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Wait Before Swimming: Ideally, avoid swimming for at least 2-4 weeks after getting your tattoo, as the skin needs time to heal. Cover the Tattoo: If you must swim, cover the tattoo with a waterproof bandage or plastic wrap. Ensure it is secure and fully sealed to prevent water from seeping in.
Wearing Saniderm While Showering, Swimming, and Exercising
Too much heat can separate the bandage from the skin, inflame the skin, and irritate the tattoo. For these reasons, bathing, swimming, or fully submerging a tattoo dressed in Saniderm is strongly discouraged.
There is no fully safe way to wrap fresh tattoos (or most any fresh wound) for underwater submersion, especially not in a pool that has added chemicals like chlorine and potentially even residue of urine or feces (none of which you want on an open wound).
Whether in the sun or in the water, tattoo protectors offer you superior protection. You will always feel confident and enjoy unrestricted freedom!
You can shower 3-4 hours after getting a tattoo, if you have a Saniderm bandage on, however, if you have a plastic wrap wait 24 hours to unwrap your tattoo and shower. In either case, shower in cold or lukewarm water and avoid prolonged soaking or submerging your tattoo in water for 3-4 weeks.
Because petroleum jelly is moisture-trapping, applying a thin layer of it on top of your waterproof bandage adds an extra layer of protection between the water and your tattoo. If petroleum jelly is too harsh on your skin, coconut oil, cocoa butter, and other water-based lotions can offer the same protection.
Showering will not affect Tegaderm; it is reasonably waterproof. You can shower normal while healing. However, do not bathe or swim until your tattoo is fully healed. After 3-4 days, remove the Tegaderm by carefully peeling it off of your skin.
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.
SANIDERM. Leave your Saniderm on for four full days after getting your tattoo. It is waterproof, so go ahead and shower as usual - however, please don't tempt fate with a bath or soaking. It is normal for your saniderm to fill with plasma, ink and blood.
SANIDERM AFTERCARE:
You can shower with the bandage but avoid soaking it or submerging it in water (no swimming or baths). If water gets under the bandage, remove it immediately and continue with the normal aftercare routine.
By using the body's natural repairing fluids to keep the wounded area in a hydrated state, Saniderm accelerates cell recovery and therefore heals your tattoo faster. Saniderm bandages are made from high-quality materials and are composed of three primary components.
When you use Saniderm to heal your tattoo, you will find the process much easier. While we don't recommend taking a bath or going swimming after applying your Saniderm, taking a shower isn't an issue.
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.
But if you must join in on pool festivities before your skin has recovered, here are a few steps you can take to help prevent significant tattoo damage: Completely cover your tattoo with a waterproof dressing (products like Saniderm are available in various sizes). Limit the amount of time your tattoo is submerged.
"Most tattoos heal within two to six weeks, but some may take longer. Wait until all redness, itching, scabbing, and flaking have resolved." Forte says to think of a new tattoo as a fresh wound that needs time to heal without exposure to the elements.
Your healing tattoo needs 2–3 weeks before exposure to chlorinated water. Ocean and saltwater: The salt and minerals can irritate healing skin that hasn't fully settled. Saltwater requires a minimum 3–4 week wait. Even after healing, limit your first exposure to 15 minutes.
A thin layer is strongly suggested, too much aquaphor can pull out the ink and damage the quality of the tattoo, which results in a higher chance the tattoo will need a touch-up.
Completely avoid swimming in pools, hot tubs, oceans, and lakes. Since Tegaderm is slightly absorbent, when your bandage is submerged it will absorb small amounts of the fluid it is surrounded by.
“After you apply the first Saniderm bandage, we recommend leaving it on your new tattoo for between 8 to 24 hours. Everyone heals differently, and the length of time will vary depending on how much fluid your tattoo is weeping.
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.