Pro tip: rubbing alcohol before a stick and poke saves a lot of grief

I spent last Saturday fighting with my own stick and poke on my ankle. The ink kept bleeding into lines I hadn't meant to hit. Then my buddy who does this way more than me said to wipe the area down with 70% isopropyl alcohol before you start. It degreases the skin way better than just soap and water, and it made my lines way cleaner. I did three tiny stars on my other ankle afterward and the difference was night and day. Anyone else got a weird little prep step that changed their results?

3 comments

3 Comments

thomas27511d ago

I read on some tattoo subreddit that witch hazel works just as good as rubbing alcohol for prepping the skin. I tried it on my last one and it didn't sting as bad.

king.stella10d ago

Honestly, I gotta disagree a bit here. Witch hazel is definitely gentler but rubbing alcohol is way better at killing bacteria, which is kinda the whole point of prepping. Tattoo artists use alcohol for a reason, not just because it stings. I'd rather deal with a few seconds of sting than risk an infection that messes up the healing.

west.anna10d ago

Totally agree with you. After my third tattoo I had a small infection that set the whole healing back like two weeks. Never again. Witch hazel is just too mild for me personally, it doesn't feel like it's actually doing anything. Alcohol stings for maybe 10 seconds but at least I know it's actually killing stuff on the skin. A lot of the newer tattoo shops I've been to still use alcohol wipes right before they start, not witch hazel. My artist says witch hazel is fine for aftercare but for the actual prep you need something stronger. I'd rather have a couple seconds of pain than risk messing up a hundred dollar tattoo.