Shaving Can Ruin Your New Tattoo if You Don’t Do it the Right Way (2024)

FAQs

Does shaving ruin a tattoo? ›

Allow your skin to heal for as long as you can after it looks and feels healed. Shaving won't affect tattoos as long as they're healed and you take care of the skin when you do begin shaving it, keeping it exfoliated (to prevent ingrown hairs) and hydrated.

Shaving can only damage a tattoo if it's done too soon. Taking a razor to the area before it's fully healed runs the risk of cutting the healing tattoo, which may result in ink coming away and ruining your design. Once a tattoo has had time to fully heal, the ink will be embedded in your deeper layers of skin.

Eaves recommends allowing your new tattoo anywhere between two weeks to a month to fully heal before shaving (you can find his tattoo aftercare tips here) — this means no scabbing, peeling or shininess on or around the site of the tattoo. Once your tattoo is fully healed, however, shave as your heart desires.

Both Dr. Rabach and Otsuji agree to wait at least two weeks (four on the safe side) to shave after getting a tattoo.

Be careful to avoid any cuts or nicks while shaving, as these will need to heal completely before you can safely get a tattoo. You also need to avoid razor bumps and ingrown hairs, so shaving should not be done too long before the appointment.

You can shower 3-4 hours after getting a tattoo, if you have a Saniderm bandage on, however, if you have a plastic wrap wait 24 hours to unwrap your tattoo and shower. In either case, shower in cold or lukewarm water and avoid prolonged soaking or submerging your tattoo in water for 3-4 weeks.

Over time, cells from your immune system – called macrophages - gradually absorb the tattoo ink and disperse it, which can lead to some tattoo fading. On top of this, factors such as sunlight, friction and improper care of your tattoos can all accelerate the process of aging your skin and/or fading your tattoos.

There's no bones about it – tattoos always look better on shaved skin. You may have felt weird about shaving your body for the first time to get the tattoo, but you'll find that once you have, you'll more than likely keep doing it.

Tattoo blowouts occur when a tattoo artist presses too hard when applying ink to the skin. The ink is sent below the top layers of skin where tattoos belong. Below the skin's surface, the ink spreads out in a layer of fat. This creates the blurring associated with a tattoo blowout.

DON'T WORRY, THIS IS NORMAL. THE LAST STAGE OF HEALING IS WHEN THE TATTOO LOOKS HEALED BUT IS STILL WAXY OR SHINY ON THE SURFACE. THIS WILL EVENTUALLY DISSIPATE AND YOUR SKIN WILL EVENTUALLY RETURN TO IT'S NORMAL TEXTURE AFTER 3 TO 4 WEEKS. THE DIRECTIONS BELOW SHOULD BE FOLLOWED UNTIL THE TATTOO IS FULLY HEALED.

Does hair grow over tattoos? ›

Tattoo ink gets injected into the dermis and does not affect hair follicles. During the healing process, hair growth may be delayed for a short time but will continue to grow again once the skin has recovered.

Shaving can only damage a tattoo if it's done too soon. Taking a razor to the area before it's fully healed runs the risk of cutting the healing tattoo, which may result in ink coming away and ruining your design. Once a tattoo has had time to fully heal, the ink will be embedded in your deeper layers of skin.

Avoid scratching: As with new tattoos, resist the urge to scratch. Scratching can damage the skin, cause scabbing, and potentially impact the tattoo's appearance. Instead, try tapping or lightly massaging the itchy area to alleviate the sensation. Moisturise: Dry skin can contribute to itching.

Wait 4 to 7 days before you sleep on your tattoo.

Avoid sleeping on the tattoo at this point since it needs air circulation. Once the new layer of skin has formed over your tattoo, usually after 4 to 7 days, you can begin to sleep on it.

smooth, shaved tattoos make them more visible, sharp, and crisp looking. Removing hair and dead skin cells that might cover up and cloud the ink helps expose tattoos. Hair can obscure some fine details and line work, and shaving can really make them pop.

Only electrolysis can permanently remove hair from existing tattoos to allow the artistry of the tattoo to stand out for both men and women.

Even peach fuzz has got to go. Hair prevents the needle from properly penetrating the required layers of your skin. If you don't shave the area, the tattoo may not take. And if hair is thick, the design will be compromised.

Since this is a natural body process, growing hair will not harm your new tattoo. However, the appearance may be affected, and it is dependent on the density and thickness of hair that develops in that area. If you have thin, light hair (particularly blonde), it will not affect the look of your tattoo.