I want to start this blog by saying: I’m not a doctor, and I’m not a tattoo artist. I’m just your regular old healer, granny herbalist, and lover of natural things.
I have a BAD tattoo experience. I followed “shop” instructions and my tattoo got infected, it got scabbed, and the eyeball fell out of my moon. This was horrible for me. I was so sad because I was really excited about grandmother moon. I was able to get one-touch up, to help the eye look real again, but I still need another touch up on it.
I currently have 3 tattoos. 2 that I healed my way, and one that I healed by listening to shops. The tattoos that I took care of my way healed quickly, and the colors are vibrant.
Healing Tattoos Naturally | What you need
You don’t have to use Manuka Honey, But you CAN’T use the honey bear, honey. Most of the honey that you can get in Walmart and other commercial stores is just artificial, processed sugar. Many brands even contain High Fructose Corn Syrup. If you have a local apiary, SUPPORT THEM. Go get some raw honey. But don’t use crap. You spent a lot of money on your tattoos, you should put just as much care into healing them. If you don’t you will be sorry and you will have to spend more money to retouch them.
Honey has been used for THOUSANDS of years as a wound dressing. A tattoo is a wound. It bleeds and seeps, and scabs, and flakes, and heals. Honey is antiviral, antibacterial, and antimicrobial. It is thick and applies easily to wounds. It helps keep it clean and heals it quickly
The benefits of Silver for healing are many and well documented. This is a must-have product. For healing burns or tattoos.
Day One
Here is my Tezcatlipoca Tattoo, day one at the shop. You can see a little blood on Tez’s whiskers. This is FRESH. At the shop, my artist cleaned it and then bandaged it.
When I got home, I used antimicrobial hospital grade soap and cracked open my honey.
On day one I apply honey as soon as I get home from the shop. It’s best to make sure that the tattoo is uncovered as much as possible. The honey is…sticky. It is honey after all. Be aware of this when you apply it.
After application, it may sting and burn. It will sit on the tattoo and it will begin to drip off. Just make sure you don’t make a mess. Don’t fuss with the tattoo too much. Eventually, the honey will dry.
I also wash and reapply the honey before bed on day one. I leave enough time for the honey to dry before I go to sleep.
Day 2
Here is a day two healing picture. The redness is completely gone, and it hurts.
My tattoo didn’t seep at all. Normally when healing tattoos you go through this gross process of plasma seeping through your skin. It’s painful and gross and is reminiscent of a bad, blistering sunburn.
On day two I washed and applied honey in the morning. At night I washed and applied the armor gel. I did this because the silver gel is also wonderful for healing and infection protection. But it is not as sticky as the honey! It is much easier to sleep with the armor gel. It’s not sticky, it doesn’t drip, and it hardens nicely to create a protective skin of healing on your tat.
Day 3 and Beyond
Generally washing twice a day and applying honey as needed is the way to go. You will eventually get into a healing phase where the tattoo is totally healed, and not wet. I feel like a healing sunburn at this stage, and I would treat it as such.
I don’t recommend the aquafer that everyone seems to love. I don’t like the ingredients, and I don’t like the way it sits on my skin.
I also don’t recommend coconut oil. Coconut oil is wonderful, but it is super drying. It contains a component called lauric acid, and I don’t like that on my tattoos.
Aloe Vera (natural) or Shea Butter is wonderful for healing. Some people choose to also use essential oils during this stage of healing.
I DON’T CARE HOW PURE YOUR ESSENTIAL OILS ARE. Use them diluted, people. Frankincense and Lavender are wonderful oils for your skin and I have really enjoyed using these (with proper dilution) on my tattoos.
