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Sports should generally be avoided after getting a tattoo. Find out here why you should avoid physical exercise and what you should bear in mind when getting back into it.
Why should exercise be avoided after a fresh tattoo?
Tattoos are basically injuries to the surface of the skin, which should be completely spared from sport for at least one week after the stitching for various reasons.
- If the affected skin is constantly in motion, crusting and the discharge of wound secretions may occur.
- Sweating and the fabric of sweat-through clothing, especially if there is friction on the tattooed skin area, are also counterproductive to the healing of your tattoo.
- You will also protect the vibrant colour if you refrain from exercising, as especially in the case of tattoos in joint areas, there is a risk of the colour being squeezed out if you move immediately after the stitching.
After the tattoo: what to look out for when you start exercising again
Even though you may resume sporting activities some time after getting a tattoo, you should pay attention to a few things in addition to taking proper care of the tattoo and slowly start playing sport again.
- For some time after getting your tattoo, make sure you continue to protect the affected area of your body from sweat or friction and wait for the crust to fall off on its own to prevent any unsightly changes to the body art.
- With targeted muscle building, the skin can even warp unsightly, stretch marks can appear. All in all, you should pay attention to the part of the body where your new tattoo is located and refrain from exercising in that particular area of the body.
- You should refrain from swimming or contact sports such as football for longer than one to two weeks after the tattoo, in this case even periods of six weeks are advisable. The risk of bacteria and dirt and subsequent wound infections is increased with these sports.
