How Long Can You Not Swim After A Tattoo?
2 to 4 weeks 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.
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What happens if I swim with a new tattoo?
Keep it dry for the first 3 weeks – Whether in the sea or in the pool , you should avoid contact with water to begin with to allow your tattoo to heal without issues. Any extended contact with water should be avoided , as it risks displacing the ink of the tattoo or altering the colour.
Baths, rivers, jacuzzis, etc. , it’s better to avoid all forms of bathing if you want to preserve the design of your tattoo ! The water in a swimming pool, for example, can pose an infection risk to your wound.
The water in swimming pools is treated with products to disinfect the pool, which doesn’t mix well with a wound. Another important piece of advice: avoid gyms ! When you exercise, your muscles stretch your skin and you sweat. Stretching the skin and sweating excessively in the area of your tattoo can impede the healing process.
Can I swim 7 days after tattoo?
Despite how pervasive tattoos are these days, they’re still kind of a big deal. At the risk of sounding like your grandma, getting inked with that work of art is a procedure that can actually be quite risky, which is why it’s so important to follow tattoo guidelines to a T.
- As a report published earlier this month details, ignoring them can be fatal;
- In a definite worst case scenario, an unidentified 31-year-old Hispanic man died after ignoring tattoo artists’ warnings not to go swimming with fresh ink, reports the Daily Mail;
Five days after getting a cross tattoo on his calf, the man reportedly went for a dip in the Gulf of Mexico, where he contracted a bacterial infection. A day after exposing his ink to the ocean, he developed a fever, chills and a nasty rash near his tattoo.
Despite treatment, the infection ultimately killed him. Warning: the images are graphic. According to tattoo guidelines, you’re supposed to wait two weeks before swimming in the pool or ocean to allow the ink to heal — up until that point, your tattoo is still an open wound and needs to be cared for like one.
Submerging your wound in water, which is often swimming with all different types of bacteria, can lead to some serious infections. The bacteria in this case, was a particularly nasty flesh-eating strain called Vibrio vulnificus, according to the official report published in BMJ Case Reports , which affects the immune system and can be contracted by exposing an open wound to seawater or by eating raw shellfish.
Even with aggressive treatment from doctors, a pre-existing liver condition made the man more susceptible to developing sepsis from the infection and he ultimately died two months after entering the hospital.
Daily Mail.
How do I protect my tattoo while swimming?
How do you cover a tattoo for swimming?
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 I swim 2 weeks after getting a 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 I know my tattoo is healed?
What your tattoo will look like when its completely healed – 
You will know that your tattoo is completely healed when there are no scabs, the texture of your skin where the tattoo was placed is the same as a similar surface of skin, and the colors on your tattoo are no longer faded. Once your tattoo is healed, you will be able to enjoy everything you did before you got it, without fear of infection or damage to the tattoo. –> 
Brian Cornwell founded Next Luxury in 2007 as a magazine for modern gentlemen. Brian Cornwell founded Next Luxury in 2007 as a magazine for modern gentlemen..
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.
How many days does it take for a tattoo to heal?
How long does it take for a tattoo to heal? After getting a tattoo, the outer layer of skin (the part you can see) will typically heal within 2 to 3 weeks. While it may look and feel healed, and you may be tempted to slow down on the aftercare, it can take as long as 6 months for the skin below a tattoo to truly heal.
Can you wrap your tattoo to go swimming?
Swimming With a New Tattoo – When it comes to swimming with a new tattoo, we have a few things to say. First and foremost, don’t even think about covering your tattoo with Vaseline or Aquaphor so you can go take a dip when the tattoo is not healed. Unless you really crave a bacterial infection, visit a doctor and a messed up tattoo design, stay away from the water (and the petroleum jelly products) until the tattoo is fully healed.
Now, if it’s been more than 4 weeks, and your tattoo is all closed and scab-free, you can try to go for a swim. Technically, there shouldn’t be any issues, and we still do advise you to wait for a few extra weeks.
But, if you really can’t wait to take a dip, we strongly recommend you use a waterproof bandage. This may prevent a tattoo infection caused by exposure to bacteria in the water. Now, you may think; hey, swimming pools are cleaned than open bodies of water; they’re less dirty, and there are fewer bacteria, I can go swimming there.
- Well, sure, there might be fewer bacteria, but swimming pools contain chlorine;
- And, this chemical can cause its own set of issues for your new tattoo;
- It can irritate your skin, cause a rashing of the tattoo area, and of course, the pools aren’t bacteria-free, so the tattoo could also get infected;
Just because you change the swimming area, doesn’t mean the tattoo will react differently to the water. 
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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.
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.
