i just got a new tattoo today and the artist told me just to use lotion (and soap of course) and no other ointment. With my last tattoo I was recommended to just use bacatracin ointment and no lotion at all. how will this change the outcome of my tattoo? or do both methods essentially do the same thing?
My artist always said use A&D cream the first 2 weeks then lotion. I looked it up on the net and it seems every artist has their own ideas about the best treatment for a new tattoo.
Your tatt will be fine. All you really need to do with it is keep it clean by washing it 2-3 times a day, and put THIN layers of unscented lotion (I use lubriderm) whenever it gets super itchy or really dried out. You still want the skin to be dry enough to flake off, but not so dry that it starts to crack your skin. Thats when you get scarring.
A&D or any of the other petroleum based types of ointments seems to me to be an "oldschool" type of suggestion for aftercare. By this I mean mainly people who have been in the business a while and always done it that way. Lotion is what most younger artists recommend. Every skin is different and so is every artist. If you ask 100 artist what type of aftercare you use, you'll get a 100 different answers. I've only ever used dial soap to clean and a really plain lotion 1-2 times a day. I preffer Aveeno lotion. All my tattoos have turned out great. Peace
From the back of the business card of the place I got my 2 tats from: Remove bandage and was with soap and water 1st week: Apply thin coast of antibiotic ointment several times a day to keep tat from scabbing. 2nd week: Keep tat clean, but now apply hand lotion several times a day. No swimming or long soaking for 1 week. If scabbing occurs DO NOT pick at or peel the tattoo.
I used unscented Dial Soap and petroleum jelly on mine. The petroleum jelly kept the itching under control. I didn't follow that bullshit thin coat stuff, I LIBERALLY applied the jelly to my tat and it didn't bother me as far as itching and it kept the scabbing under control. I recommend either petroleum jelly or tattoo goo. Tattoo goo is more likely to keep the color bright and true.
I heal my tattoos like this.. I leave the saran wrap the artist puts on my ink overnight. (Keeps it nice and moist) then in the morning, remove the bandage, clean off the old blood and ink gently with warm water, and then LITFA! Usually when the tattoo starts to get dry, I will put a lotion such as anything unscented (with no alcohol in it either) or triple antibiotic on it.. Never had a problem, and I have 7 tattoos and over 20 hours of work done!
this is the only stuff i will use to heal my tats & keep em looking good for years to come tattoo goo
