When you get a new tattoo you’re obviously wondering what the best thing to put onto your tattoo would be to ensure that it heals correctly and that you don’t mess up the tattoo aftercare process. Aquaphor has been a widely recommended and deeply sought after healing product. This brief explanation will provide insights and thoughts into using aquaphor for tattoos and the tattoo healing process.

The things you will need may include:

With those three aftercare products you will be able to clean your tattoo, keep it clean and ensure that you have a properly healed and high quality tattoo.

Aquaphor For Tattoos

Should you use aquaphor for tattoos and the healing process?

The answer to this is not as easy as a yes or no. The answer can be given on a case by case basis and really will depend on the person, the skin, and their tattoo. You will need to spend some time trying out the product that is right for you.

In this article I will outline the reasons people recommend for aquaphor as well as the reasons against it so that you can infer your own decisions based on the arguments.

Benefits Of Using Aquaphor For Tattoos

This type of heal ointment is great for chapped and dry skin. It’s primary usage is for that as well as healing ecsema and other forms of rashes. Many users generally will use it to seal little cuts or bruises to assist in the healing process. The seal aids in protecting against germs or anything else that may come into contact with the broken/affected skin.

Because of the thickness and greasiness of aquaphor, it’s best usage facilitates in creating a barrier between skin/affected area and bacteria/irritation which in theory would allow your tattoo to heal in a quick/undisturbed condition.

Great for dry/chapped skin
Creates barrier between skin and bacteria
Effective for tattoos through proper application

Another perk to using Aquaphor is that you can get a lot of product for a very cheap price and once your tattoo is healed you will be able to use the product as time goes on for many other skin issues.

Drawbacks Of Using Aquaphor For Tattoos

The reason many people go back and forth with using aquaphor for tattoos is simply due to the thickness and greasiness of the substance. For some people, this does not disturb their tattoo healing process but for others it is almost too much and will suffocate the pores when there is too much on the skin.

I’ve used aquaphor to heal my tattoos in the past (along with many other products) and I noticed that I was developing small zit like bumps on the applied area which was essentially my body saying I was applying too much. Knowing what was going on to adjust this I:

Cleaned the area thoroughly with anti-bacterial soap.
Allowed the area to air dry.
Re-applied with a much thinner layer and smaller amount.

Wiping away over applied aquaphor on your tattoo sometimes will not work because it simply pushes it into the pores more and so I’ve found the outlined process above to be the best process for re-application.

I tried many more times to use aquaphor lowering the applied amount over and over again and I noticed these zit like bumps would form regardless.

Please keep in mind that everyone’s skin is different I have very sensitive skin that tends to break out based on diet, exercise, and substances put on the skin.

I will reiterate once again that once again it will depend for the person. I do know people that do use aquaphor for tattoos successfully and their tattoos heal just fine. Meanwhile I had to go out into the market and test our various other forms of tattoo ointments.

If you want to try aquaphor I would definitely go ahead and pick some up to see if it works for you. The cool thing about these broad multi use products is that you can save money using Aquaphor because you will get alot of product at a great price and once your tattoo is healed you will be able to use the product for any kind of cut, rash, or other irritated skin issues.

If you’re interested in some alternatives that I have found to using aquaphor for tattoos and the healing process please check out some of my recommendations below:

Below you will see some of my alternative recommendations

A&D Ointment

When I first began having issues with aquaphor I went to my tattoo artist and asked what he would recommend I use for the tattoo ointment component of the tattoo healing process. He recommended applying A&D ointment in small applications to the skin to gauge effectiveness.

I took him up on the recommendation and have since found it to be a staple in my tattoo after products. It’s very simple to apply, comes at a great value, and can be used for other skin issues in a very similar fashion to aquaphor but without the thickness and greasiness.

Tattoo Goo – Aftercare Salve

This little tin is a great alternative to the big name brands that dominate skin care at this time. I really enjoy this because it’s effective, fairly priced, and you really don’t need to use much of it.

You can apply this 3-4 times per day, keep your tattoo adequately moisturized and clean and when it comes time for you to go to bed you can apply this and it won’t leave those pesky marks on your sheets.

This is a great alternative to people who are sensitive thicker substances and tend to break out when they are applied to the skin. When you put this on your skin you really don’t get a break out occuring because it does not have a greasy/thick feeling to it.

In Conclusion..

Aquaphor for tattoos will depend on the person. It is not the end all be all for tattoo ointments and there are alternatives for people who do not like using thicker more greasy substances. It has been recommended throughout time when it comes to tattoo ointments but that does not mean it will work for you. So I would encourage you to take some time and find the right product for you.

What do you think of aquaphor for tattoos? Do you use it for your tattoos?