Many ointments have petroleum jelly as their main ingredient. Among these products are Aquaphor healing ointment and Vaseline Jelly original. Aquaphor and Vaseline have the same healing properties of keeping your skin hydrated, but they have a few differences. These two ointments are also recommended for use on your tattoos. However, these recommendations have often been regarded as a mixed bag of emotions. Some claim to have had zero issues when using the two ointments.
In contrast, others will give detailed claims on why you should not use Aquaphor healing ointment or Vaseline Jelly original on your tattoos. It is more of a 50-50 baggage claim on these two ointments. To better understand the two products, you should know their main ingredients, use, and effect on your skin.
Read on to understand Aquaphor healing ointment and Vaseline Jelly’s original properties.
Vaseline Jelly Original
Its formula product has 100% of petroleum jelly. Also known as petrolatum, Vaseline petroleum jelly helps create a barrier on your skin, preventing any moisture loss. It also helps protect injured skin from outside germs and irritants.
Aquaphor Healing Ointment
Unlike Vaseline Jelly original, which has 100% petroleum jelly as its main ingredient, Aquaphor contains only 41% of petroleum jelly. Other ingredients in Aquaphor healing ointment are mineral oil, ceresin, lanolin alcohol, panthenol, glycerin that acts as a common humectant, and bisabolol. The presence of lanolin in Aquaphor healing ointment may not be advisable to use if you have a lanolin allergy. It instead causes blemishes and outbreaks on your skin.
What Are the Similarities Between Aquaphor Healing Ointment and Vaseline Original?
As mentioned, both Aquaphor and Vaseline Jelly original are considered occlusive moisturizers. They help retain and lock moisture on your skin hence keeping your skin hydrated. Both can also be used as makeup removers. Vaseline works well as a humectant moisturizer that helps pull water from the environment to your skin, therefore keeping moisture locked in your skin. It is also similar in Aquaphor as it contains glycerin which is also a humectant.
Both Aquaphor and Vaseline jelly original can be used to treat dry or chapped lips. They help restore moisture on your lips, therefore, keeping them soft and hydrated. However, between the two, Vaseline Jelly original works best. Vaseline jelly, original as a brand, has other products that contain additional moisturizing ingredients. Among these ingredients are cocoa butter and aloe Vera that is formulated specifically for the lips.
Aquaphor vs. Vaseline: What Works Best for Tattoos?
After getting a tattoo, you will be required to keep it moisturized and bandaged during the first few days. Borrowing from past studies, Aquaphor healing ointment works best and has been recommended for tattoos. Aquaphor has anti-inflammatory properties that help keep your tattoo safe from infections, therefore, giving it smooth healing.
Unlike Aquaphor that works well on tattoos, this is not the same case with Vaseline Jelly original. Vaseline Jelly can block air from getting to your tattoo hence causing infections. However, it is advisable that after your tattoo heals, you switch to a water-based lotion like Eucerin and Lubriderm.
It’s worth noting that even though Aquaphor is recommended for healing your tattoos, it may not be 100% successful. Recent studies have proven past studies wrong on why Aquaphor healing ointment should not be used on tattoos.
Various ointments are not recommended on your tattoo while healing. Among these ointments are mineral oil and petroleum. Through clinical studies, petroleum and mineral oils have proven to aid hormonal imbalances. Such petroleum-based products should not be used on your tattoos. Applying a petroleum-based product seals your skin’s surface and blocks any natural perspiration process from happening. It also stops any moisture from leaving your skin. This process can cause pimples, whiteheads, blackheads, clog pores, or create room for infection.
As such, the above information should be taken with a grain of salt. Many tattoo artists will swear by petroleum-based products working best on tattoos, but you must be informed why it may be a 50-50 chance. Between Aquaphor healing ointment and Vaseline Jelly original, Aquaphor is recommended. Aquaphor contains only 41% of petroleum jelly. Therefore, it has a better chance of being used on tattoos.
Aquaphor vs. Vaseline Tattoo: What You Should Know
Many dermatologists recommend Aquaphor healing ointment as a better moisturizer. Aquaphor has glycerin that acts as a humectant and also has occlusive properties. However, if you have a lanolin-based allergy, you should go for the Vaseline Jelly original.
Aquaphor healing ointment may work best on tattoos compared to Vaseline that blocks air from getting to your tattoo. Air is needed to enable your tattoo is healing fast. However, this stands to be a debate with many tattoo artists. Not all recommend Aquaphor healing ointment as the best ointment to use on healing tattoos. With detailed claims. Aquaphor can cause premature fading making your tattoos look less vibrant. However, people who have used Aquaphor healing ointment on their tattoos have always been a dispute, claiming it works just fine. Ensure you speak to a dermatologist if you notice changes after using Aquaphor healing ointment. By doing so, you will prevent issues.
As such, there are chances that Aquaphor healing ointment will work on your tattoos, but on the other hand, it may have long-term effects on your tattoo. There are some scenarios in which it can be used; right after your tattoo is done. A tattoo artist will wrap your tattoo with cling film. With a short-term protection method, they may use an ointment, in this case, Aquaphor, before wrapping the cling film. In other instances, you can use Aquaphor in the shower to avoid water coming into contact with your tattoo or when you have dehydrated skin. It may be advisable to use Aquaphor for a short-term period.
Hence, you should be informed why Aquaphor healing ointment may or may not work on your tattoo. You can opt to use other tattoo aftercare products that are significant advancements in the skincare industry. Instead of petroleum-based products, use all-natural tattoo aftercare products that are available in the market.
