Should You Use Aquaphor After Getting A Tattoo?

A tattoo is a stunning work of art, but when it is initially applied to the skin, it resembles an open wound. The tattooist used a needle gun to punch holes in your skin and pour ink into them, but those wounds are still available and prone to infection.

You must adhere to the aftercare directions the tattoo artist gave you in order to avoid infection and allow your tattoo to recover correctly. Most people will start with Aquaphor and then move to a fragrance-free moisturizer while their skin is mending.

Tattoo artists frequently suggest the product Aquaphor. It has the power to moisturize and calm your skin, enabling it to heal more quickly and painlessly in the initial week after the tattoo. Aquaphor can be useful for you if you’re thinking of getting inked or have a tattoo that is presently recovering.

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How long Aquaphor should be used on a fresh tattoo is a topic of much discussion. If this is your third or fourth tattoo and you’ve seen different artists each time, you may have received contradictory suggestions since various artists occasionally advise you to wait for varying amounts of time.

It’s usually ideal for applying Aquaphor for 3–4 days after the tattoo. You can then switch to a fragrance-free moisturizing lotion. Regarding your tattoo aftercare regimen, there are several crucial factors to keep in mind. You can learn all you need to know about using Aquaphor to speed up the healing of your tattoo in this article.

What Exactly Is Aquaphor?

Aquaphor is a skin protective agent lotion derived from petroleum jelly that has been utilized for years to treat skin problems. It works to moisturize extremely dry skin and relax skin that has inflamation by a variety of causes.

Aquaphor works well as a moisturizer and protectant for newly-inked skin because it can be dry and sensitive. So why choose Aquaphor tattoo care over traditional petroleum jelly?

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Aquaphor has other chemicals that contribute to its moisturizing abilities. The mineral oil and ceresin further protect your skin and tattoo in this ointment.

Along with these additional components, Aquaphor has other components that help it apply to the skin smoothly and stay non-sticky. The ointment includes chamomile extract to aid with healing and reduce inflammation. An all-natural substance with anti-inflammatory properties is chamomile.

The fact that Aquaphor is a petroleum jelly product may lead some individuals to believe they can use Vaseline in its place; however, this is not true.

Vaseline, which is made entirely of petroleum jelly, will serve as a barrier against the skin. A tattoo requires air passage to recover, which this barrier will prevent.

Aquaphor is ideal since it includes additional substances with anti-inflammatory characteristics to accelerate the recovery process and gives an adequate level of moisture and protection through the petroleum jelly while yet allowing for some air movement.

However, Aquaphor is not just applied to tattoos. You can utilize it to treat a number of skin conditions as well as to prevent dry skin. It’s helpful to know that you can potentially utilize the remaining Aquaphor after purchasing a container for tattoo maintenance rather than throwing it away.

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When Should One Apply Aquaphor To A Tattoo?

You do not need to use Aquaphor continuously or until the bottle is empty. After the tattoo has recovered, you should treat it the way you would the rest of your skin.

With Aquaphor, you can hasten the recovery of a fresh tattoo. You can also prevent the pattern or color from being harmed by itchy skin, rashes, or excessive scabbing. This implies that you just need to apply Aquaphor during the first few days of aftercare.

The skin cells are bathed in a moisturizing solution, enabling them to recover and reconnect to form the natural protective barrier once more. Whenever a scab develops, it functions as a barrier, preventing skin cells from combining to repair. Aquaphor offers an appropriate solution without overhydrating the skin, which might lead to additional issues with the artwork.

How much time does that take? Your tattoo must be fully healed in between two and three weeks, based on the size and pattern of the design and your own recovery ability. You won’t harm yourself by applying Aquaphor for a bit longer than required.

Aquaphor can be applied to healthy skin on a regular basis. But a decent rule of thumb is to keep at least applying it until the tattoo stops scabbing and turning red.

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When it comes to applying the ointment, you should do it once a day. Aquaphor can give excessive moisture to certain persons.

