New tattoo care – swimming, hot tubs, showers and sun.
Keeping your new tattoo out of direct sunlight.
The harsh rays of the sun may cause your skin to blister and bleach some of the colors from your new tattoo.
It is best to keep your tattoo covered and away from the sun for at least 3 to 4 weeks until the tattoo healing is complete.
Once your tattoo healing process is complete, you should apply sunscreen to prevent the tattoo from fading.
Avoid soaking the tattoo in water.
Until your tattoo is fully healed, do not swim in a pool or the ocean.
Avoid soaking in the bathtub or hot tub as well.
Exposing your new tattoo to lots of water can pull the ink out of your skin and do damage to the tattoo’s appearance.
The water may also be carrying dirt, bacteria, or other chemicals that can infect your tattoo.
Wear clean, loose-fitting clothing to avoid irritating your tattoo.
Don’t wear tight or restrictive clothing on the area with your new tattoo, especially at first.
As your tattoo heals, it might weep a little and sometimes loose a little excess ink. this is normal but may cause the clothing to stick to the tattoo. The clothing will then be painful to remove and may rip off any freshly formed scabs.
If your clothing does stick to your tattoo, do not pull!
First wet the area with water, which should loosen the clothing to where it can be removed without damaging your new tattoo.
Tight clothing will prevent enough oxygen from getting to your tattoo, and oxygen is essential for the healing process.
Wait for your tattoo to heal before doing strenuous workouts
If the tattoo covers a large surface area or is near any major joints, it may take longer to heal. Especially If the skin is forced to move too much during physical activity.
The movement will cause the skin to crack and become irritated, prolonging the healing process.
If your work involves physical activity, such as construction or dance, consider having your new tattoo done right before you have a day or 2 off so it has time to heal before you return to work.
