It's recommended to wait at least 2–4 weeks before taking a bath, or until your tattoo is fully healed. By this time, the scabs should have fallen off naturally, and the skin should no longer appear raw or irritated. However, healing times can vary depending on the size, placement, and individual skin type.
A general rule of thumb is to give your new tattoo a minimum of three weeks away from any kind of pool, ocean, or bath. Washing your tattoo with warm or cold water and a mild, fragrance-free, antimicrobial soap is totally fine, and is actually recommended for hygiene reasons.
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.
Your artist should've given you post care tips though. Usually you're meant to avoid submerging the tattoo in water for a few weeks, getting it a bit wet in the shower is fine after 24 hours though.
As long as the clothes aren't tight or super scratchy, you'll be fine!
Unfortunately, there's no way to control what your body does while you sleep, but keeping your new tattoo covered during the night will help mitigate the risk of causing any injuries by scratching it.
The tattoo will become less vibrant as the healing process continues. 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. A person can continue using the washing technique above throughout the first week when needed.
You'll want to avoid washing your tattoo too soon or waiting too long. Generally, you'll want to wait for no less than five hours and no more than 24 hours. And of course, not washing your tattoo at all is a bad idea. Be aware of the importance of only washing or touching your tattoo when your hands are clean.
Avoid hot tubs for the first two to four weeks to allow your tattoo the time it needs to heal properly. And after this period, use caution by limiting your exposure and ensuring that your hot tub water is clean and balanced.
Both Paul and Shuliar recommend Aquaphor healing ointment for tattoo aftercare because it's unscented and designed to create a protective healing barrier while allowing oxygen to pass through.
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.
Stay out of pools, hot tubs, rivers, lakes and other bodies of water while the tattoo is healing. Choose clothing carefully. Don't wear anything that might stick to the tattoo.
Don't worry, this is completely natural. It happens because the old skin, damaged during the tattooing process, forms a thin layer over your tattoo and masks its true appearance. In time this old skin will naturally exfoliate itself, revealing your tattoo underneath in all its vibrant glory.
It's recommended to wait at least 2–4 weeks before taking a bath, or until your tattoo is fully healed. By this time, the scabs should have fallen off naturally, and the skin should no longer appear raw or irritated.
Tattoos typically take two to four weeks to heal on the surface, but it can take three to six months to fully heal. The tattoo healing process typically involves a week of redness and oozing, followed by two to three weeks of itchiness and peeling. After about a month, the skin still internally heals.
Remember: Do not swim or soak in a hot tub or bath for two weeks after getting your tattoo. Chemicals like chlorine and the bacteria found in most lakes or pools will cause your tattoo to fade or cause an infection.
It will also be important to consider what kind of bandage your artist wrapped used. If it's plastic wrap, you'll want to remove the bandage and wash it once you get home (after that five hours). If it's something like a Tegaderm or Saniderm, you can leave the bandage one for up to 24 hours so long as it doesn't leak.
According to tattoo artists, you should begin using lotion on a tattoo once it begins to dry. It is a waiting game, in a way. You don't want to apply lotion while the ink is still wet. How long it takes the ink to dry is dependent on your body, the size of the tattoo, and environmental factors such as humidity.
Keep the time underwater short, the water lukewarm, and avoid soaking your tattoo. Additionally, you usually need to wear a wrap over your tattoo for the first two to three days. You can shower with your wrap, but you should follow the same rules of minimizing your time under the water and only using lukewarm water.
After you leave the studio you will have been cleaned and bandaged; remove the bandage after 3-4 hours. Don't remove the bandage until you can properly clean the tattoo with mild soap and warm water.
Is it OK to wear clothes over a new tattoo? Yes, but try not to after the few initial days after application. If you do, make sure you change your clothes frequently. In our experience, tattoos can weep onto the clothes and if you don't change them, it can cause infection.