How soon after getting a tattoo can you take a shower?

Photo by John Fornander

This is probably the most pressing question on your mind right now – when can you take a shower after getting inked?

Well, truthfully, the answer depends on the kind of bandage or wrap your tattooist put on your skin. Many artists use either cling film or sterile bandage.

But there’s a growing number who use more modern wraps that are breathable and waterproof, e.g. Inksafe’s transparent tattoo protection film.

The best thing for you to do would be to follow your artist’s instructions. Here are a couple of scenarios:

• If they use cling film, they’ll most likely tell you to take it off in a couple of hours or after you get home. You can wash the tattoo and take a quick shower then.
• But if they use something like Inksafe, they may tell you to wait until the following day before you take it off and take a shower. Then they’ll most likely recommend you re-wrap it using the same kind of film. Again, this will depend on the tattooist.

No matter what time your artist says you can take off the wrap, it’s going to feel oh so good when you finally take a shower! There’s nothing like feeling clean after getting through a tattoo session!

Now, in some cases, your tattoo – which is technically an open wound – is going to sting a bit when it gets hit by a direct stream of water. Read on to know how you can shower correctly without causing too much pain and/or ruining your new tattoo!

The do’s and don’ts of showering with a new tattoo

Photo by Pixabay

Showering may seem like a straightforward thing to do. Just turn the knob to the left or right (if you’ve got hot or cold water). Wait for the water to flow from the showerhead. Step inside the shower area. Get wet and apply shampoo and soap. Rinse. Then, lastly, dry yourself up. Pretty simple, right?

Well, not quite. With a new tattoo, there are new rules you need to observe if you want your tattoo to last long. Here they are:

Do set the right temperature

Should you use hot or cold water? Well, for starters, hot water may not be good for a brand-new tattoo. This is because hot water opens skin pores which may cause some ink to leak out, especially if the water is directed full blast at the area. So, the right temperature for new tattoos in the shower is either lukewarm or cold.

Lukewarm water helps remove tattoo gunk, and cold water closes up the pores. Some tattooists recommend running cold water during the last 30 seconds to help close the pores and prevent ink loss.

Do use fragrance-free and alcohol-free soap

Alcohol and artificial fragrance in soap are bad for a new tattoo. This is because these are harsh ingredients that can cause damage to the ink that’s still trying to settle in the skin. Upon contact with the still-open tattoo puncture wounds, it may bring about a painful, burning sensation. These ingredients are also more likely to cause skin irritations and dryness to the area.

For more information on what soaps to use, here’s a list of recommended tattoo soaps for healing tatts. Here’s our top 4 for use in the shower:

Dr. Bronner’s Pure Castile Unscented Baby Soap	Dove Sensitive Skin Bar Soap	Neutrogena Transparent Facial Soap	Aveeno Baby Daily Care Gentle Wash

Do be gentle when touching and cleaning your tattoo

Your skin will be very tender during the first few days post-tattoo. You don’t want to carelessly bump your tattoo in the shower (easy to do if your shower area is quite small). A slight bump may be fine, but harder bumps may injure the skin and thus delay the healing process. 

Do shower quickly

This is going to be a bit hard if you’re used to taking your sweet, sweet time at the shower. But once you get a tattoo (for the first week or so, at least), you need to cut down your shower time into nothing more than a few minutes (maybe 5-10 minutes max). Just enough to clean your body, but not get your tattoo soaking wet. Since the ink is still settling in the skin, it’s dangerous for the tattooed area to get soaked.

Don’t spray your tattoo directly with water

If you like getting a high-pressure water massage in the shower, then things are about to change (temporarily, at least). Well, depending on where you got inked, you may need to slow down the water pressure to something gentler. This is so you don’t accidentally turbo-spray your tattoo directly with water. Instead, cup the water and gently wash the area.

Don’t use any shower accessories on your tattoo

When you shower, use the main cleaning tool you were born with – your hands. Try not to get fancy; skip your favourite loofah, sponge, and shower brush. These things can remain wet for hours and can easily transfer germs and bacteria over to your skin, which can cause a tattoo infection. Additionally, these can also damage the healing skin on top of your tattoo, so keep these accessories in the cabinet for now.

What to do after taking a shower?

Once you’re done with your shower, pat your tattoo dry using a few sheets of kitchen roll (don’t rub it). Alternatively, you can also let it air dry. This is actually a better option because nothing gets in contact with your tattoo, so there’s less risk of infection.

Of course, you can still rub your non-tattooed body parts – and those covered by old tattoos – just as vigorously as before. But step on the brakes over the inked spot.

What happens next depends on your tattooist’s aftercare instructions:

1. They may tell you to apply a thin layer of healing ointment like Aquaphor or A+D. These ointments are petroleum jelly-based. But, unlike Vaseline, they actually let the air in whilst letting the wound underneath heal, too.
2. If they advocate dry healing, they may tell you not to apply anything to the area, and to just leave it alone.
3. Some tattooists may tell you to re-wrap the tattoo. If this is the case, check out our guide on what to re-wrap your new tattoo with.

Is bathing better than showering when it comes to new tattoos?

Photo by Naomi August

Bathing is such a relaxing way to go about cleaning your body. You fill up the tub with water, put half a cup of your favourite liquid soap (or drop in a bath bomb for that luxurious experience!), and dive in. Well, not really dive in. Just go sit in the tub, watch Netflix or read a book, and enjoy the bubbles.

Showering is a whole lot more practical, but certainly less fun than bathing. It’s great though if you’re in a hurry and need to get cleaned up quickly.

