Is it OK to shower after a tattoo? You can shower after getting a new tattoo, bathing is also necessary because it is necessary to clean the body. However, you need to follow the following care instructions that the tattoo artist advises you and be careful not to rub or soak the tattoo, you are careful that bathing does not affect the healing process of the new ink.
Is it OK to shower after a tattoo? Read on for more information about what we recommend based on our experience with tattoos and hygiene!
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Contents
- 1 Is It Ok To Shower After A Tattoo? – How Long After A Tattoo Can You Shower Normally?
- 2 What Happens If A New Tattoo Gets Wet?
- 3 Do I Need To Do Anything Differently As I Shower? – How To Shower With A New Tattoo Correctly
- 3.1 #1 Treat Your New Tattoo Like An Open Wound
- 3.2 #2 Take Short Showers, Do not soak your body in the bath
- 3.3 #2 Use Cool Or Lukewarm Water
- 3.4 #3 Use Gentle Spraying Mode And Don’t Spray Directly Onto Your Tattoo
- 3.5 #4 Use Mild, Fragrance-Free Soaps
- 3.6 #5 Gently Rinse It Off Using Water
- 3.7 #7 Use a Paper Towel
- 4 Healing Process – What To Do After Showering Your Tattoos?
- 5 FAQs
- 6 Conclusion
Is It Ok To Shower After A Tattoo? – How Long After A Tattoo Can You Shower Normally?
Yes, you can. Still, be aware of the covering material and your tattooist’s recommendation on how long you should keep it on.
For plastic or regular bandage material, you can have a shower once you’ve taken it off. The waiting period would take one hour to a day based on the tattooing location and how big it is.
For those waterproof bandages often used for medical purposes, such as Saniderm, you won’t have to wait that long. Shower anytime you want with the bandage on. Just don’t remove it before the required period.
Source: Karolina Grabowska
Many people can get excited or even in a hurry and want to take a shower right away. Please take it seriously. You have gone through hours of inking on your skin, which could be quite painful. Don’t let all that effort go to waste!
After coming home from the studio, the following 48 hours would determine whether it would look or be in its best condition through time. You must consult the tattooist about this showering issue. Only when they say yes can you do so.
These artists have spent years working in this industry and have dealt with numerous cases. They will know what is best for you and your piece of art.
Thus, follow their guidelines to maintain and treat your new tattoo – an open wound – so that it gets the best healing process.
What Happens If A New Tattoo Gets Wet?
Imagine soaking your open wound with water, it’s similar to you taking shower with your tattoo exposed to the water. Bacteria from the water can approach it and you could suffer from an infection. Also, you will be drying your skin out, making it crack and easy to get an infection and scarred.
That’s why we advise you against exposing it to water for a long period.
Do I Need To Do Anything Differently As I Shower? – How To Shower With A New Tattoo Correctly
You certainly need to remember some important points! Let’s see what they are:
#1 Treat Your New Tattoo Like An Open Wound
Indeed, after being inked on your skin, that new tattoo is a true open wound. That’s why you have to treat it like one. Then what do you usually do with open wounds? Be gentle, sanitary, and clean.
#2 Take Short Showers, Do not soak your body in the bath
Even if you get approval from your tattooist, do not stay in the shower for too long. That area may feel irritated or even painful approaching soap, water, and steam.
Most importantly, heat and steam can break the pigment down and make your healing process much longer.
#2 Use Cool Or Lukewarm Water
As mentioned, heat can destroy the pigment and make you feel irritated. Why is that? Just like how you wash your face before getting acne out, hot water helps you open those pores so acne can easily get out. That’s also how it let color get out of your skin.
It’s best only to use lukewarm or cool water with gentle mode. Then, use cold water within the last 30 seconds of showering to tighten those pores.
#3 Use Gentle Spraying Mode And Don’t Spray Directly Onto Your Tattoo
Spraying water directly on it can make you suffer from irritation. Just let it run over your body, or you can use clean hands and rinse that area. Still, don’t do that for a long period.
If you can’t adjust and gently make the showerhead spray, you must avoid the strong spray from contacting directly with the inked area. Use something else to pour water on it instead.
#4 Use Mild, Fragrance-Free Soaps
Those inked areas now are even more sensitive than ever. That’s why you should avoid those scented products. Gentle and unscented ones would best treat your healing skin. Oftentimes, scented ones or strong products tend to carry chemicals or alcohol, and they will dry your skin out, which, as mentioned, will lead to slower healing and scarring.
Source: Alice Battillo
If possible, use antibacterial ones for a more secure treatment. Don’t rub them directly on the area. It will help if you lather it on your hands before applying it to your tattoo. You must not use sponges and loofahs to scrub the area, as they can damage and irritate your skin. Even if there is debris or dried blood, do not do so!
#5 Gently Rinse It Off Using Water
When rinsing off the soap, run your fingers gently on the area to get the soap off it. Keep in mind that when you wash your body, watch out for that area, and don’t let running water directly approach it.
#7 Use a Paper Towel
As you dry your body, don’t scrub that area with a towel like how you do with the rest of your body. Use a paper towel to blot it, or you can let the air do its job. There may be some blood, but don’t worry, it’s fine.
Healing Process – What To Do After Showering Your Tattoos?
The first thing to do is moisturize that area using some lotion recommended by your tattooist. We all know how bad it is for a dried-out tattoo. These lotions will moisturize your skin and add vitamins and other ingredients to quicken your healing process.
Also, make sure that you’re applying lotions with clean hands only. The amount of lotion added matters, too. Too much lotion will make your skin unable to “breath”, therefore, making it take longer to heal fully.
Furthermore, it would help if you left your bandage off for a while, so your tattoos gets to breathe. You only have to commit to it on the first day. After that, let it enjoy some fresh air with moisturizer.
FAQs
Tattoo Care – What Should You Avoid?
Bathing would be the first thing you should avoid. It’s okay to have a little washing with gentle water running on those tattooed areas, but soaking is another story. It would be best if you didn’t come anywhere near hot tubs, bathtubs, or swimming pools for roughly weeks when your tattoo is healing. These water bodies contain bacterias that might ruin and even damage your skin!
So, despite your desire to show off that amazing piece of art, let it fully heal before jumping into the pool. The gym would be the second location you should avoid because working out will make your body sweat. Sweating can bring about bacterias that you’re desperately trying to avoid.
Source: Andres Ayrton
How To Know If My Tattoo Is Fully Healed?
The tattooist will alert you about this information, including the healing period, dos, and don’ts throughout this period. Some certain tattoos can take up to six months to heal. It all depends greatly on the location you inked, how big the tattoo is, your daily routine, and how well you care for it.
Though after about 2 or 3 weeks, the skin’s outer layer will look like it is fully healed, you still need to avoid soaking it. While tattooing, the needle will go in deeper than that layer, so that layer can’t reflect the whole story.
Source: Diovana Papen
Conclusion
Is it OK to shower after a tattoo? It is OK, as long as you are cautious about what your tattoo artists recommend you to do. The best time for you to take a quick and gentle shower is 24 hours after getting the art on your skin.
Then, follow all of our tips above so that your art is under proper care. We hope that our post has been a helpful hand to you in this tattooing journey!