We often get excited when we see a tattooed person. Even we feel the urge to get one. But the fear of skin damage suppresses our desire to get tattoos.
Anyhow, an essential activity of tattooing is tattoo wiping. And for wiping, there are many products that one can use to wipe up your skin while tattooing. Now the question is, which product is suitable for tattoo wiping?
Skin is our body’s outer covering, which helps us protect against bacteria, chemicals, and temperature. There are so many layers on our skin. So it is obvious that if it interacts with harmful objects, you will get infected by skin diseases. So, it is necessary to use non-toxic products to save the skin when inserting inks, dyes, and pigments.
Key Takeaways
- While getting a tattoo, cleanliness is a must, and you must follow the process of wiping before, after, and in between.
- We can divide tattoo-wiping items into two categories. Some common items are acetone, alcohol, alcohol pad, baby wipes, cotton balls, paper towels, green soap, and soapy water; other items are distilled water, hydrogen peroxide, iodine, and sterilized water.
- Testing your skin type, preferences on wiping items, and being gentle while tattoo wiping. These are some pro tips that one can follow during tattoo wiping.
Importance of Tattoo Wiping
Wiping becomes more essential when excessive inks extract from the skin during tattooing. If you think that a tattoo needle injects skin directly, then you are thinking wrong! It works like a vacuum, and it pierces the skin. So to get a good tattoo, cleanliness is a must. And it is not like that; you need to clean up all the mess after you have done your tattoo. You must follow the wiping process before, after, and in between.
Tattoo processing is not like you are rubbing your skin without any object randomly to remove the excessive ink. You need something. To wipe up the ink, you need some products and objects. If you do not take care of the wiping fact during your tattoo process, you may get blood-borne diseases, skin infections, allergic reactions, etc.
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Tattoo Wiping Items
There are many products available that one can use for the tattoo-wiping process. We can divide them into two categories to understand them better. One is a common item, and another is another item. Names of common and familiar items are acetone, alcohol, alcohol pad, baby wipes, cotton balls, paper towels, green soap, and soapy water. Other items are- distilled water, hydrogen peroxide, iodine, and sterilized water. Details about all those products are given below-
Common Item to Wipe:
1. Acetone: Acetone is commonly used in the medical sectors, especially in pathology and dermatology. People use it as a nail polish remover and superglue also. Even dermatologists use acetone with alcohol for acne treatments. So, you can use acetone to protect your skin while wiping excess ink.
2. Alcohol: You can use alcohol for dried-up ink stains. But be careful about any damage that might happen to your tattoo. You can also use alcohol with a carrier oil, another method which you may find smoother as well.
3. Alcohol pad: I think alcohol pads are the most accessible tattoo-wiping equipment ever. If you are searching for the cheapest way, this can save you money! This budget-friendly item can ensure perfect cleanliness, but you should use it sparingly. Too much pressure while wiping can spread outside your tattoo’s lines.
4. Baby wipes: Baby wipes are gentle and will not cause irritation to your skin. It is easier to use and remove tattoo ink from the skin. Many local tattoo shops use baby wipes because it is super convenient and soft. As it is available at almost every tattoo shop, you can ask your tattoo artist to use them instead of removing other items.
5. Cotton balls: Cotton balls are an easy and affordable item to remove the tattoo. They are familiar with the makeup industry. You can remove tattoo ink quickly and easily with them. All you need to do is to soak a cotton ball in water and blot the tattooed area. Then all the ink will transfer onto a cotton ball and leave your skin ink free.
6. Paper towels: Paper towels are everyday kitchen items we use to dry hands, clean spills, and wipe windows and other surfaces. It is softer and more absorbent than standard tissue paper. So, you can use a roll of paper towel at your tattoo shop as it can absorb the tattoo ink nicely.
7. Green soap: ‘Green soap’ is a familiar word for tattoo wiping. This soap has been quite popular in the tattoo industry for many years. This oil-based vegetable soap is very eco-friendly. Not only in tattoo parlors, but also people use it at piercing studios and medical places. It helps to clean the skin and sanitizes. It is very skin-friendly, especially for sensitive ones. It has a soothing capacity that can soften and heal your skin simultaneously.
8. Soapy water: We often use soapy water as an alternative to hand wash. You can use any mild or alcohol-free soap to remove excess blood, ink, and pigment. Gently rub that on your tattooed area and wash off your extra ink.
Other items to Wipe:
1. Distilled Water: Distilled water contains no other minerals or harsh chemicals. It is also used for sterilizing medical equipment. That is what makes it ideal for use in skin products. You can use distilled water as an alternative to green soap.
2. Hydrogen Peroxide: This chemical compound cleans surfaces, disinfects tools, and bleach hair. There is a possibility that it may lighten up your tattoo, but you need to take care of it while you are using that.
3. Iodine: We all know about this element. This chemical is best for tough tattoo ink stains. Please don’t get confused because of its reddish-brown color! It kills the germs, dirt, and bacteria from your skin’s surface. You can use a cotton ball or earbud to remove the excess ink.
4. Sterilized Water: If you need to learn about sterilized water, let me explain! It is free from harmful living forms- bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and spores. If you are afraid of using other available ingredients, you can use this water. Just be careful about the water while buying- make sure you do not choose any cheap alternatives.
Pro Tips
I would like to add some tips regarding tattoo wiping, which might help both artist and client at the same time-
- Remember to test your skin type prior tattoo session. Ensure that the wiping item your artist uses is also compatible with your skin.
- Consult with your tattoo artist if you have any preferences on wiping items.
- If you need to change your wiping items immediately during the tattoo process, don’t hesitate to discuss that with your tattoo artist.
- As an artist, you should be gentle whenever you wipe the tattoo off your client’s skin.
FAQs
Can I wipe my tattoo with a cloth?
No, you cannot do that. Do not ever try to use bath towels, bath sponges, loofahs, or washcloths on a fresh tattoo. Use your clean hands while washing off the tattoo, and use ointment after it gets dry.
Can I wipe the tattoo with a paper towel?
You might be facing tattoo weeping for a couple of days; at that moment, you can dab your tattoo with a clean paper towel. Gently press the paper towel to remove but do not get rough.
Why do you use Vaseline when tattooing?
Vaseline will not let your new tattoo get dirty if you apply a thick layer on your skin after you get it done. It can heal and moisturize your tattoo correctly.
Final Thoughts
To sum up, tattoo wiping is essential to a tattoo session. As we have discussed the importance of wiping and the categories of wiping items, tattoo artists and tattoo lovers may find their own choice to remove tattoo ink from their skin. Again, skin sensitivity is also an issue here. People with different skin types need to understand the wiping process and make it smoother as per their preferences.
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