What happens if you use scented soap on a tattoo? Will Scented Soap Hurt Tattoo?

Once you get your tattoo done your tattoo designer will give you a list of dos and don’ts to follow. Aftercare instructions are essential for anyone who got a tattoo designed on the skin.

Some precautions are cost-effective and simple. Negligence to these may cause adverse reactions not only on the tattoo but also on the skin.

Clients ask oodles of questions to their tattoo designer and follow very little on receiving those. This may sometimes lead to further treatments for skin and touch-ups or tattoos too.

Unless you have the patience and energy to do so, it would be wise to follow the instruction of your designer seriously.

Will scented soap hurt a tattoo?

Scented soaps may not suit every skin type and no one knows how your skin will react post the tattoo injury. It takes a specific amount of type for a tattoo to heal completely and the healing time may vary from person to person.

Thus, most tattoo designers will ask you to stay away from scented products to use on tattoos especially soaps and lotions.

It is most likely that the skin may cause allergic reactions which will further result in fading of tattoo design. Tattoo inks already consist of chemicals. Exposing the skin to further chemicals existing in scented soaps may lead to color fading and skin redness.

To add more, many have even complained about excessive itching, irritation, and dryness on the skin after using scented soaps.

What happens if you use scented soap on a tattoo?

After you come in contact with a fragrance based product on your tattoo, your skin may come in contact with bacteria. Bacteria are possible in all products that contain harsh chemicals which are mainly similar to scented products like soaps, lotions, and other cosmetics.

Some key infections as experienced by a few are white haze over the tattoo design, extreme scabbing, tattoo turning green or yellowish in color, puss, and bad smell from the tattooed skin.  

Your tattoo designer will suggest you use unscented soaps. Regular soaps are not harsh compared to scent-based soaps. Many switch to baby soaps and lotions. Some will also suggest you go for antibacterial soaps.

These are easily available in the market or cosmetic store. If you don’t follow the instructions as suggested by your tattoo artist, you can’t blame him for fading colors in your tattoo. You may have to go again for retouches and that won’t be a cost-effective thing to do.

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How long after a tattoo can you use scented soaps?

Some tattoos take longer to heal and the rest heal faster. It entirely depends on the design, inks used, and the skin tone of the person. Thus, giving a standard answer would be difficult on the usage of scented soaps.

In such scenarios, it would be wise to follow your tattoo artist’s instructions as he knows his work the best.

Some people have started to use soaps after 5 days of the tattoo done. Whereas some have faced serious skin allergies when they began using scented soaps from the 10th day of the design.

Tattoos generally take two to three weeks to heal completely. We suggest you wait until your tattoo expert confirms that your tattoo has healed and you can live with it like a normal thing.

Can you use scented lotion on a healed tattoo?

Your tattoo expert will always advise you switch to non-scented and chemical-free lotions until the tattoo is healed properly. Getting a tattoo is like making some injuries on the skin.

As explained earlier, each body and skin tone is different. It may take less time for some people to heal the skin and some may take longer.

We suggest that you follow all the instructions given by your tattoo artist for at least a week until you see them again.

Keep the tattoo area clean and hydrated. Scented products including cosmetics are harmful to fresh tattoos. Despite the claims they make on being free from allergy, we advise staying away from these until your designer is confident about you using those.

When can I use scented lotion on my tattoo?

You may use antibiotic creams and unscented lotion to heal the tattoo faster and prevent any bacteria on the tattooed skin. When you began using a scented lotion, apply it to a smaller area of the tattoo and check if there are any irritations or reactions.

If the tattooed skin seems to have adapted to it, you may start using the scented lotion. However, a piece of expert advice would be the best thing to follow.

Also, get a small skin test to check if you are allergic to some scents. Other than the precautions, not everyone is ok with all types of scents. Some scents may worsen the skin area if you are allergic to those.

If you have red ink on your tattooed sign, you have to take extra precautions as red ink is already based on harsh chemicals and is the most dangerous to the skin compared to other tattoo inks. Always check with your tattoo artist before you begin with any new product on your tattoo design.

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Final Words:

Keep in touch with your tattoo designer about any new changes in your design and any unknown reactions to your skin. The sooner the reaction is notified; the better will be for you. It is because your tattoo artist knows your skin personally and would be able to suggest the best solution for you.

It would be wise not to hide anything from your artist. They have handled cases in the past and are aware of the precautions as well as the solutions for any incidents. You need to avoid anything that would lead to further treatments and expenses on your wallet. Let the tattoo heal naturally and beautifully.