The health benefits to the use of coconut oil are many and varied, but can it be used effectively during the tattoo healing process? The following article looks at coconut oil for use in body art related skin care and health.  

Health fads come and go. From eating placenta pills after pregnancy to aerated chocolate bars, people are constantly on the hunt for new and alternative options to treat health issues and increase wellness. One of the more recent products that has been purported as a cure for all sorts of conditions is pure coconut oil.

As opposed to other natural ingredient curatives, given the restorative power of coconuts there might be something to the hype.

In fact, there is a growing body of scientific research documenting health benefits associated with this natural oil. Besides the different ways that ingestion can be beneficial, external uses for coconut oil – balm, lotion, ointment, salve and butter – have caught the attention of those in the industry as a powerful tattoo aftercare product.

Here, we will discuss coconut oil -and the myriad reasons why more and more artists are recommending its use as an aftercare cream for their client’s tattoo healing process.

Coconut Oil & Tattoo Aftercare

Besides a long history of dermatological use around the world, what specifically makes coconut oil so perfect for use as a tattoo aftercare product?  

1. An Antimicrobial Aftercare Lotion

During the initial period, directly after a tattoo session, the fresh ink affected area is basically a big, open wound and as such it is highly susceptible to infection. One of the remarkable things about coconut oil is its natural antimicrobial properties. Thanks to high levels of lauric acid —a known antimicrobial compound—coconut oil tattoo cream when applied to a fresh tattoo, can reduce the risk of infection as the skin is healing.