Importance of TransTape Aftercare
- Jamie Blum
- Apr 15
- 9 min read
Time and time again, we've discussed proper removal techniques as well as how to properly care for your skin after wearing TransTape for multiple days. But it's never too soon for a refresh on how important this is for EVERY TransTape user! I've been the person who tries to cut corners in an attempt to save some removal oil, so let me tell you why that shouldn't be you.
Hello, you wonderful people!
And hello to the jerks too, I guess.
As per usual, I have summoned you all here today to discuss TransTape.
TransTape is this wonderful thing that many of us already know about, but for as many of us that know about TransTape, for some reason the use of oil for removal and repairing salve for aftercare tends to get lost in communication.
So I went ahead and found it so that everyone has a chance to read and understand the importance of it.
I understand that adding another layer to using a gender affirming product can seem off-putting and like a lot more effort on your part, but it's not as complicated or time consuming as you might think.
So first, lets discuss one of my favorite things, jojoba oil. Jojoba oil is used in the official TransTape Removal Oil, which is used to properly remove your tape while rehydrating your skin and minimizing discomfort.
Jojoba Oil
One day, by chance and the will of the universe, the Creator and Founder of TransTape, Kaiyote, bumped into the President of The Original Jojoba Company, Brian, at the Post Office.
From that first chance conversation, researching and learning about all of the benefits, it was decided that there would definitely be jojoba oil in TransTape's future.
From stretching ears, medicinal treatments and all the way to, believe it or not, landscaping jobs, jojoba oil has many different uses and benefits.
This is why the TransTape team took the time to upgrade the Removal Oil to provide a more beneficial experience for everyone while using TransTape.
TransTape has been and will always be committed to providing only the best quality products for their customers.
Naturally Healing
Jojoba oil has actually been proven to be just as effective as a prescription strength topical steroid in its natural form!
Jojoba oil is anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial, which is perfect for treating red, irritated or raised skin. And this is something I'm sure most of us have dealt with at some point after removing our tape.
It retains moisture exceptionally well and helps improve the overall health of your skin which evidently leads to improved skin elasticity and restoration. Building up healthy skin elasticity is very beneficial and important for application and removal processes.
Jojoba oil keeps skin moisturized, fights wrinkles, stretch marks and can even be used to strengthen and nourish hair. Which is why you'll find it in many quality hair and beard products, including my own personal ones from Buckaroo's Beardcare. It absorbs quickly, naturally and will not clog your pores!
And for those of you worried about oil causing breakouts, it'll actually help regulate your natural production of sebum, the oil our body naturally produces, which makes jojoba oil a very effective acne treatment. Due to its healing properties, jojoba oil has even been known to help treat eczema and psoriasis!
These are all huge benefits of jojoba and will likely make a major impact on how our skin recovers on off days.
Always use oil to remove TransTape, no exceptions!
Since we go through a lot, we end up restocking pretty often and although it's fairly priced, at the end of the day it's still money that we have to spend and take out of our pockets.
But the reason we'll go through less with jojoba, and spend less money in the long run, is because it's compatible with human sebum.
Jojoba absorbs subcutaneously, into the deepest layer of our skin, so when your skin is no longer absorbing oil, that's how you know your skin is hydrated and that you've added enough! Any remaining oil will just drip-off so be sure not to completely drench yourself.
And guess what? If you do drench yourself, it won't stain your clothing. Unlike other skincare products, jojoba oil is safe to use with most fabric and won't leave annoying stains behind after use.
When testing out the Removal Oil for the first time, try dripping some on the back of your hand and rub it in. This will give you a general idea on how much oil you'll need to apply for your skin.
Shelf Life
Does it take you a while to go through a big thing of oil? No worries if it does, it'll still be good for years to come!
Jojoba is almost exclusively marketed as an oil but it's actually not an oil at all, it's technically a liquid wax. This is a very important distinction because unlike pure oils which often contain triglycerides, the oil, or liquid wax rather, from jojoba seeds doesn't contain any at all.
When substances contain triglycerides, they oxidize which greatly shortens their shelf-life and causes them to eventually go rancid, even when they remain sealed.
In other words, if you're like me and tend to stock up when there are sales, you won't have to worry about using your Removal Oil before it loses its potency. Because it'll likely never go bad!
Many of our favorite lotions, creams and other skincare products will also go bad due to containing a combination of triglycerides and a water base.
Which is just another great reason to add some jojoba oil to your daily routine as well as your TransTape routine!
Story Time
There was one specific encounter about shelf-life that Brian was nice enough to share with the team where a massage therapist approached him at a function where he was speaking about jojoba and its benefits.
They had purchased jojoba oil some years ago and put it away in storage, ultimately forgetting about it. Twelve years later they came across it again and after seeing Brian, they took the opportunity to ask if it was still usable.
Neither of them were entirely sure if it was, cause you never know until you check, and they decided to crack it open and find out.
Sure enough, the jojoba oil was good as new and absorbed into their skin just as good as a fresh batch would. Although the massage therapist still wasn't going to use it on their clients, they kept it for themselves to use for personal skincare.
12 whole years passed by and it was still good, guys! 12 years!
Many massage therapists, not just this one, swear by jojoba oil and some even feel that The Original Jojoba Company produces quite possibly the best that they've ever used. The way it absorbs into their clients skin is unmatched and the anti-inflammatory qualities make it perfect for massage therapy.
And they even get to use less of it while reaping more benefits!
What Is Jojoba (Oil)?
