How to Shower After Tattooing

You just got a new tattoo that you love so much! Now you need to know how to properly take care of your tattoo to keep your skin healthy and your tattoo to last. Due to the way tattoo ink is introduced into the skin, the tattoo is now an open wound, and you will have to care for the wound to heal properly. Let’s start by removing the bandage and washing the tattoo. You need to follow the tattooist’s instructions and wash the tattoo 3 times daily for at least 2 weeks. ^{[1] X Trusted Source Go Ask Alice Go to Source} After the first wash, you can shower. Avoid hot showers with strong currents to limit irritation.

Table of Contents

Treatment of dressings

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Listen to your tattooist’s advice on when to remove the bandages. Tattoos heal at different rates, depending on factors such as skin sensitivity, area, and depth of tattoo. The tattooist will tell you how long to leave the tape on the tattoo. ^{[2] X Trusted Source Go Ask Alice Go to Source}

If not instructed, ask them.
After completion, the tattoo artist will clean the tattoo and apply antibacterial medicine. Then, they’ll cover it up to prevent infection.

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Wait 2-3 hours before removing the bandage if you are not told how long to wait. If you forget to ask or can’t contact the tattooist, wait about 2-3 hours. If the tattoo is large, you may need to wait up to 6 hours. This will give the tattoo time to get over its initial shock before you shower. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

Remember to remove the bandage the first day because bacteria can grow in the moist environment underneath the dressing. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

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Remove the bandage before bathing. Before touching the bandage, you need to wash your hands thoroughly. Wash with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds, after which you can remove the bandage. ^{[5] X Trusted Source Go Ask Alice Go to Source}

Don’t try to shower with bandages on your tattoo. Water will soak into the bandage and be trapped on the tattoo, allowing bacteria to enter.

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Remove the bandage when standing in the shower if it gets stuck on the tattoo. Sometimes the tape can stick to the tattoo and cause pain when you try to peel it off. Once there, you can leave the tape under warm water running indirectly from the shower to loosen the adhesive, then move on to washing the tattoo.

Wash tattoo

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Wait about 24 hours before showering. Ask the tattoo artist how long it is best to wait. However, in general, you can shower 24 hours after getting a tattoo. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

Waiting 2 days will give the skin more time to form a protective layer on the tattoo. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

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Take a warm bath. Hot water can cause burning, so it’s best to avoid it. Hot water also opens the pores, so the tattoo can fade if exposed to hot water too soon, so you should avoid it. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

Run cold water over the tattoo for about 30 seconds after showering to close the pores.

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Adjust the shower head to a gentle stream or keep the tattoo away from the water jet. Do not spray water vigorously on the tattoo, as this may cause irritation. If your shower only has a strong jet of water, let the water run indirectly on the tattoo. ^{[9] X Research Source}

You can also use a clean cup or your hand to gently pour water over the tattoo.

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Use your hands to rub a mild, unscented soap on the tattoo. Any mild soap will work, from bar soap to liquid hand soap. You can use antibacterial soap if you want. Rub the soap into the lather in your hands, then rub over the tattoo. ^{[10] X Trusted Source Go Ask Alice Go to Source}

Use your fingers to gently massage. Avoid using loofahs and sponges until the tattoo is completely healed, as these can carry bacteria.
There may be dried blood and debris on the tattoo that you need to remove. However, you should not rub it to avoid irritation.

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Wash the tattoo gently with water. Once you’ve soaped up, pour water over the tattoo to wash off the soap. If necessary, gently scrub the soap with your fingers under water. ^{[11] X Research Source}

Quickly get out of the shower. When you stand in the shower, the tattoo is exposed to steam, water and soap; this can cause pain and burning, so you should not shower for too long. Also, try to avoid letting water run on your tattoo while washing the rest of your body, at least for a week. ^{[12] X Research Source}

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Blot dry with a soft, clean towel. Do not rub with a towel, as the tattoo may be irritated. You just need to gently pat the tattoo until it dries. You may see some blood seeping out, but this is normal. ^{[13] X Trusted Source Go Ask Alice Go to Source}

You can use paper towels if you don’t have a clean towel available or your bath towels leave cotton fibers on your skin. Dirty towels can cause bacterial infections.

Keeping the tattoo clean

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Wash 3 times daily for the first week to keep the tattoo clean. During recovery, you need to maintain good hygiene to prevent infection. Wash with a mild, unscented soap and rub the tattoo with your fingers. Gently rinse with water. ^{[14] X Trusted Source Go Ask Alice Go to Source}

Use a clean towel to pat dry.

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Apply moisturizing ointment to the tattoo when it is dry. Choose an unscented ointment, preferably one that is hypoallergenic, so as not to irritate the skin on the tattoo. Use clean hands to apply. ^{[15] X Trusted Source Go Ask Alice Go to Source}

You should initially apply the ointment. After about a week, you can try the lotion.

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Remove the tape to allow the tattoo to breathe. Do not bandage after applying moisturizer. You just need to leave the bandage on for the first day. After that date, you should expose the tattoo to fresh air. ^{[16] X Trusted Source Go Ask Alice Go to Source}

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Avoid soaking in the tub while the tattoo heals. You can introduce bacteria to your tattoo if you sit in a bathtub full of water. Instead, you should shower; This way of bathing is less likely to cause infection. ^{[17] X Research Source}

Advice

If there is no other way to shower than a bath, you should shower as quickly as possible and then wash the tattoo.
Do not apply too much ointment on the tattoo. You should only apply a thin layer so that the tattoo remains breathable.

Warning

Avoid submerging the tattoo in water until it heals.

Things you need

Soap
Water
Towel
Moisturizing ointment

Steps