Tech Talk #42: The Best Aftercare Method for Cosmetic Tattoo

What aftercare method is best for cosmetic tattoo and removal clients?

Effective aftercare is the key to a successful healing process for a cosmetic tattoo or removal session. So, which aftercare healing method is better — dry healing or moist healing?

What does the research say?

The question of which healing method is best is not unique to cosmetic tattooing. The medical profession has debated both ways over the years. However, the current belief is that:

• Moist healing: enhances the rebuilding of the skin layers (re-epithelialisation) due to the easier migration of cells and growth factors.
• Dry healing: A dry crust may help prevent infection but impede cell movement.

If you want to take a deep dive into this, you can check out Tan and Dosan, 2019.

Moist healing: What is it and how does it work?

For moist healing, you need to stop trans epidermal water loss (TEWL), which is the natural process of water evaporating from the skin's surface to the external environment.

After a cosmetic tattoo, the skin becomes temporarily sensitive because it has undergone a process that creates tiny openings in the surface. During this time, it is crucial that TEWL is stopped to promote healing, protect tattoo pigment and prevent complications such as dryness, flaking and pigment loss.

Diagram showing impact of compromised skin barrier on hydration (Lemarquand, 2020)

Key to stopping TEWL: Creating a barrier!

For a traditional wound or cut, the barrier preventing TEWL would normally be a bandage. But let’s be real, after a cosmetic tattoo, a bandage is not the look you want for your perfect new brows, and it's completely impractical for your lips and eyeliner!

Instead, cosmetic tattooing can take advantage of occlusive gels and/or creams that are chemically inactive (inert), prevent water loss, and keep out bacteria that could lead to an infection.

Other creams and products tend to absorb into the skin, compromising the protective barrier. Additionally, vitamins and herbal ingredients added to various aftercare creams may interfere with pigment and possibly feed bacteria. That’s why occlusive gels used in cosmetic tattooing need to be biologically and chemically inactive (inert).

Our Recommendation!

At THink, we have recommended Stratmed™ for aftercare for many years. The downsides are that it is expensive, very glossy and designed for general wound care.

That’s why we are so excited to announce our own aftercare: THink Care & Repair.

THink Care & Repair has been specially formulated for the unique requirements of cosmetic tattoo and removal aftercare. Being an occlusive, film-forming gel it provides an ideal environment for healing, with added bentonite clay (loved for its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties!). PLUS it is formulated to be light-weight and low-gloss!

Take a look at THink Care & Repair — retail packs available as a retail opportunity in your clinic.

Now available on mbccosmetictattoo.com.au and thinkpigmentremover.com