Published in: Blog

Life & Work with Gregory Watkins of SUMMERVILLE

Author scott

Published on: January 26, 2026

Today we’d like to introduce you to Gregory Watkins.

Hi Gregory, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
What began as a simple mission to create a better tattoo aftercare product for my clients has evolved into something much larger — a healing solution with the ability to address a wide range of stubborn and painful skin conditions. When I first set out to develop Old Pro Tattoo Aftercare, I had no idea that I was on the edge of inventing something truly groundbreaking.
After more than 30 years as a professional tattoo artist, I had seen nearly every aftercare product on the market. Some worked, some didn’t, and many were only partially effective. Clients were often confused by conflicting recommendations, and most commercially available products contained ingredients we actively avoid in tattoo healing — dyes, fragrances, fillers, petroleum bases, and other additives known to irritate fresh tattoos.
One day a client returned for the next session on a large piece I was working on. His tattoo wasn’t healed enough to continue. When I asked what he had been using, he admitted he grabbed something from a gas station instead of the products I recommended. I had no choice but to postpone the session. Frustrated, he said, “If you actually had something here, I would’ve bought it from you.”
That moment changed everything for me. I decided I would create the perfect tattoo aftercare for my clients — something I knew would work, something professional, clean, effective, and designed specifically for healing skin.
I began studying every tattoo aftercare product and skin-healing balm available, breaking down their ingredients, their strengths, and their weaknesses. I learned what helped, what hurt, what was unnecessary, and what was missing. But when I set out to source the ingredients I knew were needed, I hit a wall — some components weren’t available without a medical license.
That challenge led me to reach out to a medical laboratory here in South Carolina. During the conversation, they told me something unexpected: they could produce and formulate the perfect product I was inventing or seeking to bring into reality , and even have it prepared under FDA-regulated standards. Together, we began developing what would become Old Pro Tattoo lotion and Soap and, later a incredible healing balm, moving currently into the Medicinal Healing Care line.
As we worked, the laboratory kept telling me, “This has never been done before.”
They were right. No one had taken the best aspects of tattoo aftercare, medical-grade skincare, and natural healing principles and combined them — without petroleum, without dyes, without fragrances, without irritants — into one powerful formula.
Then came the soap for cleaning tattooed skin. In tattooing, we traditionally use green soap or hospital soaps, both of which contain dyes and fragrances, etc.. Its pretty much a studio standard everywhere.When the lab asked why these products weren’t available on store shelves, it clicked: we could create something better — a hospital-grade cleanser engineered for both cleansing and healing. but not really available to the public so wee don’t reccomend it. We general recommend an anti bacterial soap like Dial which is more rurally available but still not perfect in what we would want as artists. Again, I did something no one had ever attempted I reengineered medical hospital soap.and Made it actually heal skin not just clean it. Also what it FDA approved which I discovered later that this is not the case for medical soaps… This bieng a first as well.
After a year and a half of research, development, testing, and refinement, the first batches of Old Pro were produced. The results were astonishing. Tattoos were healing in record time — sometimes in just a few days. But what happened next is what truly opened my eyes.
A tattooer friend of mine used the product on psoriasis.
It cleared in two or three days.
Others began trying it on eczema, dermatitis, hidradenitis suppurativa, surgical scarring, abrasions, and chronic skin issues that had resisted everything dermatologists had prescribed. Person after person shared the same story: they finally saw results.
I realized then what the laboratory meant when they kept telling me, “This is bigger than you think.”
I had set out to solve a problem for my tattoo clients — but what we created was something capable of helping far more people than I ever imagined.
Today, Old Pro Tattoo Products and Medicinal Healing Care continue to grow slowly and getting noticed. not only in the tattoo world but also within communities suffering from long-term skin conditions. My hope is to see this formula eventually incorporated into the medical field as an accessible, over-the-counter option for anyone who needs real healing — without barriers, without harmful additives, and without the limits of traditional skincare.
What started as a small solution for tattoo healing has become something much more meaningful:
a product that restores the skin, supports recovery, eases suffering, and gives people hope when nothing else has worked.
And it all began with one client, one conversation, and the simple belief that people deserve better.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Developing Old Pro Tattoo Products and the Medicinal Healing Care line has taken years of commitment, sacrifice, and resilience. Even after the formula was perfected with the help of a medical laboratory, the real battle began: keeping the project alive. Financially, it has been extremely difficult. I’ve invested nearly everything I had into this — often at the expense of my own stability — because I believed in what this product could do for people. There were many moments where I didn’t know how I would keep pushing forward, but I refused to abandon something that was genuinely helping others.
Another major struggle has been getting people to listen. I’ve traveled, met with businesses, contacted countless individuals, emailed, called — and most of those messages went unanswered. Doors closed, opportunities vanished, and conversations that seemed promising led nowhere. When you’re an independent creator without a corporation behind you, getting taken seriously can be a long, uphill climb.
Yet the people who did try the product changed everything. The growth of Old Pro has been almost entirely organic — person to person, friend to friend, client to client. Someone with a tattoo tried it, then used it on a skin condition they had been battling for years. Someone recommended it to family. Someone else shared their results online. That grassroots support has been the only thing keeping this dream moving forward.
It’s important to mention that everything I created is 100% all-natural — no dyes, no fragrances, no petroleum, and none of the irritants commonly found in mainstream aftercare or skincare products. Staying true to that standard made production harder and more expensive, but it was non-negotiable for me. People deserve products that heal, not harm.
So no, the journey has not been smooth. It has been filled with setbacks, financial strain, and an overwhelming amount of work done alone. But the struggles have also revealed the truth: the product works. Real people are healing. And every testimonial, every message, every photo of improved skin reminds me why I continue pushing despite the obstacles.
The road has not been easy — but it has been worth it.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’ve been a professional tattoo artist for over 35 years, and tattooing has been my life’s work. Throughout my career, I’ve specialized in almost every major style — traditional, realism, black and grey, cover-ups, scar work, and paramedical tattooing — but what I’m most known for is my precision and my dedication to doing the best possible work for each client who sits in my chair. I’ve worked in top studios across the country, taught apprentices, traveled to conventions nationwide, and built a reputation based on consistency, integrity, and experience.
But beyond tattooing itself, I’ve become known for something I never planned on: developing a new kind of aftercare and skin-healing product that goes far beyond tattoos.
The invention of Old Pro Tattoo Products — and later the Medicinal Healing Care line — has become one of the things I’m most proud of in my entire career. Not because it was easy, but because it came from a genuine desire to help people heal properly. What started as a solution for my clients’ tattoo aftercare grew into a powerful, all-natural product capable of helping countless individuals with serious skin issues. Seeing people get relief when nothing else had worked has been incredibly meaningful.
What sets me apart from others is that everything I create comes directly from lived experience — decades behind the tattoo machine, thousands of healed tattoos, and firsthand knowledge of how skin truly responds to trauma and healing. I didn’t set out to create a product because it sounded like a good business idea. I created it because I had to — because I saw the gaps, the failures, and the misinformation in the products available, and I knew I could do better.
Another thing that separates Old Pro from anything else on the market is the formula itself. It is completely all-natural, free of dyes, fragrances, and petroleum, and developed in partnership with a medical laboratory to meet FDA standards. No shortcuts, no filler ingredients, no trends — just real, functional healing designed for damaged skin.
I’m proud of my work as a tattoo artist, but I’m equally proud that I’ve been able to use my experience to create something that heals more than tattoos. I’m proud of the trust people have placed in me, proud of the stories they share, and proud that even without major backing or corporate support, the product continues to grow because people truly see results.
In the end, what sets me apart is simple:
I care deeply about the work I do, I care about the people I serve, and I refuse to offer anything less than my best — whether it’s a tattoo or a healing product that can change someone’s life.

