I’m sure you’ve seen A&D Ointment on market shelves, and like many others who are healing a new tattoo, you might be wondering if it’s the best choice for your aftercare routine. Well, you’ve come to the right place! We’ll give you a complete rundown on whether or not A&D Ointment is the best choice for healing your tattoo.
Table of Contents (clickable)
Related: Best Ointment for Tattoos
What is A&D Ointment?
A&D Ointment is a skin protectant that was formulated with healing chaffed and irritated skin caused by diaper rash, minor burns, or minor cuts. It’s a topical lotion that is said to speed up the healing process of irritated skin and it helps seal out wetness to better treat itchy and dry skin.
The primary ingredients in A&D Ointment are the following:
- Petrolatum - Also known as petroleum or Vaseline. Read all about petroleum and tattoos in our article, Can I Put Vaseline On My New Tattoo? Is Petroleum Jelly Safe For Tattoo Aftercare?
- Lanolin - This is secreted from sheep’s skin and could cause extreme allergic reactions in some users.
- Cod Liver Oil - Often used with hyperpigmentation, which means it can lighten skin or tattoo coloring. Many people can be allergic to this ingredient.
- Fragrance - Fragrance can contain from 30 to 100 chemicals that could cause reactions in users.
- Mineral Oil - This helps to hydrate dry skin.
- Microcrystalline Wax - This is used to maintain the consistency of the product.
- Paraffin - This is used to maintain the consistency of the product and help the smell.
How Does A&D Ointment Help Tattoos?
A&D ointment is often seen as a super-hydrator for dry tattoos. Many of the ingredients in A&D Ointment serve the purpose of hydrating extremely dry or irritated skin, while infusing the area with vitamins A and D which help new blood vessels and provide anti-inflammatory properties to the wounded area.
Opinions on the benefits of A&D Ointment for new and healing tattoos are rather torn. Some websites praise this product, while others say to avoid it. Here are the pros and the cons for A&D for new tattoos.
Pros:
- It’s believed to reduce scabbing.
- It’s accessible and inexpensive.
- It provides a seal over the wound which helps protect it from external irritants.
- It’s believed to reduce recovery time.
- It is formulated to prevent skin irritation while moisturizing the area.
Cons:
- Many of the ingredients in A&D Ointment are known to cause allergic reactions or irritations in users.
- The product is not vegan or cruelty-free.
- It can clog pores or cause breakouts.
- It won’t truly prevent infection like other antibacterial ointments on the market.
- Cod liver oil has lightening properties and this could cause your tattoo to fade.
- Added fragrance is a big concern in any products you use on a new or old tattoo.
In our opinion, the cons list doesn’t outweigh the benefits of A&D Ointment.
Alternative Tattoo Aftercare Products
With so many products on the market, why risk the health of your tattoo by choosing A&D? We know it’s a cheap and accessible ointment but it hasn’t been formulated with tattoos in mind. It’s better to select a product with a trusted ingredient list and positive track record.
Here are a few of our favorites.
Hustle Butter Deluxe - Our Favorite Ointment
We love Hustle Butter because there’s nothing it can’t do! It can be used even before your tattoo finishes weeping without complicating any of the tattoo healing process. It’s made by tattoo professionals for tattoo lovers, and it’s completely vegan and cruelty free.
For other ointments we love, check out our article on the Best Ointments For Tattoos: Top 7 Reviewed.