That being said, when it comes to healing tattoos, it’s best to avoid bathing for the next week or so. This is because the dirt gets trapped in the tub, and these can easily enter your ‘open wound’ and cause an infection.

Read more about bathing and swimming with a new tattoo here.

Conclusion

Showering with a new tattoo need not be a painful experience. It will be uncomfortable, yes, but this will depend on where your tattoo is. If you follow the tips shared in this article, you’ll not only feel clean after your shower, you’ll also ensure no harm is done to your precious new ink!

Why cleaning and washing a new tattoo is good, but soaking is bad…

It’s important for your tattoo to be cleaned up a few hours after getting it done. This is because all those tiny needle puncture holes your tattooist made on your skin will be oozing various fluids, like blood, plasma, and excess tattoo ink. If you don’t clean and wash it up, it’s going to be the perfect breeding ground for bacteria, which will lead to infection.

The right way to wash a new tattoo

To wash a brand-new tattoo, use warm water and mild, antibacterial, non-perfumed soap to remove the gunk that has accumulated on your skin. Alternatively, if you don’t have access to clean, running water, you can use antibacterial wipes. Make sure you use one wipe for every swipe, so the dirty stuff don’t go back into the wound!

If you want to hit two birds with one stone, you can take a quick 5-minute shower whilst cleaning the tattoo at the same time! This way you’re not only getting the tattoo clean, but also your whole body as well. To avoid skin reactions, use mild soap and shampoo that do not contain artificial fragrances and colour.

Cleaning an oozing tattoo should be done with your clean, bare hands. Don’t use loofahs, sponges, or any other cleaning accessory as these can harbour germs and bacteria. And when drying, you can either let it air dry or pat it dry with kitchen roll.

Bathing is a different story

I know lying in a tub is way more comfortable than standing up in the shower. But water in a tub does get stagnant, which means all the dirt, dust, germs, bacteria, fluids, and other gross things from your body will be swimming in that tiny tub.

And your exposed tattoo? Well, it will be a prime target for the dirty stuff to get into! So, yes, the probability of getting your new ink infected whilst bathing will be off the charts.

But what about swimming?

Well, swimming is technically the same as bathing – you’ll be soaking your tattoo in water. And whether you’re thinking of swimming in a pool or a natural body of water (seawater, river, lake), the effect on your ink will be the same.

Let’s break down the differences between swimming in a pool and a natural body of water:

Most, if not all, swimming pools have chlorine in them to keep them clean and sanitised. Without chlorine, you’d be literally swimming in a pool of germs and bacteria. That said, while chlorine’s obvious importance can’t be understated, it does have a bad effect on unhealed tattoos.

You’ve probably experienced this first-hand when swimming in a pool. When you get off the pool, you’ll notice your skin – and your hair – is super dry. This is because chlorine is naturally harsh and will strip your skin of its natural oils.

So, if you’ve got an unhealed tattoo, you can expect it to dry out as well. Chances are it will also irritate the skin and make it itch – and doing so won’t bode well for your ink.

Now, when it comes to swimming in the ocean, rivers, lakes, and other natural bodies of water…

Obviously, there’s no chlorine in such waters. So, there’ll be an abundance of infection-causing bacteria (and creatures) ready to pounce as soon as your skin touches water!  This is true for both freshwater and saltwater. Additionally, seawater’s salinity can also dry out and irritate your skin even if you just go for a quick dip in the ocean.

There are so many ways for your tattoo to get infected when swimming. The risks just aren’t worth it. It’s better to stay out of the water and save your ink!

How soon can you go bathing or swimming with a new tattoo?

By now, you know just how detrimental to the tattoo healing process bathing and swimming is. The good news is you don’t have to wait forever to get back into the water! In fact, in just 2-3 weeks, you can already fill up your tub with water and soak to your heart’s content.

To better understand the timeframe, let me give you a quick walkthrough of the tattoo healing process.

Stage 1: Your tattoo will be sore and weeping at this point. Quick showers are okay. Wash the tattoo a couple of times to day to remove gunk, and apply a thin layer of healing ointment for protection. Absolutely no bathing or swimming.

Stage 2: Your tattoo will be scabbing now. No need to clean and wash the tattoo frequently, a once-daily cleaning during your morning shower is fine. Start moisturising with non-perfumed lotion but only apply a thin layer. Still no bathing or swimming.

We highly recommend After Inked vegan tattoo aftercare lotion for this stage and beyond.

Stage 3: Your tattoo will be peeling right about now. Continue applying moisturiser to the area. Still no bathing or swimming, but you’re nearly there.

Stage 4: Your tattoo is now healed on the surface, and you now get the green signal to soak your skin in water! Bathing and swimming are now okay, but don’t forget to continue moisturising the tattoo as part of your daily aftercare.

What about waterproof tattoo bandages? Are they fine to use?

There are products known as second skin tattoo bandages. These are breathable (allows skin to breathe) and waterproof (don’t let water in). Manufacturers say it’s fine to leave on skin for up to 3-5 days, so you can definitely shower with it on.

Inksafe’s Tattoo Protection Film is a good example:

However, bathing and swimming are a different story. Soaking these waterproof bandages isn’t a good idea because the adhesive that makes the bandage stick to your skin can easily weaken. And that will leave your tattoo wide open to the elements.

So, the answer is no, these waterproof bandages aren’t designed for soaking, but should be fine for a quick rinse in the shower. 

Conclusion

I know how icky it feels if you’re dirty for too long. Fortunately, you don’t need to stay away from water just because you got inked. Washing your tattoo with soap and water, and showering are all perfectly fine. Just don’t attempt bathing and swimming if you don’t want to ruin that fresh, new art on your skin!