It once was that hardly anyone had tattoos...however, they are becoming more popular among everyone. They are a way to show personality, beliefs or support for a cause. And for those who want to differentiate themselves from a crowd, they are becoming a piece of artwork that you always have with you. However, when it comes to getting a new tattoo and working out, when can do you do this and it is safe to work out with a new tattoo?
How long after getting a tattoo can you work out?
For the most part, you should never workout on the same day that you get a brand new tattoo. At this stage, the tattoo is very fresh and it can easily become infected. Now, once the tattoo gets a few days old, most people think that with the right safety precautions that you can easily workout. There are several considerations that need to be made to this rule though. One being, the location of the tattoo. When you are working out with exercises that are in closer proximity to the location of the tattoo this is when accidents can happen.
How to protect your tattoo when working out
So, if you do decide to work out with a new tattoo, there are some things that you can do in order to do this safely.
- Avoid wearing clothing that is tight around the tattoo as this can cause irritation and result in the tattoo fading. However, avoid things that are super loose as this invites dirt and bacteria to get into the tattoo.
- Be careful of where you are working out as this is going to expose you to more germs and dirt.
- Use a sensitive skin, antibacterial soap after your workout to make sure that germs are killed, but that this is not going to greatly affect the tattoo.
- Use a tattoo healing lotion to hydrate the skin on which the tattoo is placed after workout.
- Keep the tattoo shielded when in a group gym or shower and do most of your cleaning at home.
Ultimately, you should wait to work out until the tattoo is healed, especially if this is in an area that is going to see a lot of sweat or an area that is going to be used frequently while working out. Usually within a week tattoos are healing properly and you can gradually get back into your regular workout.
Image by ilovetattoos from Pixabay
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