Have you been desperate to go swimming ever since you have your favourite tattoo but don’t know when and under what conditions you can swim? Tattoos require commitment and careful aftercare. So, what in the event you do to ensure proper healing?
1. KEEP IT DRY FOR THE FIRST 3 WEEKS
Whether in the ocean or in the pool, you should avoid connection with water to commence with to allow your tattoo to heal without issues. Any extended contact with water ought to be avoided, as it risks displacing the ink of the tattoo or altering the colour. Baths, rivers, jacuzzis, etc., it’s easier to avoid all varieties of bathing if you need to preserve the look of your tattoo! The water in a swimming pool, for example, can pose an infection risk to your wound. The water in pools is treated with products to disinfect the pool, which doesn’t mix well with a wound.
Another important little bit of advice: avoid gyms! When you exercise, your muscles stretch your skin layer and you sweat. Stretching the skin and sweating excessively in the region of your tattoo can impede the healing up process. Visit cover up a tattoo before swimming to get more insight.
2. DO NOT ALLOW WATER TO RUN OVER YOUR TATTOO WITHIN THE SHOWER
While it is not necessary to protect your tattoo with cling film or a plastic bag when in the shower, avoid allowing the water to perform over it for too much time. Take quick showers and use lukewarm water. If your shower pressure is high, avoid pointing the shower head directly at your tattoo. Showering and allowing the water to perform over you isn’t necessarily a problem alone, so long as you don’t spend too long in there and you avoid the area of your tattoo! Don’t worry about getting it slightly wet – it isn’t that serious given that it’s only a small amount of water. You’ll need to get it wet to completely clean it anyway.
3. CLEAN THE WOUND REGULARLY
At the end of the session, your tattoo artist made sure that the wound wouldn’t get infected by applying a dressing with cling film. After 3 to 6 hours, according to your tattoo artist’s instructions, you may take off the dressing and clean the region for the 1st time. This is a step that people enjoy as, once the residual ink and blood have been washed off, it’s the 1st time that you will get to see the results of your tattoo!
To clean the wound, start by thoroughly washing your hands. Avoid rubbing your tattoo with a flannel or any other exfoliator. They could contain bacteria and improve the risk of infection in the wound. Only use clean hands! They should be cleaned with a gentle, unscented soap. Cosmetic products with alcohol or certain chemicals can irritate or dry the skin. Which can slow healing? Once the wound is clean, pat your tattoo with a clean towel or kitchen roll to gently dry the area. Follow this routine diligently twice a day, morning and night, and soon you’ll be able to get back again to the pool!
4. LET YOUR TATTOO HEAL ON VIEW AIR
The cling film that your tattoo artist applied by the end of the session is to keep out bacteria and protects your tattoo for the first few hours. Once you have taken the dressing off and cleaned the wound for the very first time, allow your skin to breathe as much as possible!
Fresh air allows your skin to heal as quickly as possible. So that the healing may take place in the best possible conditions, wear loose clothing and leave your tattoo available to the air flow as often as possible. For your bedding and clothes, go for natural materials such as cotton and avoid synthetic fabrics!
Tattoos should be moisturised regularly so they don’t dry, which could lead to scabbing. When applying healing balm, be aware that making use of more cream than necessary won’t increase to process. On the contrary, under a layer that’s too thick, your tattoo will never be in a position to breathe. After applying the balm, massage it with a circular motion in order that the cream penetrates deep in. Pamper your tattoo!
5. IF YOU DO GO INTO THE WATER, PROTECT YOUR TATTOO
If you absolutely have to get in the water during the healing process, take certain precautions to be sure to preserve your tattoo whenever you can. Start by protecting your wound with a protective cream. Then put in a second layer of protection with a waterproof dressing that you stick over your tattoo. These things can simply be found at the pharmacy. The last precaution is to clean your tattoo with clean water at the earliest opportunity once you get out of the water. This enables you to remove any residues of chlorine, salt or sand from your own skin. The time required for your tattoo to completely heal depends upon its size, where it really is on your body, your lifestyle and on your own aftercare.
When your tattoo is not covered by a protective layer, it really is vulnerable to: bacteria, the sun, chemicals and pollution. Your tattoo is fully healed when it’s no longer scaly or peeling, and when all the scabs have fallen off. The average time for the “initial healing” is between 2 and 4 weeks. The tattoo will be completely healed after around three months. Allowing your tattoo to heal during winter in order to avoid the sunlight as much as possible would be ideal. But if it’s practically summer and you just got the tattoo, that’s fine too! With proper aftercare and hygiene, you’ll soon have the ability to proudly display your tattoo by the pool or at the beach.
