If you have tattoos, then you know that they have a tendency of becoming drier than other parts of the skin. That is why most tattoo artists suggest using a moisturizing lotion on your tattoo to get rid of dry skin and keep it safe from cracking. One such brand that is revered for its effectiveness even on sensitive skin is Cetaphil! Cetaphil is often recommended by dermatologists because of its safety and effectiveness. But can you use Cetaphil lotion on your tattoo?
Dry skin is just one big problem for tattoos. That is why lotions are important and Cetaphil lotions could help you solve that issue. But how effective is it for tattooed skin and if it is safe or not should be two things that you have to know before you use it on your tattoo. More importantly, it is important to understand the effects Cetaphil has on new and old tattoos as well!
Key Takeaways
- Lotions of new tattoos are really important even though some people still believe that tattoos need not be moisturized.
- Cetaphil lotions are good on tattoos for a number of reasons, mainly due to the gentle ingredients that benefit tattoos.
- For old tattoos, it is important to Cetaphil lotions that have an SPF rating to protect them from the sun’s UV rays.
- For tattoo aftercare, using lotions and moisturizer the correct is important so that your tattoos heal nicely.
Importance of Lotion on New Tattoos
Contrary to what many people think about tattoos, the lotion is very important for healing a new tattoo! Many think that letting it heal naturally is better than having moisture on the tattoo but that is not true at all. New or healing tattoos constantly dry out which causes hindrance to heal. Dry healing can also cause you to have multiple skin problems which could lead to infection! That is why a lotion is used to promote the healing factor for new tattoos.
Along with that, there is also skin flaking and peeling that occurs with new tattoos. While it might be a natural part of the healing process of the tattoo, over flaking of the tattoo is a much bigger problem! As the skin layer peels, certain bits of the tattoo comes off with it. These can be just the epidermal skin layers, but new tattoo ink takes time to settle so with you are potentially losing tattoo ink before it sets. This will make your tattoo distorted and completely ruined. With this information, at least now you are informed about the importance of lotion in tattoo aftercare.
Effectiveness of Cetaphil Lotion: What Makes It Good?
There is a reason why tattoo artists recommend using Cetaphil lotions for tattoo aftercare. So with the importance of lotions out of the way, let’s take a more detailed look into why Cetaphil lotions are good. For this portion, I will be referencing the Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion.
- Paraben-free
- Fragrance-free
- Vitamins
- Hypoallergenic
- Non-comedogenic
- Glycerin
Paraben-free
Parabens are used in skin care products as preservatives. It keeps away the growth of harmful bacteria in the lotion itself. However, parabens are known to cause skin sensitivity and inflammation, two things that you really don’t want on your tattooed skin.
New tattoos are like open wounds and putting paraben on them will cause more irritation, maybe even leading to infection! The Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion is paraben-free, which makes it very easy to recommend.
Fragrance-free
While smelling nice is always a plus point, it is not so for new tattoos. Fragrance is made up of up to 100 different chemicals!
These perfuming ingredients need not be listed in the ingredients list which is why fragrance is very dangerous for new tattoos. Fortunately, Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion is also fragrance-free, only having the light lotion smell that comes from the ingredients. If you see a lotion with fragrance, avoid it at all costs for your new tattoo aftercare routine!
Vitamins: niacinamide and panthenol
Vitamins in your body help to fight the immune system and help rejuvenate the skin. The added vitamins B3 and B5 in Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion are its heroes! Niacinamide (B3) and panthenol (B5) are the vitamin goodness that your tattoo aftercare definitely needs as well!
The niacinamide helps to soothe the skin and return the natural skin barrier while panthenol keeps the ink fresh and increases the rate of tattoo healing!
Hypoallergenic
A lot of lotions on the market might cause allergic reactions to your skin. This can cause rashes, itching, and other harmful side effects.
The Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion is a gentle body lotion that is hypoallergenic, meaning the ingredients don’t cause an allergic reaction unless you are specifically allergic to it. This lotion is also very good because it can be used on sensitive skin without worrying about breakouts happening on your skin!
Non-comedogenic
The myth of not moisturizing your new tattoos comes from the comedogenicity of certain lotions. It means that your pores get clogged, which is a huge problem for your tattoo as the skin loses access to oxygen.
However, Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion is non-comedogenic and a very breathable lotion for your tattoo. While also moisturizing, it lets the tattoo breathe and you won’t have to worry about it getting clogged pores either!
Glycerin
Often known as the superstar ingredient in any skincare product, glycerin is a fat-soluble lipid that retains moisture on the skin. This makes it so that your tattoo will always be moisturized when the lotion is absorbed into the skin! That is really important for the tattoo because it dries up a lot faster than regular skin so you can be sure that your tattoo looks good and stays hydrated.
As you can see, all these things are what make Cetaphil lotion good for your tattoo! With all these benefits, it’s easy to understand why they are good for new and healing tattoos.
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Cetaphil on Old Tattoos: Repeated Use
While all of what was said before concerns about new tattoos, let’s not forget the tattoos that have already passed the healing phase and the ink has set. The good thing about the Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion is that you can still use it on your old tattoos and it will still work as intended keeping it moisturized and looking fresh.
The bad news, this product does not have an SPF rating, meaning your tattoos are still vulnerable to the sun. The worst enemy for tattoos is the sun because of how it interacts with the tattoo ink pigments and breaks them apart.
Enter Cetaphil Sheer Mineral Sunscreen Lotion! Sunscreens are your tattoo’s best friends, especially your old tattoos. This Cetaphil sunscreen lotion has an SPF rating of 50 and will keep your tattoo completely safe from the sun as it absorbs most if not all harmful UV rays.
Along with that comes all of the points that were mentioned above as well! So you can be sure that Cetaphil made this product with sensitive skin in mind which is great for tattoos as well! If you are out and about in the sun with your old tattoos, give it a bit of sunscreen from Cetaphil to keep it well protected.
Correct Way to Apply Lotion on Tattoo
Applying lotion might be easy on old tattoos, but there is a right way to apply lotion on your new healing tattoo. For that, there are easy steps to follow to correctly apply the lotion. I will be mentioning the steps after you have removed the initial wrap of your tattoo that you came out with from the tattoo shop. For the first 3 days, you will have to apply an ointment. After that, you can switch to a Cetaphil lotion.
- Step 1: Clean the tattooed area with antibacterial, fragrance-free liquid soap and your hands, rubbing it under running water.
- Step 2: Pat dry your tattoo with clean paper towels (a cotton towel might stick to the tattoo ink because of the blood and plasma on it).
- Step 3: Apply a pea-sized amount of lotion on your tattoo and massage it gently in small circles.
- Step 4: Wait for the lotion to dry. If you over-moisturize the tattoo (where the lotion is not fully absorbing to the skin), then you can use a paper towel to wipe off excess lotion from your tattoo.
- Step 5: Repeat steps 1 to 4 again after 4 to 6 hours or whenever you feel your tattoos have become dry or when your skin feels tight.
With that, you have correctly applied lotion to your tattoo! That is mostly what your aftercare will look like at the beginning, where the frequency of washing and applying lotion will decrease with time. If you do your tattoo aftercare well, your tattoo should look vibrant within 3 to 4 weeks!
FAQs
Is Aquaphor better than Cetaphil for tattoos?
The Aquaphor ointment should be used for the first 3 days of the tattoo and then you can switch to a Cetaphil lotion for your aftercare. The ointment gives more moisturization in the beginning but has petrolatum which is not good for the later stages of tattoo healing.
What is the best lotion to use on tattoos?
The best lotions for your tattoo would be the ones that are white, fragrance-free, and has non-comedogenic ingredients to keep your tattoo safe and moisturized.
Can I put coconut oil on tattoos?
Coconut oil is perfectly fine to use on healed tattoos. However, they are too comedogenic to be used on new tattoos.
Final Thoughts
Lotions are really important for your tattoo to keep it from drying and causing problems for your tattoo. With a Cetaphil lotion, you can be sure that your tattoo will be kept safe and moisturized so that both your healing and old tattoos keep looking fresh. Make sure with any lotions, even Cetaphil ones, that you look at the ingredients list to make sure that you are not allergic to any of the ingredients. Due to its gentle ingredients, you won’t have to worry about that in Cetaphil lotions but it should be always in your best interest to make sure!
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