Can I Go Into A Sauna After Getting A Tattoo?

Getting a new tattoo is always a thrilling experience. But this experience comes with detailed and careful post-tattoo instructions one must follow to ensure a safe healing process. Tattoo artists always instruct individuals with new tattoos to avoid using swimming pools and water bodies to decrease the risk of infection and tattoo fading. Whether you are a newbie or a tattoo enthusiast, you may be wondering if you can use a sauna with a tattoo. The relaxing environment along with the numerous skin benefits it provides may seem tempting. However, exposure to excessive sweat and heat during a sauna may slow down your healing process. In this article, we will discover when it is safe to use a sauna, how to protect your tattoo during a sauna session, and more.  Scroll down to know more.

What Is A Sauna?

A sauna is a therapeutic space specially-designed for steam sessions. It is typically constructed with wooden interiors that help utilize the dry heat to raise the sauna temperature in the room. It can feel like you are sitting under direct sunlight. However, the treatment is truly beneficial as it improves blood circulation and reduces stress.

Keltie, a YouTuber and former basketball player, spoke about her experience of using a sauna for a month and how it impacted her health in her vlog. She said, “It improved my sleep quality. I had more sleep. My digestion was better. I just didn’t see any negative effects even with traveling (i).”

There are also two types of saunas; the traditional, regular saunas that use heated rocks to produce high-temperature dry air and infrared saunas that use special heaters to warm your natural body.

Trivia

The sauna was invented in Finland over 2000 years ago. The early saunas were created by digging into underground embankments and draped with animal skins to retain the heat.

A sauna session can improve blood circulation and leave you with glowing skin. But when is the right time to go for one after getting a new tattoo? Find out below.

When After Getting A Tattoo Can I Go For A Sauna?

It is normally recommended to wait for 2 to 3 weeks before going in for a sauna treatment after getting a fresh tattoo. The tattoo healing process can be quite sensitive and requires utmost cleanliness to heal fast and infection-free. So, one must ensure that their tattoo is completely healed before they step into a sauna. Let’s understand the reasoning behind it in detail below:

• The excessive sweating from the sauna may cause the salts and minerals to leak out and fall on the fresh tattoo. This may cause irritation and slower healing.
• Saunas are public facilities that are breeding grounds for bacteria. They may enter the tattoo and result in a serious infection.

Waiting for your new tattoo to completely heal before exposing it to excessive moisture and heat is crucial to its vibrancy and longevity. However, many people may regret their tattoos and go in for laser tattoo removal. This may leave you wondering if you can use the sauna after a removal procedure. Scroll down to find out.

Is It Safe To Use A Sauna After Laser Tattoo Removal?

The proper aftercare instructions suggest avoiding water sources such as swimming pools, saunas, and hot tubs until the skin has fully healed. This is because the sauna’s humid environment may aggravate the skin’s sensitivity, increase infection risk, and delay the healing process. Hence, it is generally recommended to wait a couple of weeks after the laser tattoo removal process to go in for a sauna session. If you are unsure about what to do, consult your dermatologist for further guidance.

Sauna provides various health benefits. However, going in for a session after getting inked comes with its set of issues. Find out the pros and cons of using a sauna with a new tattoo below.

Pros And Cons Of Using A Sauna After Getting A Tattoo

The advantages of getting a sauna session after a tattoo include extreme relaxation, improved blood flow, and lesser dead skin cells that may aid your overall well-being. However, going into a sauna with a freshly inked design during the initial healing stage may increase the risk of skin infections, design distortion, and delay the healing time.

Trivia

The bathhouses in Japan do not allow people with tattoos as they are associated with criminality and rebellion against societal norms.

Once your tattoo heals, you can go in for that much-awaited sauna treatment. However, if you cannot wait for the healing to complete, you can follow the tips mentioned below to protect your fresh tattoo in the bathhouse.

How Can I Protect My Tattoo When Using A Sauna?

Here are the following ways to protect your tattoo when using a sauna:

• While it is recommended to wait for 2-3 weeks after getting a fresh tattoo, you can apply a protective tattoo film or waterproof bandage on the tattooed skin to prevent the steam from entering the fresh wound.
• Always keep the tattoo clean after finishing the sauna session to decrease the risk of infection and irritation.
• Remove the bandage, wash the tattoo with lukewarm water and antibacterial soap, pat it dry, and apply a tattoo balm or moisturizer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can sauna fade tattoos?

Yes, the sauna’s excessive heat may force the pores to expand. This may result in the ink fading or smearing unevenly, affecting the tattoo’s final appearance.

What if my tattoo feels irritated after using a sauna?

If you experience any redness or irritation on the tattooed area after a sauna session, exit the sauna immediately and allow your skin to naturally cool down. Consult your dermatologist and professional tattoo artist for proper guidance.

Illustration: Can I Go Into A Sauna After Getting A Tattoo?

Image: Stable Diffusion/StyleCraze Design Team

Was this article helpful?

Reviewer Author Editor Fact Checker

Ali AmanProfessional Tattoo Artist

 

Ali Aman is a professional tattoo artist hailing from Kazakhstan. He is a self-taught tattoo artist, who learned most of the skills related to this craft from online platforms like YouTube. He moved to the USA a few years ago and has been tattooing since 2022.

Read full bio of Ali Aman

Pahul NanraBeauty & Lifestyle Writer

 

Pahul Nanra is a content writer with a penchant for all things fashion and beauty. She has two years of experience in writing across beauty and lifestyle genres. She is an English Honors graduate from Delhi University with a diploma in Fashion Designing from YMCA.

Read full bio of Pahul Nanra

Eshna DasAssociate Editor

Eshna is an associate editor and a certified skin care coach. She has over three years of experience, a triple main bachelor’s degree in psychology, English, and journalism from Mount Carmel College, Bengaluru, and a master’s degree in psychology from Sampurna Montfort College, Bengaluru.

Read full bio of Eshna Das

Manjari Uppal Beauty & Lifestyle Writer

Manjari is a beauty and lifestyle writer with over three years of experience in writing across different niches, including beauty, health, wellness, and technology. She first discovered her passion for writing in school and has since honed her craft to perfection.

Read full bio of Manjari Uppal