Jojoba is actually a seed that gets harvested on farms and pressed into a liquid wax, even though you've most likely seen it advertised almost exclusively as an oil like mentioned before. When you crush a jojoba seed, it produces a liquid wax that proves to be great for cuts, scrapes and general skin care. That liquid wax is what is known as jojoba oil.
Jojoba seed is native to Arizona and is a desert shrub that's been growing and thriving for thousands of years. One of the first known uses of the jojoba seed was actually discovered by Native Americans, they would eat the seeds to help satiate hunger.
The more they experimented with jojoba seeds, the more benefits they found! Including being able to use it to treat minor injuries.
As time passed, jojoba started becoming a much larger topic of conversation in the 1970s, which, fun fact, is actually around the same time sperm whale hunting was in the beginning stages of becoming outlawed.
Sperm whales? Yes, just keep reading, I promise it's relevant.
People began to realize that jojoba could be grown and cultivated and they began searching for and discovering the many uses and benefits that we know of today. After they began to study and research jojoba more, they noticed that the chemical structure of it was very unique and shares properties with only two other things in the world.
Sperm whale oil and human sebum.
See? I was going somewhere with the sperm whales.
Sperm whales aside, the powers of jojoba don't stop at skin care.
I mentioned earlier how it could be used for landscaping and I'm pretty sure at least a few of you are still thinking about that. When installing hardwood floors, some people are very selective of the chemicals that they use for sealing, especially for their own homes, and only want all natural products to be used.
Totally understandable!
There was one time in particular where someone was interested in finding the most natural way possible and a landscaping company reached out to Brian to ask if jojoba oil could be used for this type of thing. There didn't seem to be a reason why it wouldn't work so the company followed through and used jojoba oil to seal the timbers of the hardwood floors on an outdoor deck.
Sealing the timbers in hardwood floors helps protect the wood from moisture and the possibility of rotting.
Those hardwood floors are still holding up to this day just as well as they were when originally installed, even after countless rainy days. Once again, leaving another jojoba customer very happy with their results.
That's not even where the woodwork uses end for jojoba though! It's also been recruited in the past by toy companies to seal wooden toys with a combination of beeswax to ensure they are fully safe for children to play with.
Sounds like some pretty cool stuff, right?
Repairing Salve
I've talked forever about jojoba oil, but that's not the only tool TransTape recommends for taking care of your skin as a TransTape user.
After you remove your tape, it is also recommended to invest in some Repairing Salve.
I personally apply some to my nipple guards before applying them, helps with irritation and itchiness!
Similar to the Removal Oil, Repairing Salve possesses natural healing properties.
These healing properties are derived from organic coconut oil, shea butter, beeswax and monarda, cedarwood and frankincense essential oils.
This salve helps treat and prevent skin irritation. After removing an application, even if you use oil, it isn't completely abnormal to have some slightly irritated or raised skin. It happens, even to me sometimes.
But that's why it is recommended to apply to any irritated areas after removal. This does not include open blisters or broken skin. Salve should never be applied to an open wound. If you have an open injury, wait until there is a healed layer of skin over it before applying salve.
But above all else, give your skin some time to breathe before reapplying. I understand that TransTape may be your only option, I do. It's pretty much my only option, too.
That doesn't change the fact that our skin needs time to breathe though, even if it's just overnight. Ideally, you want to give your skin 24-48 hours to fully recover before you go ahead and reapply your TransTape.
If you are a new user, the longer wait time will likely be more beneficial for you, at least until your body adjusts to using TransTape.
I say this because the more you tape, the more your skin will start to adjust. And before getting used to TransTape, it may take longer to recuperate between applications.
Which is totally okay, all of our bodies are different. You know your body the best!
Repairing Salve can be used for more than skin care after using TransTape, as well. It can be used as a chapstick, for tattoo recovery and as a balm for addressing any skin irritation or itchiness. You don't have to be a TransTape user to appreciate it, you can be anyone!
But, it's extremely recommended to use this salve if you're a TransTape user.
How Do I After-Care?
"What does after-care look like for me?"
Unfortunately, I really can't answer that question for you.
Aside from reminding you that using removal oil and salve aren't as much suggestions as they are necessary actions.
And I can also remind you that it's a little bit different for everybody.
All of our bodies are different and that includes our minds too, it's really a beautiful thing.
For some, we like to enjoy a peaceful environment or the sounds of nature on a beautiful fall evening covered in repairing salve.
And some of us would prefer blasting music at home where we can unapologetically let ourselves loose.
Personally, I'm happy either way.
But, it doesn't matter how you practice as long as you are taking care of yourself and giving your body time to rest in-between every application.
The next time you take your tape off, use jojoba oil, apply some salve and practice after-care while checking in with your body.
And treat it with love and kindness while you're at it.
Until next time,
Stay awesome,
Stay beautiful,
Stay you.
You are loved and it gets better.
Talk to you soon,
Jamie
Welcome to the cool kids club!
My name is Jamie and I'm a young (ish) transman born and raised in the Hudson Valley of New York state. I started my transition in May of 2017 and since then, I've made it my mission to live unapologetically as myself and spread awareness through my pursuit of happiness. I am the creator and writer of Spilling T blog, a proud affiliate of TransTape and when I'm not outside with the best dog ever or hanging out with my two cats, I make and sell my own beard care products through Buckaroo's Beard Care. I'm always looking for my next adventure and have been skydiving, road-tripping, hiking in the mountains and even served for a short time in the United States Marine Corps. My life has had its fair share of twists and turns and I hope to use those experiences to create helpful and relatable content that may help someone else navigate a difficult time in life.
Beards, Socials, Tape and Writing
Use code FINALLYME10 and Find Your Freedom with TransTape!
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