When Can I Submerge My Tattoo In Water?

When Can I Submerge My Tattoo In Water
2 to 4 weeks You should wait for your tattoo to fully heal — which can take at least 2 to 4 weeks — before swimming in any kind of water.

Can I swim 3 weeks after tattoo?

Proper tattoo aftercare should be performed for at least three weeks before bathing or swimming in any type of water so the skin can recover and close properly, in turn guarding the tattoo/wound against chemical irritation, risk of infection, and the chance of water saturation.

What happens if you soak a new tattoo in water?

When you get a fresh tattoo, there is a lot of care involved to preserve the artwork. Your skin is a delicate canvas and your tattoo requires specific treatment. So what happens when a brand new tattoo gets wet ? Well, a lot of things, actually. If it’s kept wet, the softened scab will peel and stick to things, damaging what is essentially a healing but beautiful wound.

All the experts I spoke to for this piece (as well as the artists I’ve gotten my own ink from) agree that a fresh tattoo should never be submerged in a bath or a swimming pool during the critical healing phase.

However, it should be cleaned with soap and water and patted dry. Wash a new tattoo gently and then keep it only slightly moist with a thin layer of lotion during the healing process. It’s a simple rule to follow: Protect it, but don’t saturate it. It should not be drenched or immersed in a body of water for any length of time.

Joe Klein of Majestik Creations in Mooresville, Indiana tells me over email, “It is actually pretty simple when looked at from a different perspective. A tattoo is, in fact, a ‘sore,’ when broken down into simplest terms.

A needle punctures the skin, leaving behind a plasma film. If that film is soaked in water, it is the same as soaking a scab in the tub. It gets soft, comes off, and leaves scarring. Too much aftercare will cause the same effect. ” Yuck. It’s also why swimming should be avoided during the healing phase.

  • Klein says, “There are chemicals in pool water that are not good to get under the skin, which can actually lead to blood poisoning;
  • ” Rachel Rosenberg, who was a tattoo apprentice in Chicago before she swapped out her needle for a headset as an NYC publicist, also explains via an email interview why keeping new ink dry is essential;

“What happens to a new tattoo when it gets wet? It will stick to things!” she says. “Your fresh tattoo should be kept away from fabric at all costs, especially when wet, so as not to have your clothes attach or stick to your new piece and dry there. ” Having to pull fabric away from the healing artwork can mess with the skin and the piece itself.

“One should never be making an effort to keep their brand new tattoo ‘wet,'” Rosenberg continues, commenting on how some tattoo newbies tend to over moisturize during the healing process. “If anything, a thin layer of Aquaphor is what you want and then your tattoo wants to be left alone, aside from the few times it’s washed gently with Dial soap and patted dry with a clean paper towel.

” Alex Varkatzas , singer of the band Atreyu and a tattoo artist who has plenty of ink of his own, echos Rosenberg’s sentiments when I spoke with him, explaining that a wet tattoo could get infected. “A new tattoo should be kept clean and only slightly moist from unscented lotion,” he said.

You might be interested:  How To Tell If My Tattoo Is Infected?

“It should be treated just like an open wound. If a new tattoo gets wet, clean it and dry it. Then you’ll be OK. ” To recap: While you need to keep your tattoo clean, do not soak your tattoo or the scab will soften, fall off, and leave a scar.

Stick to a quick rinse in the shower, and you’ll be good to go. Images: Giphy (1); Body Electric Tattoo /Instagram (3).

How do you know when your tattoo is fully healed?

Stages of the tattoo healing process  – One of the biggest decisions in getting a tattoo is settling on a design and the right artist to bring your vision to reality. But the time you spend in the tattoo parlor is just a small part of the entire process.

Once you leave the shop with your new tattoo, it’s important to turn your focus to the tattoo healing phase. So, how long does it take a tattoo to heal? As you might expect, the answer is ‘it depends. ‘ Depending on how the inking process went and where your tattoo is located, it can take anywhere from four weeks to a couple of months for it to fully heal.

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of how you can speed up this healing process, let’s first take a look at the various stages of it: 1. Week 1: open wound  Immediately after the tattooist is done with the art piece, your body begins the process of healing.

Though it might not look like it, your tattoo is actually an open wound on your skin. Your body begins to repair the damage right there and then. In this stage, your body mobilizes its first responders to injury, and you might notice a slight stinging or burning sensation resulting from inflammation at the site of the tattoo.

That sensation, which lasts a week, on average, is your body working hard to patch things up and prevent infection. It’s therefore recommended that you treat your fresh tattoo as an open wound. By doing this, you can avoid infections and other complications that can occur when you leave an open wound unattended.

