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When Can You Shave Over A Tattoo?

Unless you’re particularly fond of a hairy body, hair growth can be annoying.

I mean, do we really need to be growing hair out of our heads, faces, arms, legs, and pretty much everywhere else in between?

Thank God for whoever invented shaving, am I right?

But when you’ve got yourself a new tattoo, especially a leg tattoo, which is a tattoo placement where hair grows on practically everyone, you really shouldn’t be shaving over it, at least not for a few weeks.

So when can you shave over a tattoo?

Below, we’re exploring the many reasons why it’s not recommend to shave until your tattoo heals, and explaining how to know when you’ve got a fully healed tattoo.

How Long Should You Wait Before Shaving?

Whether it’s your first tattoo or your twentieth, any tattoo artist will tell you to wait between two to three weeks before shaving over a fresh tattoo.

Two weeks is the minimum. But really, you need to wait until your tattoo is fully healed, no matter how long it takes.

So it might be two weeks, but it might take a month or longer.

Healing times vary from one individual to another, depending on your skin type, skin health, and a number of other factors.

So there’s really no cut and dried answer as to when you can shave over a tattoo.

But in the meantime, just don’t worry about that stubble for a little while!

Just focus on keeping your tattooed area clean and dry, keeping yourself and your skin hydrated, and your tattoo will be fully healed before you know it!

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How To Know Your Tattoo Is Fully Healed

A tattoo artist told me once that you’ll know your tattoo is healed once any scabs have dried up and fallen off, and the new top layer of skin has a smooth finish covering your ink.

The deeper layers of your skin will be saturated with ink and that new layer should now look fresh and healthy.

But as your tattoo heals, remember that peeling dead skin, flaking, and scabbing are all normal parts of a healing tattoo.

Depending on where your tattoo is located, and how hairy you are, after a few days, you’ll likely notice some hair growth and stubble starting to appear.

This can be annoying, but please avoid any temptations you may have to shave.

Why You Should Avoid Shaving A New Tattoo

Freshly inked skin is extremely sensitive skin, so you don’t want to irritate it in any way.

Razor blades are sharp and shaving can leave your skin raw and irritated, which can be super hard to deal with when your already struggling to get your new tattoo healed.

Remember a tattoo machine just punctured your skin a few thousand times to get the ink in there.

So your new tattoo is essentially an open wound.

And you don’t want to be irritating it, putting harsh shaving products or shaving gels on it, and you certainly don’t want to be getting your new tattoo infected, do you?

Nicks And Cuts

One of the most important reasons for giving your tattoo time to heal fully before shaving is that you don’t want to get any nicks or cuts on it.

Your freshly tattooed skin is already sensitive enough, now imagine the razor blade catches while shaving… Ouch!

But pain isn’t the only reason you want to avoid this. Nick or cuts mean you’re actually damaging that layer of skin that’s just been inked.

This means that shaving cuts can lead to an increased risk of scabbing, which can cause the ink in your new tattoo to fade, distort, or blur as it heals.

Increased Risk Of Infection

Remember how we’ve said your new tattoo is basically an open wound?

Now imagine adding yet another wound on top of that wound by cutting into that second layer of skin while shaving.

Now you’ve got yourself a serious risk of infection, my friend.

During the healing process, your tattoo is covered in dead skin cells, and all sorts of other bacteria that live on your skin at all times.

When you cut yourself, you’ve now opened the door wide to anything that wants to make its way inside your body.

That said, if you’re wondering “why is my tattoo itchy,” it may or may not be a sign of infection. Itchiness is a normal part of the healing process, but it can also be a sign of something more serious. So make sure to keep an eye out for signs of infection and get it treated before it’s too late.

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You Don’t Want Ingrown Hairs

You or your tattoo artist likely already shaved the tattooed area before you got the tattoo. So there’s already a heightened risk of developing them.

But there’s no need to shave and make it even more likely that you’ll develop them.

Ingrown hairs are nothing more than clogged hair follicles where the hair curls or grows backward into the skin, instead of growing outward.

They are essentially harmless, but with a fresh tattoo, there’s an increased danger since they can become inflamed or irritated.

If not handled properly, ingrown hair can become infected and lead to scarring, which is definitely not something you want in your new tattoo.

If you do notice any ingrowns in your tattoo, do not pick or pop them as this will only make things worse. Just leave them alone and they should heal on their own.

Shaving Products And Irritation

Shaving products or gels can contain all sorts of perfumes, fragrances and other ingredients that can irritate your skin.

Yes, these smell great!

But they’re not great for your skin, especially not that freshly tattooed skin which is already sensitive enough.

Even after your ink has fully healed and it’s time to shave over a tattoo, it’s we strongly recommended to only use fragrance-free shaving products or gels designed specifically for sensitive skin.

Frequently Asked Questions – When Can You Shave Over A Tattoo?

Now that we know why you can’t shave over a tattoo, let’s cover a few more frequently asked questions we hear about hair removal and tattoo aftercare.

Can I Wax A New Tattoo?

No, you cannot wax a new tattoo.

Waxing may be a great alternative to shaving. But you really still need to wait until your tattoo is fully healed before waxing any of the hair on your tattooed skin.

Just like shaving, waxing can be pretty harsh on your skin since you’re literally ripping the hair out of your body.

Plus, as you surely already know, that freshly tattooed ink is already sensitive enough. I don’t think you really want to go and wax a still-healing tattoo.

Talk about ouch!

Image courtesy of Tima Miroshnichenko @ Pexels.com

Can I Use Hair Removal Creams On A New Tattoo?

No, you can’t use Nair or any other type of hair removal creams on your new tattoo.

Once your tattoo is healed, these are perfectly fine to use since they do not penetrate your skin and therefore should not have any impact on your ink.

But in the meantime, these products contain all sorts of chemical ingredients that you certainly don’t want your tattoo coming in contact with.

You need to give your new ink time to heal, to produce new protective skin, and only then can you think about shaving, waxing, or using any other types of hair removal products on your tattoo.

Hair Removal For New Tattoos

Hair grows on your body. And yes, that might be annoying. But infections, irritation and a messed up tattoo are even more annoying.

So don’t even think about shaving that tattooed area until it is fully 100% healed.

So what have we learned today?

• No shaving over a new tattoo – You need to wait until it is 100% healed before you can shave over a new tattoo. This generally takes between 2 to 4 weeks, but can take longer depending on your skin type.
• Fresh, healthy skin – You’ll know your tattoo is fully healed once all scabs have fallen off and there’s a fresh layer of fresh new skin covering your entire tattoo.
• Shaving nicks – Tattooed skin is already sensitive. Shaving nicks and cuts only hurt, and can mess up your new tattoo. They can also lead to an increased risk of infection which you certainly don’t want.
• Ingrown hairs – Ingrown hairs are generally harmless. But shaving increases your risk of developing them right in the middle of your beautiful new ink. Don’t try to pop them or pick at them. Leave them alone!
• Harsh skincare and shaving products – Your new tattoo is an open wound and you don’t want to put any type of shaving creams or gel, or other types of skincare products, perfumes or fragrances onto that open wound.
• No waxing or depilatory creams – Just like you shouldn’t shave, you also shouldn’t wax or use any type of hair removal creams on your new tattoo. It’s just not worth it!

Now that you know everything there is about shaving over a new tattoo, are you ready for your next ink fix? Check out our innovative AI tattoo generator to play around with different tattoo ideas and tattoo styles to find out what you like the most!