Does Witch Hazel Fade Tattoos – Fact or Myth?

There are many products and ingredients that people use for tattooing and aftercare. Some like Saniderm and Tegaderm are great to keep the tattoo protected while a moisturizing lotion from Cetaphil or CeraVe is great for tattoo aftercare. But there is one such product that tattoo artists all around the world rave about: witch hazel! It is used in the tattoo industry quite more than you could think! However, there is a myth going around where people question, ‘Does witch fade tattoos?’.

So does it? This is quite a strange one. It’s because if it were to fade tattoos, no tattoo artist would use or recommend its use. And trust me, witch hazel is more prevalent in the tattoo industry than you might think.  From its chemical composition and properties, witch hazel is a fantastic astringent solution, especially for tattoos. So let’s look at all things witch hazel for tattoos and come to a conclusion for the question to expel this myth once and for all!

Key Takeaways

• Witch hazel’s composition consists of organic ingredients and compounds which is what gives its great properties for tattoos.
• Witch hazel can be used for tattooing, tattoo aftercare, and even for tattoo ink. However, you will need to dilute it first.
• Witch hazel on its own will not fade the tattoo because it does not contain bleaching properties.
• To make witch hazel solution, all you need are some dried witch hazel leaves and bark, water, and a clean container.

Witch Hazel: Composition and Properties

Witch hazel solution is made from a plant of the same name that has the same name. While we are focused on its relationship with tattoos, witch hazel is also popular in the skincare industry due to its properties. But before getting to that, let’s first get to its composition and what it is made from!

Witch hazel composition

Witch hazel solutions are made from twigs, leaves, and even the bark of the plant. While it is mainly dependent on which parts are more used and what manufacturers usually combine them with. So let’s take a look at both organic and added ingredients found in witch hazel solutions.

Commercial products will have these added ingredients along with a host of others like aloe, rosewater, palmetto, etc. But what they usually achieve is to enhance the properties of witch hazel further.

Witch hazel properties

The properties are where witch hazel really shines. These are generally good for the skin but they are also helpful for tattoos themselves. So let’s look at these properties in a bit more detail.

• Antioxidants: it helps to speed up the healing process of the tattoo which is found in all organic ingredients in witch hazel (the concentration varies).
• Anti-inflammatory: the crème-de-la-crème of witch hazel, the soothing effect of witch hazel is what makes it so great and it mostly comes from flavonoids and gallic acid
• Antibacterial: the reason why witch hazel is used for the tattooing process; the anti-bacterial properties come from gallic acid.
• Astringent: this means that it constricts the skin pores and reduces the amount of bleeding during tattooing; mostly found in tannins and proanthocyanidins

While these might be all the good parts, there are some downsides to witch hazel as well. When too much is used, it can be drying for the skin, and flavonoids and gallic acid can irritation on the skin. That is why it is important to always do a patch test of witch hazel to make sure that you are not sensitive to it.

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Witch Hazel Uses for Tattoo

While I have mentioned in passing where witch hazel is used for tattoos, let’s look at it in further detail.

Tattooing process

The tattooing process involves piercing the skin to produce tiny pockets in the dermis of the skin layer where the tattoo ink will set in. This is also where the capillaries are present which can cause some problems like infection. That is where witch hazel comes in with its anti-bacterial and anti-septic properties which help to reduce the chances of infection occurring!

The soothing properties of witch hazel are also a nice touch for the tattooing process. This provides someone getting a tattoo a momentary relief when the tattoo is wiped with a witch hazel gel to wipe off the blood and ink.

And finally, the astringent property also helps the tattoo artist a lot more than you think! Witch hazel can tighten the pores which will cause less bleeding to occur. This will allow the tattoo artist a clearer skin to work on and make the tattooing process more seamless.

Tattoo aftercare

This is where the anti-inflammatory property of witch hazel really shines. The tattoo takes about 4 weeks to heal, where the first 2 weeks are often the most painful because your tattoo skin can feel irritated. Witch hazel’s soothing effect provides comfort from the redness and itching and other signs of irritation. The antibacterial properties can also help keep the tattoo clean from any germs and keep your tattoo from getting infected while it is healing.

Tattoo ink

If you did not know, witch hazel is a great carrier for pigments and is able to restore old and dried tattoo ink. The tattoo ink can be dissolved in a bit of witch hazel solution and sterile water to help restore tattoo ink and help in diluting tattoo ink as well! Not to mention that witch hazel can make the tattoo ink more vibrant as well!

Does Witch Hazel Fade Tattoo: Fact or Myth?

The reason a lot of people think that witch hazel has the properties to fade tattoos is that it is used to wipe away the tattoo ink during the tattooing process, used to soothe the tattoo during aftercare, and because it is used to dilute the ink.

So when you notice that your tattoo artist is spritzing some witch hazel solution on your skin and then wiping the tattoo, you might think that witch hazel fades tattoos! But it is in fact not the case at all! Witch hazel does not have bleaching properties to it at all which could allow the tattoo to fade. Moreover, witch hazel can for a very short time (until it dries up) make your tattoo look shiny and vibrant instead!

However, there is the case where you or your tattoo artist used too much witch hazel on your tattoo. This can cause an adverse reaction because of the astringent properties of witch hazel which can leave the skin dry and cause flaking of the skin. It can also cause other sorts of irritation which might lead to something more serious that can potentially ruin the tattoo. You could say then that witch hazel was the reason your tattoo faded but that is the worst-case scenario. It won’t happen unless under special circumstances because witch hazel is relatively safe to use on the skin, bar an allergic reaction or other ingredients in the solution causing it.

How to Make A Witch Hazel Solution?

To make a pure witch hazel solution at home, you will need dried witch hazel bark, water, and a clean container with a lid.

Here are the steps to make the solution:

• Place ¼ cup of dried witch hazel bark, leaves, and twigs in a clean container with a tight-fitting lid.
• Add 1 cup of water to the container, making sure that the witch hazel is fully submerged.
• Cover the container and let it sit for 24 hours. Then strain the liquid into a clean container.

The resulting liquid is your witch hazel solution. However, this solution will be really concentrated and will actually hurt if you directly apply it to your tattoo, especially for aftercare and tattooing process. That is why when you are going to use this particular solution, you will need to dilute the solution further and then use it. That way the potency of the solution will not cause harm to your skin or tattoo.

FAQs

What essential oils are good for tattoos?

Tea tree and lavender essential oils are good for tattoos due to their soothing effect and antibacterial properties.

When can I use witch hazel for tattoo aftercare?

It is best to use witch hazel after the first week of getting the tattoo when the tattoo will start to feel irritated. Make sure to dilute witch hazel in water and then apply it to your tattoo.

Is witch hazel safe for all skin types?

While it is relatively safe for the skin, there are some ingredients that you might be allergic to so it is best to do a patch test before using witch hazel on your skin.

Final Thoughts

So let’s finally dispel the myth once and for all: no, witch hazel does not fade your tattoo! While it might seem like it because tattoo artists use it to wipe the ink cause your ink to fade or during aftercare it might seem like it. But on its own witch hazel will not fade your tattoo. Instead, its properties are beneficial for tattoos, and the reason why it is used in the tattooing process, aftercare, and even for tattoo inks! While pure and organic witch hazel will not, other added ingredients to a witch hazel solution could be what causes the tattoo to fade. But you can be sure witch hazel itself will not do that whatsoever!

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