How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
How can people work with you, collaborate with you, or support you?
There are several ways people can work with me or support what I’m building, and every bit of support truly makes a difference — especially as an independent creator without big corporate backing.
First and foremost, the simplest and most meaningful way to support this journey is by trying the products and sharing your results. Old Pro Tattoo Products and Medicinal Healing Care have grown almost entirely through word of mouth. When people experience how well it works on tattoos or on difficult skin conditions, they naturally tell friends, family, and coworkers. That organic support is the foundation of everything.
For those who want to collaborate, I’m always open to connecting with:
• Tattoo studios and artists interested in carrying Old Pro or using it in their aftercare process.
• Retail shops, local markets, wellness stores, and small businesses that want to feature all-natural healing products.
• Medical professionals, dermatology offices, estheticians, and wound-care specialists who see the potential for broader healing applications.
• Influencers, photographers, content creators, and reviewers who want to showcase real-world results.
• Investors or partners who believe in bringing an all-natural, healing-focused product to a wider audience.
People can also support by simply sharing the mission — letting others know that there is an alternative to petroleum-heavy, chemical-loaded products and that a natural, laboratory-supported healing option exists.
If someone wants to reach out, they can contact me directly through email, social media, or the Medicinal Healing Care website. I’m always open to conversations, collaborations, or ideas from people who genuinely want to help expand something that has already changed so many lives.
At the end of the day, support comes in many forms — using the product, sharing your story, connecting me with businesses, or simply spreading the word. Every message, every testimonial, and every recommendation helps move this forward, and I’m grateful for each person who believes in what I’m doing.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://oldprotattoo.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oldprotattoollc/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OldProTattooProducts/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@oldprotattoo
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/pabbytattoo/