, suitable for vegans and is also not tested on animals. It contains powerful anti-oxidant ingredients like grape seed oil which cuts healing time in half and also helps to preserve the tattoo over time. Tattoos can fade over time when your skin is in poor condition and a After Inked can help in this area.

[Scarlett]

We use that, and a small amount goes a very long way!! We are strict vegetarians and don`t use products tested on animals, so for us, it`s perfect and smells good too.
Our tattoo artist said it is good to use all the time on tattoos, even after they are healed to keep the skin in good order as you said.

[AdamSmith]

Well that was a good thing to know specially for veg tattoo fans. But how effective is it and how long does it take to show the results?

[DysFunctional]

I just invested in After Inked for my new tat. At nearly £15 it better be good!! lol It does smell gorgeous though.
Used savlon on my first tat, and bepanthan on my second. Both of which worked well, although the one treated with the savlon has faded a bit (it was done 3 years ago though). Have been putting after inked on half of the old tattoo to see what difference it makes, and it really does appear to look brighter, so we shall see how it does in the longer term.

Fiona x

[AdamSmith]

Different skin types react differently to the lotions. While bepanthen may cause allergic reactions to some, it did actually work in my case.

[Sherav]

Hi

I used afterinked on my backpiece first sitting it was ok (no reactions) but didn't do much for the itching.

The plus side ink stayed in well but at £15 a go i bought 5 tins of tattoo goo for £20 and a tube of Savlon and these combined are just as good.

I am testing a variety of different products to see which works best and costs etc.

Take Care
Matthew

[DysFunctional]

I was a bit itchy using the after inked for the first week aswell Matthew, at the price I paid, I think i'd probably stick to savlon or bepanthon for my next one and use the after inked once it's healed.
I did find I got a lot of ink come away when I was cleaning the tattoo, didn't get that before (of course, that could just be because it is an all black tat, I have no idea?)

I do love the smell of it though and my tattoo has healed well and the black is still black :)

Fiona

[Newinkaddict]

I recently got a new tatoo it is a beautiful cover up of an old one i hated.. the new one is black ink with vibrant yellow blue and white colours...i followed the recomemded instuctions and remved the cling film after hours washed it applied savlon then reapplied cling film before wrapping up warm to take the kids to a fire work's display...now the only thing i did against advice there was the savlon i was told to use bepanthan nothing else but i thought i had some at home so never got it only to find out i was wrong....Now when i got back home and undressed to my horror under the cling film was a thick creamy layer of glue like slime and load's of creamy ink so i ran to the bath room washed and the area with anti bac soap and water...the glue like substance stuck to my sink and my tatoo instantly looked alot less vibrant though the black was fine..i applied the dreaded vasaline i now heard to be bad and left it uncovered over night.for fear of oozeing again...in the morning i was really upset to see my piece of art looking dull and even the white look's yellow and the blue dull and merky..not much scabbing though..im now using bepanthen and hoping for the best..Has anything like this happened to anyone else and if so how were the end results..Any advice appreciated... :(

[LauraP]

I research some tattoo after healing tips and here what I found.Improper aftercare can lead to fading of color, scars forming on your piece, and other things that will affect the longevity of your artwork. Remember, what you have is an open wound, the same as a cut or scrape. It must be kept clean and free of bacteria that could lead to infection.