As exciting as it may be to get a new tattoo, that excitement may quickly fade when you have to consider how you’re going to take care of it in the days and weeks ahead.
Many people who get tattoos worry about showering with their new ink, especially if they have had their tattoo applied to parts of their body.
That is difficult to clean without exposing it to the water that comes out of your standard showerhead. So, how to Shower with a New Tattoo? The question that arises every time people get a new tattoo on their body is how to shower with a new tattoo?
And if you are looking forward to learn How to Shower with a New Tattoo, then continue reading because this article has the perfect answers for this problem.
Taking A Shower After Getting A Tattoo Requires Just A Few Steps
- Avoid getting your tattoo wet for 24 hours. One of your biggest worries about taking a shower should be washing off all that antiseptic ointment. Your tattoo should not be exposed to water until you’ve followed steps 2 and 3.
- Wash gently using hand soap after 24 hours and pat dry. Gently wash away the blood, germs, and excess ink from your skin using lukewarm water and mild antibacterial soap for at least 5 minutes before patting it dry with paper towels or soft cotton fabric (this will prevent infections). Afterward, bandage your newly-inked work of art with an appropriate covering.
- Apply ointment and gauze after 1 week (or when scabbing has healed). After your tattoo scabs are over, you may shower, but use mild soap and pat dry gently. Protect your new artwork by covering it with an ointment and covering it with gauze before applying a waterproof bandage such as Tegaderm or Bioclusive for at least one week to protect it from water seepage, sunlight exposure, etc.
- Wear loose clothing for at least 2 weeks. Until then, wear loose clothes that cover your newly-inked skin like t-shirts or tank tops so you don’t irritate it and impede its healing process. And you can take a quick or short shower while wearing loose clothes.
- Never scratch your tattoo, and Scratching your new work of art will open it up and cause more trauma on it than you think not to mention, getting caught wearing jewelry (especially rings) too soon after getting inked will also ruin your artwork as well.
- Shower your body only with water, try to avoid using other chemical shower cosmetics until your tattoo heals properly.
When Can You Take A Bath Or A Shower After Getting A Tattoo?
You need to take care of your new tattoo as soon as possible, but you also want to wait long enough for it to heal. When can you get in a bath or shower after getting inked? It really depends on how big your tattoo is and what kind of placement you chose.
Your artist should be able to tell you how long until you can safely get into the water, though. Cleaning new tattoos properly (and gently) will help them heal quicker and decrease any chance of infection.
Here’s when we recommend waiting:
For Chest Or Back Tattoos: Wait At Least A Week: If your tattoo is particularly large (or small), make sure it has time to heal before exposing it to too much friction or moisture.
If you just got your name inked on your back, for example, you may want to wait at least a week, but ideally two days before getting into that bathtub.
For Arm Or Leg Tattoos: Wait At Least Two Weeks: If you got your tattoo on your leg or arm, it’s best to keep it out of the water until it’s fully healed.
After all, there’s no real rush (especially if you want it permanently inked there), so don’t stress about an extra week or two.
For under-the-bikini tattoos:, The recommendation is to wait at least four weeks after getting inked before showering.
These are pretty tender areas of skin and will require more time to heal before bathing, so make sure to listen closely to your artist for tips.
Also, avoid direct sunlight on any new tattoos; even if they feel healed, there are risks involved in exposing them directly to UV rays.
That being said, don’t panic if you forget and accidentally go into a pool; especially after more than two weeks have passed from getting inked, chances are nothing will happen.
Just try not to shower directly afterward.
Tips on Taking Care of Your New Tattoo
When you get a new tattoo, you’ll probably be advised to take it easy for at least 24 hours.
This means no working out, no swimming in public pools, and no hot showers or baths.
The reason is simple: Any undue stress on your new tattoo can increase your risk of infection. Even mild soaps and shampoos may be harsh enough to increase that risk especially if they contain fragrances, perfumes, or additives such as alcohol.
Once you’ve had time to heal from getting your tattoo, try these tips for taking care of it during your daily routine:
When you get out of bed in the morning:
Be gentle. Avoid showering right after you wake up because you’ll have large amounts of body fluids excreted throughout the night. Wash off gently by hand, and use a washcloth, if possible.
Use warm water (but not too hot), soaps that are free of dyes and perfumes, and mild baby shampoo. These are less likely to irritate your tattoo than harsher products.
Aftercare of Tattoo-Crucial Tips
After getting a tattoo, there are a few things that should be avoided so that you do not face any complications. If you planning to have a tattoo then read this portion of the blog carefully so that you can take care of your tattoo.
Apply a Thin Layer of Vaseline or Petroleum Gel Over the Tattoo
The very first thing after getting a tattoo is to cover the new tattoo with a thin layer of petroleum gel or vaseline. Ask your artist to cover your tattoo with a thin layer of petroleum gel. If the petroleum gel is not available then you can cover the tattoo with a bandage.
Remove the Bandge After 24 Hours
The bandage that you apply over the tattoo immediately after getting it is a shield between the germ in the air and your skin. So make sure you will remove it after at least 24 hours. Remove the bandage gently.
After removing the bandage use anti-microbial water to wash out the wound caused by a printing tattoo on the body. Never use tap water on the wound. As tap water contains a lot of contaminants that may cause allergies.
Apply Antibacterial Ornament Twice a Day
After washing the tattoo with the anti-bacterial water, no need to apply the bandage over it. Use any type of antibacterial ornament over the wound twice a day. Make sure not to leave the wound in contact with the environment directly.
Wash Tattoo Twice a Day
Make a habit to wash your tattoo with a mixture of soap and water for a few days. If you wash the tattoo twice a day then it will be very suitable for a tattoo. After washing the tattoo do not need to forget to apply moisturizer over the tattoo.
Conclusion
In conclusion, your new tattoo is probably an inch away from being completely healed. At least, that’s if you’ve followed all of the shared instructions. It’s normal to feel like you have to take extra care of your new body art at first.
That said, showering with your fresh ink isn’t as big of a deal as it might seem if you take care of some basic things. If anything does go wrong, or you need to ask anything, you can freely ask in the comment section. I will feel happy to help you out.