  • Your tattoo artist will go over the things you need to do to keep your new tattoo clean, and it can feel overwhelming at first;
  • Add to this some stinging pain, and it’s not hard to see how your stress levels might increase a bit during this time;

A good tattooist can recommend some ways to alleviate this stress so that your skin can heal properly. Week 2: itching and peeling In the second week of the tattoo healing stages, the inflammation around your tattoo will subside a little. As you might have experienced with other healing wounds, an itching feeling — which replaces the burning and stinging sensation from stage one — is normal during this part of the healing process.

A new top layer of skin has formed over the tattoo, which means the old skin will form scabs and flake off. The dryness is what causes you to feel the itchy sensation on and around the wound — the tattooed area.

The incessant itching might make you wonder, “How long do tattoos take to heal?”  In such a situation, try to resist the urge to scratch the skin or peel off the flakes. Your tattooist can likely recommend some lotion to keep your skin moisturized, which can reduce the itchy feeling.

Weeks 3 and 4: drying out When the topical healing is done, you will stop feeling itchy at the site of the tattoo. At this point, the skin dries out. In many instances, there’s a layer of dry skin that covers the tattoo after the scabs fall off.

While this often causes the tattoo to appear slightly duller in color, it will naturally slough off to reveal the vibrant piece of art you went in to get. Weeks 5 and 6: completely healed This is the last part in the four stages of tattoo healing. You’ll know you’re in this phase — and that your tattoo is fully healed — because all the dry skin and scabs have sloughed off to reveal new, smooth skin with a vibrant tattoo and you no longer feel the burning and itchiness because the body has repaired itself. Take a quiz. Find out what you can do with our Health Assistant.

You might be interested:  How Small Can A Tattoo Be?

Can I swim 10 days after tattoo?

Frolicking on the beach or at your local pool may seem like the perfect opp to show of some fresh ink, but don’t bust out the swimwear just yet. You should wait for your tattoo to fully heal — which can take at least 2 to 4 weeks — before swimming in any kind of water.

Can I take a bath 1 week after tattoo?

– Nope. Your tattoo is an open wound, and soaking in water could expose it to bacteria and increase the risk of infection. Soaking can also dry out the skin, leading to cracking and making it more susceptible to infection and scarring. You need to avoid submerging your tattoo in water or keeping it wet for a prolonged period of time.

Can I take a bath 3 days after tattoo?

Bathing, Showering, Hot Tubs, and Swimming – Getting your tattoo wet is OK, but soaking it is not. Yes, you can (and should!) shower with a new tattoo, as long as you don’t completely soak it. Avoid swimming—whether in a pool, lake, or the ocean—and submerging your tattoo in a bath or hot tub for two to three weeks, though; this may cause serious damage.

Is it OK to get tattoo wet?

Can I Go Swimming With My New Tattoo? – No. Don’t go swimming or immerse your new tattoo in water until every bit of scab and dry skin has fallen off. This can take as long as four weeks. There is a big difference between getting your tattoo wet during a normal shower and entirely submerging or soaking your fresh wound in still water. When Can I Submerge My Tattoo In Water Dot tattoo. Fly and moth tattoo Alvaro Flores – Korpus Tattoo.

Can a tattoo heal in 2 weeks?

– The healing process is different for every person and tattoo. Most sources indicate that tattoos generally take about 2 weeks to heal. However, it may take up to 4 weeks for the skin to fully recover. Some complications may prolong the healing process. The following is what a person can typically expect.

Why is my tattoo fading after 3 days?

When Can I Submerge My Tattoo In Water This is a bit of a trick question. The reason being, is that a tattoo “fades” to the naked eye within days of application. This occurs because as the skin heals, the top layer dies and new skin forms to take its place. During this period the epidermis typically has a faded appearance. However, this is a natural part of the tattoo healing process and as the peeling subsides and the dead skin falls away the design will once again look crisp and fresh.

Still, it won’t have that same deep dark tone as it did when your tattooist put his/her gun away. Anyone who has received a tattoo already knows this. But what you want to know now, is when can you expect a tattoo to fade in the longer term.

Let’s have a look.

How often do you moisturize a new tattoo?