Reduce the amount of ointment you’re applying if you see that the scabs are becoming mushy, you’re experiencing any form of irritation, or you’re breaking out in pimples. For the remainder of the aftercare, it might be necessary to convert from a thick healing ointment to a milder fragrance-free moisturizer.

Can You Put Too Much Aquaphor On A Tattoo?

It is possible to apply Aquaphor to a tattoo. If too much petroleum jelly is in use, the wound won’t heal properly because the petroleum jelly coating will be too thick and prevent appropriate airflow.

It would be best if you only used a thin coating of Aquaphor on your tattoo. Apply it lightly, smoothing it all over the tattoo’s surface. Nothing should be glossy or sticky.

Allow the Aquaphor to absorb into the skin for a few minutes. If the Aquaphor is still shiny and sticky after five minutes, you’ll need to wipe some of the excesses with a fresh, dry towel.

When Should You Use Lotion Instead Of Aquaphor?

Approximately 3–4 days after starting Aquaphor, you can move to lotion. Observe the signals the tattoo is showing you. You will be able to determine if it is fully healed, just like any other wound.

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You can notice that small flecks of color or scabs are rubbing off throughout the washing procedure and even while you apply the Aquaphor. This is natural and usually a sign that your tattoo is ready to be covered with lotion.

You will determine the specific time frame by the skin’s state and the tattoo’s recovery. The way that each person’s skin heals varies so keep an eye out for signals that your tattoo is recovering properly. When switching to lotion, be sure you pick one without any fragrances.

What Motivates The Use Of Aquaphor On Tattoos?

Aquaphor, as we previously discussed, is perfect for use on tattoos since it offers moisture and support while enabling airflow. Additionally, it possesses anti-inflammatory qualities that aid in the wound’s normal healing.

Since Aquaphor offers greater hydration, protection, and recovery qualities than lotion, it is utilize for the initial 3–4 days. You would really like to utilize the substance that will accelerate healing while treating a fresh open wound.

Although fresh tattoos are very dry, they can also leak blood, extra ink, and lymph fluids. These liquids can harm and distort the tattoo if they accumulate and develop a scab over it.

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Avoid this by using Aquaphor. It can prevent these fluids from seeping to the point where they build up over the tattoo if done appropriately and at the appropriate time.

Additionally, Aquaphor will stop these extra fluids from collecting on the skin, preventing the issue of large scabs.

Although a few scabs on a tattoo that is recovering are common, you should try to prevent them as much as possible. If you do have scabs, you should try to keep them from breaking.

What Are The Advantages Of Applying Aquaphor To A Tattoo?

Aquaphor can have a number of advantageous benefits on a fresh tattoo. The following are the most essential:

Minimizes Tattoo Damage And Crusting

Fresh tattoos leak fluid, blood, and extra ink. All of those draining fluids have the potential to dry and develop a crust just on the skin. Keeping the skin hydrated with Aquaphor prevents the fluids from drying out and forming crusts on the affected region.

Lowers Scabbing

Scabs will develop on the majority of tattoos. That is usual. You don’t want giant scabs on your tattoo and don’t want scabs to burst open. This might result in excessive ink loss and portions of the design with less color.

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Cure Infection

Tattoo infections are not very frequent, but they can happen. When you get a tattoo, the needle punctures your skin many times to deposit the ink under the surface layers.

These are basically microscopic skin wounds, and any skin wound can harbor germs and develop an infection. Aquaphor creates a barrier that prevents dirt and bacteria from entering since it is a thick ointment.

Reduces Skin Itchiness

A new tattoo itches. You can’t avoid it. The surface layer of the skin is inflamed and recovering, which causes itching. Aquaphor hydrates the skin and calms irritated skin, lessening itching.

What Is The Prescribed Aftercare Regimen For Tattoos?

Your tattoo artist will give you a particular aftercare regimen for your tattoo. Always pay attention to the artists. They consider the unique skin, how it received the ink, the ink it utilized, and their understanding of how the tattoo would heal depending on its size and color.

