The Correct Way to Shower with a New Tattoo

It's a hot Saturday afternoon in Portland, and after a long day, nothing sounds better than a refreshing shower. But you've just gotten a new tattoo, and suddenly, this simple daily ritual feels fraught with peril. Can you get it wet? What soap should you use? How are you supposed to dry it without ruining your new ink?

First, let's be clear: showering with a new tattoo isn't just possible—it's a necessary and crucial part of your aftercare routine. Keeping your new tattoo clean is the #1 way to prevent infection.

The key is to do it correctly, protecting your art while you get clean. This is your simple, step-by-step guide to showering with a new tattoo without causing any damage.

The Step-by-Step Showering Process

Step 1: Adjust Your Water Temperature and Pressure

Before you get in, turn the temperature down. You want the water to be lukewarm. Hot, steaming water can open up your pores and cause irritation and inflammation, and it will be painful on your tender skin. Similarly, avoid letting a high-pressure, pounding stream hit your tattoo directly.

Step 2: Wash Your Body First

Go about your normal routine of washing your hair, face, and the rest of your body first. Try to avoid letting heavily scented shampoos and body washes run down over your new tattoo. Washing the tattoo should be the very last thing you do.

Step 3: Clean the Tattoo Gently and with the Right Soap

This is the most important part.

• Let the lukewarm water run over the tattoo for 30 seconds to a minute to soften it up.

• Dispense a small amount of tattoo cleanser into your palm. Do not apply soap directly to the tattoo. Lather it up in your hands first.

• This is where a specialized wash is critical. Our No Pain Tattoo Cleansing Foam is ideal because it comes out of the pump as a rich, gentle foam, eliminating the need to rub aggressively to create a lather.

• Using only your clean fingertips, gently apply the foam to your tattoo in a circular motion, ensuring you wash away any dried plasma or excess ink. Do not use a washcloth, loofah, or scrubbing brush.

Step 4: Rinse Thoroughly but Quickly

Gently rinse all of the cleanser off the tattoo until the skin feels smooth and clean to the touch. Don't hold your tattoo under the water stream for an extended period.

Step 5: Keep the Shower Brief

For the first week or two, try to keep your total shower time to a minimum (ideally under 10 minutes). A hot, steamy bathroom is not a great environment for a healing open wound. The goal is to get in, get clean, and get out.

The Crucial Post-Shower Routine

What you do the moment you step out of the shower is just as important as what you did in it.

Step 6: The Drying Process

• Do not use your regular, damp bath towel to dry your new tattoo. Bath towels can harbor bacteria, and their rough, loopy texture can snag on and irritate your healing skin.

• Instead, take a clean, disposable paper towel and gently pat the area dry. Do not rub or wipe. Once the excess water is gone, let it air dry for another 5-10 minutes until it's completely dry to the touch.

Step 7: Moisturize Immediately

• This is the final, critical step. Applying moisturizer to your clean, dry tattoo is what prevents it from drying out, cracking, and forming the heavy scabs that can pull out ink.

• For the first few days, a thin layer of our No Pain Tattoo Soothing Gel can calm any post-shower redness and provide cooling relief.

• After that, switch to our No Pain Tattoo Aftercare Balm. It provides the perfect breathable barrier to lock in moisture and protect your tattoo as it continues to heal.

A proper shower routine is your best defense against infection and a critical part of ensuring your new art heals beautifully. Our No Pain Tattoo Aftercare Bundle contains everything you need—the cleanser, the gel, and the balm—to perfect your shower and aftercare routine from day one.