Should I apply lotion to my tattoo? What kind of tattoo care products do you recommend? – Yes! Moisturizing your tattoo regularly is extremely important. You should moisturize your clean tattoo 3 – 6 times per day, for roughly two weeks (though proper skincare is always important, and most tattoo enthusiasts moisturize their tattoos daily for life!). A white cream lotion or moisturizer, preferably unscented, should be used! We recommend these fragrance-free, white cream lotions:  Aveeno , Curel , and Eucerin . Be warned: your favorite fragranced lotion is not a good option for moisturizing your tattoo – this can cause an excruciating burning sensation when applied to the tattoo, which is essentially an open wound. The fewer chemicals in the product, the better! Pure cocoa butter or shea butter is also popular for darker skin tones and is a fine option. There are some manufacturers who design products specifically for tattoo aftercare that work well for long-term care (such as Tattoo Goo , H2Ocean , and Hustle Butter ). Do NOT use aloe vera gel to moisturize, and we don’t recommend A&D ointment either, as the oil in these products can extract some of the ink from your tattoo.

You might be interested:  How Much Are Tattoo?

How do I protect my tattoo when swimming?

Can I cover my tattoo to swim?

How Can I Waterproof a Tattoo for Swimming? – If you absolutely have to swim with a new tattoo, then you might want to try covering it with a waterproof dressing. There is no way to fully waterproof a tattoo, but there are some methods swimmers have tried: waterproof bandages that can fully wrap and cover the tattoo, heavy layers of Vaseline, or even plastic press n’ seal wrap.

  • To swim with a new tattoo, cover it and waterproof it as best as possible right before you get in the water, remove the covers after, and gently wash it with warm water and antibacterial soap, then let it air dry and heal;

Continue using the aftercare cream throughout the post-tattoo healing process. .

Can you put Vaseline on a new tattoo to go swimming?

DON’T apply alcohol, Neosporin, Vaseline, or petroleum jelly (they can trap dirt and germs and cause infection). DON’T apply a heavy coat of lotion (remember the skin must breathe in order to heal). DON’T expose your tattoo to direct sunlight, swim, sauna, steam or tub for 2 weeks.

Will swimming mess up a new tattoo?

How Long Before You Can Swim With a New Tattoo? – Most of the time, a tattoo needs to fully heal before you can safely swim. How long that takes varies from person to person, but many tattoo artists recommend anywhere from two to four weeks. When you get a tattoo, you’ll be sent home with a bandage over it.

  1. After a few hours, you can likely remove the bandage and wash off the excess blood and ink;
  2. Use your hands to gently wash it with light warm water and antibacterial soap, then let it air dry in a clean environment and apply the aftercare cream;

As the tattoo heals, flaky skin and scabs will form. As the scabs flake and fall off naturally, a new layer of skin will heal underneath. When there’s a new layer of skin, that’s when you know you can safely swim. Throughout the healing process, you’ll also want to avoid baths for many of the same reasons, but continue to gently clean the area, air dry, and use the aftercare cream.

Can you swim in chlorine with a new tattoo?

How Long Before You Can Swim With a New Tattoo? – The temptation is real when it comes to showing off fresh ink—but proceed with caution. “Any [new] tattoo is essentially a fresh wound, and needs time to heal without being exposed to the elements,” Forte tells us.

This includes protecting it from bacteria, sun, chemicals, pollution, and water—particularly when it comes to swimming. “Both saltwater and chlorine are harsh on new tattoos, especially if you had a lot of work done,” he explains.

Translation: You shouldn’t swim until your tattoo is fully healed, advises Fenton. “For most people, that is two weeks, but it can be longer depending on the size, location, and how quickly you heal. If after two weeks, the skin does not appear fully healed (any scabbing, crusting, or redness), then I would recommend waiting longer,” he says.

How do you waterproof a tattoo for swimming?

How Can I Waterproof A Tattoo For Swimming? – While there is no way of fully waterproofing a tattoo for swimming, there are a few things you can do to prevent damage. If you’re going to go swimming with a new tattoo, make sure it is fully covered with either a waterproof bandage, some Vaseline, or both.

Then, once you’re out of the water, quickly remove the cover, and rinse the tattoo with fresh water. Your tattoo artist will also have given you some aftercare cream to put on the area with the tattoo.

Once you have washed it after swimming, simply apply some of this cream to the tattoo. When Can I Submerge My Tattoo In Water While you may long for your next swim, waiting for your tattoo to heal is crucial.

Can you put Vaseline on a new tattoo to go swimming?

DON’T apply alcohol, Neosporin, Vaseline, or petroleum jelly (they can trap dirt and germs and cause infection). DON’T apply a heavy coat of lotion (remember the skin must breathe in order to heal). DON’T expose your tattoo to direct sunlight, swim, sauna, steam or tub for 2 weeks.