You have just had your tattoo, it is now time for the crucial and delicate stage of healing. Choosing the right product for this can make all the difference, which is why in this article, we will teach you how to dodge some mistakes that are still too common.
Before revealing the pitfalls to avoid when choosing your tattoo cream, let's keep in mind this starting point: a tattoo is a wound, so you must avoid irritating it and preventing it from becoming infected. To avoid any risk of infection, the first essential step is to clean your tattoo. (To know the complete protocol for taking good care of a new tattoo, read our guide).
Now that that's out of the way, here are the most common mistakes to avoid when choosing your tattoo care product.
Mistake No. 1: Choosing a tattoo treatment that contains perfume
Perfume is taboo (we'll all get to the end of it). It may seem harmless, but on freshly tattooed and therefore damaged skin, the irritating substances it contains can lead to redness, itching and irritation, or even allergic reactions, thus disrupting the proper healing process. In addition, perfume can alter the balance of the skin flora, increasing the risk of infection.
Note: we are talking about the "added" perfume, indicated as such in the list of ingredients ("aroma", "parfum", "fragrance", "flavour"...). Your post-tattoo cream may not contain a perfume but smell the natural smell of an ingredient it contains (coconut, for example). As long as the word "fragrance", or one of its derivatives, is not part of the list of ingredients, it's OK.
Mistake n°2: choosing a post-tattoo treatment that contains essential oils
Although essential oils are often touted for their beneficial properties, they are not at all suitable for freshly tattooed skin. Just like perfume, these oils can be very irritating to the skin, especially on a wound like a tattoo. Redness, itching, and allergic reactions may occur.
Mistake n°3: choosing a cream that is too fatty (and/or applying too much of it!)
Another common mistake is to choose a cream that is too oily, or to put too large layers of cream in the hope of intensively moisturizing the skin. This is a counterproductive idea, since a treatment that is too thick or too greasy can form an occlusive barrier, preventing the skin from breathing properly. This will promote maceration and create an environment conducive to bacterial proliferation. In addition, it can cause the appearance of the famous small white pimples on the tattooed area, a sign that the pores are clogged.
For successful healing, the wound must breathe: a treatment that is too greasy and therefore too suffocating is therefore counterproductive. Choose a non-greasy cream that lets the skin breathe while maintaining optimal hydration.
Mistake n°4: thinking that a product sold in pharmacies will necessarily be suitable
Some creams from well-known brands in the field of skincare are sold in pharmacies as being suitable for tattoo healing, but this is not always the case. Sometimes too occlusive, they can also contain unsuitable components (e.g. lanolin) that can cause allergic reactions on damaged skin.
Composition tip
The cream you apply during the healing period of your tattoo must contain at least one ingredient known for its regenerating properties: panthenol for example, also known as provitamin B5, is often one of the essential ingredients in the formulation of repairing creams.
In summary
For good healing, we want a hypoallergenic post-tattoo treatment, which respects, moisturizes and regenerates the damaged skin without causing irritation.
So we want a product:
- Free of irritating or allergenic components (perfume, essential oil, etc.)
- Lets the skin breathe (forget about overly oily textures that can clog pores)
- Designed specifically for the care of freshly tattooed skin (forget the do-it-all cream that we usually pull out for our little everyday injuries)
You now have all the cards in hand to make an informed choice, and experience a healing without pitfalls by turning to a perfectly adapted post-tattoo cream!
