Swimming should be avoided until your tattoo is fully healed, which usually takes about two to four weeks. Submerging a fresh tattoo in water can increase the risk of infection and affect the ink's vibrancy.
It's generally recommended to wait at least 2 to 4 weeks before swimming after getting a tattoo. This allows the tattoo to heal properly and reduces the risk of infection. Here are some additional tips: Avoid submerging in water: This includes pools, hot tubs, lakes, and oceans.
Tattoos are essentially open wounds, and exposing them to water too soon can lead to bacterial infections, skin irritation, and even damage to the tattoo design. Therefore, tattoo artists recommend waiting at least 2-4 weeks before submerging your new ink in swimming pools, hot tubs, or open water.
You should never submerge a new tattoo in water for any length of time directly following a tattoo. If you're wondering just how long after getting your tattoo you can take a bath: the answer is only after your tattoo has healed completely which typically takes 3 to 4 weeks, and in some cases longer.
South Wales-based tattooists, Southern Ink Tattoo, says, “We give three to four weeks' time before getting in a pool or hot tub due to the chlorine.” “[In a pool or hot tub] the temperature that the water is kept at is prone to [causing people] infection due to the bacteria that grows.”
The general recommendation is to wait at least two to four weeks before immersing your tattoo in water, particularly in a hot tub. This waiting period allows the outer layers of the skin to heal and provides a barrier against harmful bacteria, chemicals, and the water itself.
On average, a tattoo takes two to four weeks to heal. However, it takes about three to six months for the skin underneath the tattoo to fully heal. 12 This time depends on specific skin reactions, tattoo size, and ink colors used.
“The time it takes will depend on the location of the tattoo and other factors, but expect it to take at least three weeks,” she says. In the meantime, she advises avoiding submerging a new tattoo in bodies of water including swimming pools, hot tubs, oceans, lakes, and rivers. That doesn't mean you can't shower.
To avoid these potential risks and complications, it is important to follow proper aftercare procedures for your new tattoo. This includes avoiding submerging the tattoo in water, including baths, pools, and hot tubs, for at least 2-3 weeks after getting the tattoo.
Sometimes 3-4 weeks depending on how you heal. I also would be mindful of not soaking for too long until well after it's fully healed.
“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,” says Adrienne Santos, a writer for Healthline.
What is a concern is swimming after a treatment session. You should wait between three to four days after each of your laser tattoo removal session before you go swimming. It is not recommended to go swimming immediately after laser tattoo removal because the skin in the treated area is still recovering from the laser.
Until your tattoo is fully healed, you cannot apply any type of sunscreen, and it's really best to just avoid exposing the area to any direct sunlight whatsoever. If you plan to be outside in the sun with a new tattoo, then your best and safest protection is to keep the area covered with loose clothing.
Swimming should be avoided until your tattoo is fully healed, which usually takes about two to four weeks. Submerging a fresh tattoo in water can increase the risk of infection and affect the ink's vibrancy.
Eaves recommends allowing your new tattoo anywhere between two weeks to a month to fully heal before shaving (you can find his tattoo aftercare tips here) — this means no scabbing, peeling or shininess on or around the site of the tattoo. Once your tattoo is fully healed, however, shave as your heart desires.
How fast can a tattoo get infected? Some infections occur shortly after getting a tattoo. Others develop over time, and you might not notice them until months later.
Tattoo Care After 2 Weeks (Days 15 to 30):
This is the last stage of the healing process. Most, if not all, of the scabs will have fallen off by this point. If your tattoo looks dry and dull, continue to moisturize to rehydrate the skin.
A person should avoid submerging the tattoo in water or getting the tattoo wet during the first 3–6 weeks, except for when washing it.
According to experts, it is not advisable to use saran wrap on a new tattoo. "Plastic wrap or Saran wrap creates an occlusive layer over the tattoo," explains Camp. "While helpful to protect the tattoo from infection, a thick layer of plastic wrap prevents the exchange of oxygen and can affect wound healing."
A minimum of two days and as much as a few weeks are generally recommended to hold off on more moderate and intense activity. Yet even yoga and other low-intensity exercises could be in risky territory if they lead to friction, sweating, or stretching the tattoo.
Experts recommend waiting to go in a sauna until your tattoo is healed, which typically takes around three to five weeks.