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.
A fresh tattoo is effectively a wound, so it's important to keep it clean in order to avoid infection. “It will need to be cleaned regularly, particularly in the first 24-48 hours”. You can get them wet, but 'they shouldn't be submerged or soaked', for instance, in the bath or swimming.
Wait at least two weeks before submerging the area in water (that means holding off on trying your fancy new bath bomb, too) and keep the area clean.
While it's true that you should avoid soaking your tattoo in hot water for the first few weeks, showering with hot water is perfectly fine. In fact, hot water can actually help to speed up the healing process by increasing blood flow to the area.
It's perfectly okay to get your new tattoo wet – just don't submerge it. In fact, you should get your new tattoo wet every morning and night when cleaning it with water and an appropriate antibacterial soap.
It is generally not recommended to submerge a new tattoo in water, including taking a bath, for at least 2-3 weeks after getting the tattoo.
For a new tattoo, we would recommend waiting a full three weeks before going into a sauna.
Weeks 5 and 6: completely healed
You'll know you're in this phase — and that your tattoo is fully healed — because all the dry skin and scabs have sloughed off to reveal new, smooth skin with a vibrant tattoo and you no longer feel the burning and itchiness because the body has repaired itself.
From 1 to 6 months
After a month, any itching and redness should have completely gone. In fact, your new tattoo may look fully healed! However, the skin under your tattoo can continue to repair itself for up to six months until it's considered healed. During this stage it's important to keep up your aftercare routine.
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.
One of the biggest risks of swimming with a new tattoo is infection. Tattoos are essentially open wounds. And submerging this in water can expose it to potentially harmful bacteria. Should these bacteria find their way into your bloodstream, they can lead to pretty nasty infections.
It is advisable that you refrain from drinking for at least 48-72 hours after getting a tattoo. It is normal for plasma and blood to ooze 48 hours after getting a tattoo. However, alcohol consumption will increase the bleeding rate due to blood thinning. Excessive bleeding may lead to bigger problems.
After the third or fourth day following your tattoo appointment, your tattoo will begin to dry out. It may feel tight. Swelling should start to subside, though your skin might still feel warm and uncomfortable. By the end of the first week, you will likely see your tattoo flaking.
Continue this process for 2-4 weeks, or until your tattooed skin has completely regenerated and closed up. It is at this point where you can stop washing your tattoo with soap, as it will now be protected by its own layers of skin.
The second skin is breathable and can be showered in, but do not bath or swim with it on.
Until the surface of the tattoo is healed (at a minimum of two to three weeks), wash the area gently 2-3 times per day. After cleaning the tattoo during this two to three week period, gently apply a thin coat of a lotion-based care product. We recommend After Inked tattoo moisturizer and aftercare lotion.
While many people praise its benefits to your health, the Epsom salts in its solution will ruin your 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.