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Buster West

Feb 06, 2025

Can I Put Baby Oil On My Tattoo?

I got my tattoo over a week ago, and it’s still scabbed and very dry. It looks like there are white cracks in it. Is baby oil a suitable temporary solution for moisturizing it? I don’t have anything else at home to apply. :S

8 Answers

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Aylin Zboncak

Dec 09, 2024

As a professional tattoo artist with over 16 years experience and owning my own studio, I’d give you a BIG RESOUNDING NO! Baby oil has mineral oil in it and that is a petroleum derivative. Never use anything with petroleum or petrolatum on your tattoo. It holds germs against the skin, prevents the tattoo from getting air, and raises the skin temperature thus making the ink come to the surface and leach out of the tattoo, leaving it looking terrible when healed. I recommend you stay away from anything that has petroleum in it like A & D (70% petroleum), Aquafor (70% petroleum), Aloe Vera, Vitamin E, or Cortisone. My preference is a product called Udderly Smooth, it’s cheap, it works and it smells good. Second choices would be Lubraderm, Keri, or another high quality hand lotion, but check the ingredients and don’t use it if it has any of the items mentioned above.

And, don’t do nothing. You will develop cracks in the tattoo that will have to be fixed.

And, wash your hands every single time before you touch it, and use just a little bit, wash the tattoo 3-4 times a day with antibacterial soap, then blot with a paper towel, then a light coat of lotion. This is what I advise my clients and I hardly ever have to do touch ups if they follow my advice to the letter. Your tattoo artist should have told you this!!

LennyW. – Addicted 2 Tattoos, Tampa, FL

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Anonymous

Jan 14, 2025

This Site Might Help You.

RE:

Can I Put Baby Oil On My Tattoo?

I got my tattoo over a week ago and it’s still all scabbed up and really dry, it looks like they’re white cracks in it. Is baby oil a good temporary solution for it? I really have nothing else in the house to put on it. :S

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Jeff Conn DVM

Dec 09, 2024

I wouldn’t. Just put lotion on it, or A&D. If you don’t have either one of those, then don’t put anything on it. At this point there is nothing you can do that will mess up your tattoo unless you scrape, cut, or get it sunburnt. When I get a tattoo I don’t put anything on it.

I don’t know why your not supposed to, but my tattoo artists said not to use baby oil (I think they only said this because they don’t know what exactly is in baby oil and they don’t want any of the chemicals to fade the ink)

Tattoos are supposed to scab and be dry. Lotion and ointment only help the tattoo heal without a hard dry scab. If you don’t pick it or do anything that constantly rubs at it, then it will heal naturally and the tattoo will look fine without using lotion. My last tattoo took over two weeks before it stopped being dry, but it healed perfectly.

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Anonymous

Jan 22, 2025

NO!

Go get lubriderm you can get it at walmart or cvs..pretty much anywhere even the grocery store.

Regardless of what anyone on here say’s A&D or tattoo goo will work great as well. They all have the basic same ingredients.

DO NOT use baby oil or vaseline. Do not pick at the scab either. You should already be putting something on your tattoo. Im surprised your tattoo artist didn’t give you aftercare instructions…

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Anonymous

Feb 19, 2025

When you first walk away from the parlor its okay to have it covered. But soon as you’ve had it for a few hours I would keep it dry until it heals. If you have any weird inflammation or whatever, I would call the most reputable local tattoo parlor in your area for advice.

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Anonymous

Feb 07, 2025

NO! No neosporin or polysporin, I heard that spears it!

I don’t know about baby oil but you should have been putting lotion on from day one!!! No wonder it looks like that! GO SEE YOUR TATTOO ARTIST!

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