Protect Your Tattoo – Just Keep Swimming!
If you have a new tattoo, it is important to avoid getting in any open water. This includes hot tubs or pools. Not only is it risky for the tattoo, but the water’s chemicals can affect the color of the design and the final cosmetic result. Salty water can also have a negative impact on the location of the tattoo. Here are some tips to protect your tattoo. Just keep swimming! Don’t forget to bring a trunk!
Cover the entire area with waterproof tape before you go in the water. These can be waterproof bandages, heavy layers of Vaseline, or plastic press n’ seal wrap. After swimming, remove the waterproof dressing and gently clean the tattoo with antibacterial soap. After the tattoo heals, you should continue to apply aftercare cream. Taking a bath after the tattoo is healed can cause it to become infected.
It is also a good idea not to swim with a new tattoo for at most six weeks. This will allow for faster healing and reduce the chance of infection. You can also buy a waterproof bandage at a drugstore. Make sure that the bandage covers all tattoos. After swimming, remove the waterproof bandage and gently clean the tattoo area. After the wound is dry, you can resume normal wound care. It’s not a good idea to swim with a tattoo for a few days until the wound is completely healed.
It is important to clean your tattoo after it has healed. Salt water and chlorine in pools can leech the ink from your tattoo, causing discoloration and fading. Salt water is particularly harsh on open wounds, and swimming will dry out your skin and exacerbate the problem. Swimming can cause scabs, peeling, and will result in the removal of the tattoo’s color and ink. In addition to drying the tattoo area, swimming will irritate the skin and promote bacterial and fungal infection.
It is important to allow your tattoo to heal properly before you go swimming with it. It can take up to four weeks for your tattoo to heal completely, depending on its size. Leaving the tattoo unhealed is not only risky for the tattoo, but it could also cause infection. It is better to wait for the tattoo to heal completely before you go swimming with it. If you want to swim right away, make sure you consult your tattoo artist.