After the session
Sport, swimming and sun
The question everyone asks: when can I again? The honest answer depends on the spot and the size. These are the guidelines, with the reasons behind them. If the studio advises something different, follow that.
Sport
Better nothing heavy for the first few days. Sweat on an open wound isn’t ideal, and movement on the spot itself can rub and make the tattoo pull. A calm walk is usually fine, unless the spot is on your foot or behind your knee. Wait longer with martial arts, gym training on mats and sports where your skin touches other people or dirty surfaces, because there are bacteria there.
For heavy training, count on one to two weeks, depending on the spot. A tattoo on the shoulder during shoulder presses you’ll notice sooner than a tattoo on your calf during an upper body workout. Wear clean, loose clothing, wash the spot gently after training and pat dry.
Swimming, bath and sauna
As long as the skin hasn’t closed, no soaking. So no swimming pool, sea, lake, bath, hot tub or sauna. Water with bacteria can cause an infection, chlorine and salt can irritate the skin, and soaking for a long time can soften scabs so they take ink with them. Many sources say at least two weeks, and often two to four weeks or until the tattoo has fully healed. A large or heavily worked tattoo needs more time. A short shower is fine.
Sun while healing
Keep a fresh tattoo out of direct sunlight, at least for the first month. Cover the spot with loose clothing. Sunscreen is no solution on open skin, because it can irritate, so let it heal first and only then apply it. Planning a sunny holiday? Better get the tattoo after it than before. A session just before the beach is one of the most common mistakes.
Sun afterwards
UV light is the biggest enemy of every tattoo in the long run. It breaks down pigment, and so mainly fades fine lines and light shading. On the spots that get the most sun, such as forearms, hands and neck, you’ll see it first. So apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen, SPF 30 or higher, to a healed tattoo, and reapply. A sunbed is also bad for a tattoo.
Work and daily life
Do you have a job with dirt, dust or chemicals? Cover the spot well, wash your hands often and talk to your employer. Pets and gardening are on this list too: you don’t want soil and animal hair on an open wound. Tight clothing, bags and bra straps rub; think about that beforehand when choosing a spot.
When is it really closed?
Roughly: no more open spots, no scabs, no peeling, and skin that no longer feels warm or sensitive. On the outside that is usually after two to four weeks. The deeper layers need months, but for sport and swimming the outside is what counts. If in doubt, send a photo to the studio. With a fever, pus or pain that increases, see a doctor; more about that in healing week by week.
Planning an appointment around your calendar
Look ahead when planning. A match, holiday, wedding or a heavy job at work in the next three weeks? Then don’t get the tattoo just before it, or choose a spot that won’t be affected. In autumn and winter a tattoo is under your clothes anyway and the sun is no concern. That’s one of the reasons large pieces are often done in those months. But it’s possible all year round, as long as you know what’s involved.
Frequently asked
When can I swim again?
Only when the skin has fully closed, often after two to four weeks. With large tattoos it can take longer.
When can I go back to the gym?
Light training often after a few days, heavy training or anything that rubs on the spot often after one to two weeks.
Can I put sunscreen on a fresh tattoo?
Not on open skin. Cover it with loose clothing first, and only apply sunscreen once it has healed.
Sources
General information, not medical or legal advice. Aftercare advice from the studio comes first.