How Long After a Tattoo Can You Swim?

Photo courtesy of ManuelTheLensman @ Unsplash.com

Who doesn’t love the look of a brand-new fresh tattoo?

When the ink is still fresh, a tattoo’s lines are extra crisp-looking, and the color’s are amazingly bright and vibrant, making it, in my opinion, one of the best part’s of getting a tattoo!

But there’s a ton of things you can do that can damage that sweet new tattoo you just dished out a few hundred bucks to get.

And swimming just happens to be one of those things that can cause some serious ills to your fresh tattoo!

I know you want to look sexy with your new tattoo while swimming at the beach… But please, your newly tattooed skin needs time to heal before you dive in!

Tattoo placement or style doesn’t matter… Swimming too soon after getting in can easily ruin your new tat!

And nobody wants that!

So how long after a tattoo can you swim? What do you need to look our for during the healing process? And is it safe to swim if you cover your new tattoo with a waterproof tattoo cover?

We answer all of this and more and the following article, but first:

Wait Two To Four Weeks Before Getting A Tattoo Wet

Most tattoo artists recommend waiting anywhere between two to four weeks before swimming with your new tattoo.

But here’s the kicker: this is just a rough guideline and your skin needs to be FULLY HEALED before taking your next dip, whether that takes a few weeks or a few months.

Really, the longer you wait, the less likely you are to cause any damage to your new tattoo.

Because the fact is that healing time will depend on everyone’s natural bodies, which makes giving any exact time limits practically impossible.

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I’ve had friends get tattoos and brag about how their skin was fully healed within a week.

Whereas I’ve been tattooed, and after getting my new ink dirty at work (maybe leading to a mild infection), it took well-over a month before the skin was fully healed.

So it’s really going to depend on how well you take care of your fresh ink, how often you clean it, and most importantly how long it takes your body to go through the healing process.

Why Do I Need To Wait And Avoid Swimming?

Whether you’re a tattoo artist, a tattooed tattoo fan, or just somebody who likes looking at tattoos, it’s easy to understand that a fresh tattoo is basically an open wound.

After all, your tattoo artist just finished stabbing you a few thousands of times with a bunch of tiny needles.

So when you jump in a swimming pool or a lake, you’re essentially exposing that fresh wound to whatever contaminates may be in the water.

And who knows what might be floating around in there with you?

If you’re in a swimming pool, you’ll be exposing your new tattoo to all sorts of harsh chemicals, such as chlorine or salt, which can can cause skin irritation and dryness.

And even worse, the water might be contaminated with urine (especially if there are a lot of kids around), sweat, spit, dirt, and whatever else other swimmers are leaving behind. (really, you probably don’t want to think about it too much!)

Even if you’re talking about swimming in a fresh water lake, there’s really no telling what type of harmful bacteria or contaminates might be floating around in there… trash, animal feces, algae, flesh-eating bacteria… you name it, it could be in there!

Photo courtesy of Omar Prestwich @ Unsplash.com

No matter how you slice it, taking a swim with a fresh tattoo just isn’t worth the risk!

A bacterial infection is truly one of the worst things that can happen to your tattoo.

Not only can it lead to minor skin irritations, if left untreated, an infection can become downright painful, causing permanent scarring, blurred lines, missing colors, and just outright ruining your brand new tattoo.

Getting a tattoo is painful enough. There’s no need to make the experience any worse than it already is!

Wondering how much it’s going to hurt to get your next tattoo? Check out our innovative tattoo pain chart to find out!

How To Tell When Your Tattoo Is Fully Healed (So you CAN go for a swim)

Once they’re done, your artist will wrap your new custom tattoo in gauze, plastic wrap, or some other wrapping to protect it.

At this point, they should also advise you on how long you’ll need to keep it wrap and how to clean it.

But once you leave the shop, you’re on your own.

Which is precisely why it’s important to recognize the signs of a fully healed tattoo.