Even if you already have tattoos, some artists could fail to offer you the aftercare guidelines. It’s possible that they’ll send you on the way, assuming you know the procedure.

If this occurs and you find yourself struggling to recall the correct procedures, we advise that you proceed as described below.

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• Keep the cover that the tattoo artist has applied over your brand-new tattoo for at least an hour, if not up to four hours.
• Go to a hygienic restroom after the first several hours and take off the bandage or wrap.
• Wash your tattoo with light and unscented soap while using warm water and fresh hands. Make a mixture of soap and gently scrub the tattoo in a circular motion. Although it can hurt a bit, make careful to wash any ointment, blood, or lymphatic fluid away.
• Make sure the tattoo is thoroughly clean and transparent by rinsing it. There should be no bubbles or suds from the soap.
• With a fresh paper towel, lightly sponge the tattoo to dry it.
• Apply a small coating of Aquaphor Healing Ointment once your tattoo is entirely healed.

Maintain cleaning, rinsing, and applying lotion or Aquaphor on the tattoo two to three times daily. Try doing this in the morning and the evening if your daily routine is busy.

Never use a washcloth, scrubbing brush, body towel, or another reusable item to clean and dry the tattoo. Aside from the clothes you put over it, the tattoo should only touch by new, fresh, disposable materials.

Think about wearing loose, cotton clothes over your tattoo if possible. The objective is to stay away from restrictive or uncomfortable fabrics like Lycra or spandex, whether it be a cotton-blend garment or a polyester one. For the first two weeks or more of your tattoo’s healing phase, you should adhere to this aftercare regimen.

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Can I Go To Sleep With Aquaphor On My Tattoo?

You can and most likely will during the first several days of tattoo healing. Since bed sheets are sometimes not washed as frequently as they should be, it is advised that you sleep with a loose clothing item over your new tattoo.

Avoid wearing leggings or other restrictive apparel; the garment should be soft and loose. If you see that the tattoo is stuck to the clothes or bed, carefully peel it off and wash it as recommended in the aftercare instructions.

Does Aquaphor Fade Tattoos?

If you used Aquaphor to the tattoo, it probably looked a lot more vibrant and colorful. Because of the shine from the ointment, moisturized tattoos tend to appear considerably more excellent. Many people mistakenly believe that after they stop using Aquaphor, their tattoos will vanish.

Aquaphor won’t make your tattoo fade; thus, the answer is no. It could even make the tattoo last longer by keeping it colorful and healthy.

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Can I Continue Using Aquaphor While My Tattoo Heals?

It is not advised to use Aquaphor throughout the healing process of your tattoo. Aquaphor’s intense wetness and the layer of protection are critical during the initial several days of recovery. If you don’t perform the adequate care after getting a new tattoo, there is a danger of infection or harm to the tattoo.

But after the initial few days of appropriate aftercare, you’ll see that the tattoo is already beginning to heal appropriately. Even though the entire recovery process for a tattoo takes around four weeks, you’ll start to see results right away.

It would be best if you switched to lotion to allow the tattoo to heal correctly and to give it enough space and air to breathe as it does so. The correct quantity of moisture will be provided by lotion, which won’t suffocate the tattoo or hinder recovery.

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Does Aquaphor Remove Tattoo Ink?

You can observe more ink dripping from the tattoo or colored particles washing out when you wash it. These occur naturally and are unrelated to using Aquaphor. Whether you use Aquaphor or not, a small amount of extra ink will seep from your brand-new tattoo.

Do not be afraid to use Aquaphor if you are concerned that it can harm the tattoo or result in a loss of color saturation. Aquaphor can be in use without risk and won’t remove ink from the tattoo.

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Conclusion

Now that you know why Aquaphor promotes tattoo healing, we hope you can appreciate its benefits. It will aid in recovery and guard against tattoo infections.

Additionally, while using it for the first time, make sure you adhere to the instructions strictly. Avoid using too much ointment. In addition, maintain a good aftercare routine to ensure that the tattoo looks fantastic.