The following article looks to determine whether the dry healing method during the tattoo aftercare process remains a suitable option after getting inked.

What is dry healing?

Dry healing is tattoo aftercare that refrains from the use of product, lotion, balm or moisturizer in caring for freshly inked skin.

After you take off the original tattoo shop issued bandage or wrap, all you do during the rest of the healing process is wash the tattooed area with mild antibacterial soap and lukewarm/hot water periodically to cleanse the tattoo.

Why take the dry healing approach?

1. Some tattoo enthusiasts have extremely sensitive skin which reacts poorly to outside influences (and that includes regular soaps). A tattoo dry heal is essentially going the extra step beyond using tinctures of natural ingredient soaps or balms to help clean and protect the tattoo. If you’re not adding anything beyond warm water to your tattoo, then it’s unlike to blow up into an irritated mess of allergies, redness, or lumps, bumps and (further) abrasions

2. Another popular argument is that the cost involved in comprehensive tattoo aftercare is prohibitive. This argument is quite ridiculous. Given you’ve likely invested quite heavily in the inked endeavor to start with, another couple of twenties at the absolute most isn’t too much to pay for keeping your tattoo looking mint for the next twenty years. Not to mention the cost of touch ups or even removal not covered by your poor choice of maintenance.

3. Habits are interesting things. Because my initial two dry heals were underwhelming, this prompted a switch (more on this below) in aftercare behavior. For others, they have had successful dry healing tattoo experiences during past adventures, so there’s no need to change up a winning formula, despite the acceleration in unscented lotion, unscented soap, essential oils, and science and development for tattoo aftercare.