When Is It Safe to Soak In a Hot Tub After Getting a Tattoo?
By Jennifer Rhodes · Updated
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When you get a tattoo, it is important that you do not expose the tattoo to too much water, at least not while the tattoo is healing. If you do, you run the risk of infection. It may even slow down the speed at which the tattoo heals. So, when is it safe to soak in a hot tub after getting a tattoo?
It is recommended that you avoid soaking in a hot tub for at least 2 weeks after getting a tattoo. However, for larger tattoos, the waiting period may be a little longer. Your tattoo artist will be able to provide you with more information.
Let's go into depth on why there is a waiting period. We also want to talk a little bit about when you know that you can actually climb into a hot tub after receiving a tattoo.
When can you soak in a hot tub after getting a tattoo?
At the minimum, you should be waiting for at least 2 weeks. However, depending on the location and size of the tattoo, or any complications you might experience, the healing process may be a little bit longer.
When you get a tattoo, your tattoo artist should provide you with safety information. This includes a recommendation on when the tattoo should be fully healed.
We'll go into more detail on exactly how to tell if your tattoo is healed enough yet in a second.
Why do you have to keep fresh tattoos out of water?
There are several reasons why you shouldn't be hopping into that hot tub for a while after getting a tattoo.
Your biggest issue will be the risk of infection. You have to remember that a tattoo is essentially an open wound. This means that if it isn't properly protected, bacteria can get into the skin. This is not only going to be painful, but can be dangerous if left untreated.
Secondly, the chemicals in a hot tub could cause the ink to fade if it isn't sealed yet. This means that your tattoo might not look anywhere near as great as you want it to look once it's healed.
When is your tattoo ready to be exposed to water?
Somewhat frustratingly, it can be difficult to know when your tattoo has healed fully. This means that it can be difficult to know when to get back into that water. As a general rule of thumb, you should be waiting for at least 2 weeks. However, this doesn't mean that you should be hopping into that hot tub as soon as you have passed the two-week mark. If any of the following is still happening, you will need to wait:
- The area is red
- The area is irritated
- The skin is flaking
- There are still scabs around the tattoo area
You can consider the tattoo fully healed if two weeks have passed and none of the symptoms listed above are present. However, you may still want to keep an eye on the tattoo the first few times you hop into a hot tub for signs of infection, just in case a problem does start to appear.
Conclusion
You should wait at least 2 weeks to soak in a hot tub after you have received a new tattoo. However, the wait may be a little bit longer if the tattoo is taking a while to heal. It is never safe to head into a hot tub before the tattoo has healed properly.