Have you ever thought about Swimming after Tattoo? Is it a good idea or there are any risks associated with swimming after getting a tattoo?
In the Summer of 2016, the tattoo industry was taken by storm when the death of a man was linked to his brand new tattoo.
It was later found that the unnamed Latino Man went to swimming in the Gulf of Mexico within a week after getting a brand new Cross tattoo (with ‘Jesus is My life’ quote) on his right leg.
The Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas (where the man was treated) concluded that the man died due to severe infection of Vibriosis in his right leg.
This sparked a new debate in the tattoo industry about how well the tattoo aftercare instructions are given to the client and how a person can die from swimming just after getting a tattoo.
In all fairness, I would say that every responsible tattoo artist and tattoo studio gives a detailed guide about how one should take care of their new tattoo especially when it is in the healing stage.
Here we will tell you why and for how long you should not go swimming after a tattoo?
Why You Should Not Swim After Getting a Tattoo?
When the tattoo needle punctures your skin it opens multiple tiny spots in your skin that give an invitation to surrounding bacteria, viruses and germs.
How to Stop an Old Tattoo from Itching?
In short your tattoo is like an open wound and you should treat it like any other wound. The larger the tattoo would be the more it will be prone to dangerous viruses and bacteria.
Keeping yourself away from unhygienic places is one of the most important tips given in the tattoo aftercare guide.
Open Sea, Lakes, indoor swimming pools and even bathtubs should be avoided until your tattoo gets completely healed.
However, people still consider them as weak rules that won’t harm if broken. The aforementioned news is a clear example of how deadly a new tattoo could be if not healed properly.
As people have habits of bending rules and then breaking them so here I am briefly discussing on which water bodies you can go for swimming.
Can I go swimming after tattoo in a swimming pool?
The short and Quick Answer is – NO.
The Long answer is – Swimming pools (be it indoor or outdoor) contains a high quantity of chlorine. Sure that chlorine is successful in killing all the bacteria from the swimming pool but for a new tattoo, the chlorine itself is dangerous.
Chlorine can enter your body through the open wounds and pull out the ink from the skin. Even worse it can make your skin itchy and thus flaking your new tattoo.
A large amount of chlorine can enter your bloodstream and result in blood poisoning.
How About Swimming in a Fresh Water lake?
This is also a very bad idea. Your eyes can’t see tiny bacteria that actively roam in the lake or pond, neither can you see other harmful minerals that are present in the lake.
They can easily ruin your tattoo and also dangerous for health.
The Various Stages of Tattoo Healing
Is Sea Safe for swimming after tattoo?
Sea is never safe. Ever since the industrial revolution of the 1800s almost all the seas of the world are now full of industrial waste.
Other than feces of human, fishes and other animals; Seas hold hundreds of different kind of minerals from industrial waste.
Seawater is salty and the high amount of salt can easily enter your body through the tattooed skin.
The man I mentioned above was swimming in the Gulf of Mexico. He already had a liver problem and a bacterium called Vibrio vulnificus entered his body through the tattooed leg.
He was diagnosed with Vibriosis and died within a day.
Now you can understand how dangerous it is to swim in the open sea with a new tattoo.
Can I take bath in bathtub at least?
The rule of thumb is that you cannot take a bath for at least three to four weeks after getting tattooed. This is advised so that your tattoo can heal properly and completely.
Also, tattoo artists advise this so that you can stay away from any kind of tattoo infection.
If you are accompanied by other people in the bathtub then it can be really dangerous for you. So avoid bathtubs as well.
So, how to clean yourself for three-four weeks?
Occasional showers (that last 30 seconds long) are often advised. You should not put your tattoo in water for long.
However, you are required to clean your new tattoo 2-3 times a day with lukewarm water and antibacterial alcohol-free petroleum-free soap. You should use a paper towel for this.
I hope this cleared your doubts about swimming in the pool after the tattoo. If you have more queries then buzz us in the contact section.