Photo courtesy of Alonso Reyes @ Unsplash.com

For your tattoo to be fully-healed, you’ll want to keep an eye out for the following signs:

• No scabs – It’s not completely abnormal to find some small scabs forming on your tattoo. But once these heal and fall off on their own (don’t pick them, please!), it’s a good sign that your tattoo is getting close to being fully healed.
• No peeling skin – Even if there are no scabs on your tattoo, you might notice your skin dry out a bit and start to peel as it heals. Once there are no longer any signs of peeling skin, you’ll know it’s almost swim time.
• New, smooth, protective skin – As old skin sheds, a thin layer of new protective skin will grow over your tattoo. Seeing fresh healthy skin like this is a sign of proper healing.

To sum it up, your fully healed tattoo’s appearance will just look a lot more like most of the tattoos you’ve seen.

It won’t be itchy or sore, and it should have a healthy, smooth layer of fresh skin covering your new body art.

Regardless, always follow your artist’s aftercare instructions, and don’t be scared to ask them!

Artist’s are great for helping you come up with cool tattoo ideas AND getting that idea inked into your skin, but they’re also pros at giving personalized advice about tattoo aftercare.

Also, be sure to give them a call (or your doctor) immediately if you notice signs of infection.

Otherwise, you might end up needing to see a board certified dermatologist or other healthcare professional for some seriously intense treatments.

Can I Get My New Tattoo Wet? Is Water Exposure Bad?

Yes, there’s nothing wrong with getting your tattoo wet. And no, water exposure is not bad, per say.

In fact, YOU DO NEED TO GENTLY WASH AND CLEAN your tattoo with a gentle cleanser to make sure it’s healing properly.

It’s prolonged exposure to water that is the big NO NO!

Your fresh tattoo should never submerged for lengthy periods of time, and especially when it’s still fresh, you don’t want to be swimming in chlorinated pools or hot tubs, or any type of salt water, which are extra harsh on your newly tattooed skin.

On the other hand, taking a shower and washing your tattoo under a faucet is perfectly fine.

Just make sure to be gentle when washing it (don’t scrub!), only use a non-scented mild soap, and gently pat dry with a clean towel when done.

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Can I Use A Waterproof Tattoo Cover?

You might hear people talk about using waterproof bandages or products like Saniderm to cover your tattoo while swimming.

But any tattoo artist worth their salt will tell you it’s not a good idea!

In theory, yes, a waterproof dressing can protect your tattoo while swimming.

But there’s no guarantee it’s going to stay put.

And there are NO other types of skin care products that you can use that will make swimming 100% safe for your fresh ink.

Especially for larger tattoos, it’s extra hard to make sure your entire piece is covered and stays covered while you frolic around in the water.

Even if you do use waterproof bandages, when you’re jumping around, splashing, and having fun, there’s a good chance you wouldn’t even notice if the dressing came off before it’s too late.

So truly it’s just smarter and safer to keep your skin dry and wait to swim until your tattoo is completely healed!

Photo courtesy of Marvin Meyer @ Unsplash.com

The Importance Of Waiting Until Your Tattoo Is Fully Healed Before Swimming

The long of the short of it is NO, you should not go swimming after getting a tattoo.

It doesn’t matter if you’re swimming in a fresh water lake, a swimming pool, or you just want to soak in a hot tub to relax for a bit.

Your fresh ink should NEVER be exposed to water other than when you’re cleaning it with water and mild soap.

Let’s take a summed up look at everything we’ve learned here today.

• You should NEVER go swimming with a new tattoo. It’s best to keep your tattoo dry right up until the healing process is complete.
• Most tattoo artists recommend waiting 2 to 4 weeks before swimming with your new tattoo. More precisely, your new tattoo needs to be FULLY healed, whether that takes a month or more!
• A new tattoo’s healing time varies and depends on our natural bodies ability to produce a new, healthy layer of skin over the fresh ink.
• A new tattoo is a fresh wound. So when you go swimming, you expose that wound to all sorts of potentially harmful bacteria and harsh chemicals that can damage your skin AND your new ink.
• It is safe to shower with newly tattooed skin, but you still need to be careful and not expose your tattoo to water for too long.
• Only clean your fresh ink with mild soap and water, and gently pat dry using a clean towel.
• A waterproof tattoo cover or waterproof dressing is NOT a substitute for adequate healing time.

So now that you know all about the importance of waiting before swimming after getting a tattoo, why not plan your next ink fix with our AI Tattoo Generator!