No Sex After Getting a Tattoo?
Did you just get inked, then realized that you have a hot date coming up in a day or two? Did you and your partner get a couples tattoo and hoped to consummate your commitment to one another soon after? Then you may be wondering if it’s OK to move forward with your amorous plans. Is sex a no-go within 72-hours or so of getting a tattoo? For the most part, you’re in the clear! However, there are a few small caveats to consider before ruffling those sheets. Let’s review.
Two Things to Know About Having Sex After Getting a Tattoo
Position Matters
We’re not going to provide any diagrams here, but you may need to sideline your plans to run through the entire Kama Sutra to account for where on your body you got the tattoo. Like with any post-tattoo activity, you want to avoid direct skin-to-skin contact on the exact spot that you got tattooed. There are two things to consider. For one, any sort of friction rubbing against newly tattooed skin is problematic to healing. That’s a given. Secondly, even gentle skin-to-skin contact can be an issue. This is because skin carries a lot of bacteria, even if freshly showered. Both gentle and passionate touching can introduce bacteria into the healing area. Therefore, ask your partner to avoid that area altogether for about a week. This may mean changing up your usual position/s. We’re pretty sure the two of you won’t have a problem with that.
If you have a fairly sensitive tattoo and/or it’s not healing as fast as you had anticipated, consider reapplying a fresh bandage over top of the tattoo prior to having sex if contact is unavoidable. This may be required for more than a week (post-tattoo) in some rare cases.
Post-Affair Aftercare
Once again we ask that you consider sex in the same manner that you would any other form of exercise and physical activity. No matter how “careful” you were during coitus, sweat and bacteria may have come in contact with your fresh tattoo, so when done, hit the showers. Of course, you will have to follow your tattooist’s aftercare instructions as to when you can get your tattoo wet, but for most people a shower without a bandaged tattoo is fine within 24 hours. Gently wash (but don’t submerge or scrub) the tattoo with gently flowing lukewarm water and any tattooist-approved cleanser. Personal hygiene is more important than ever when it comes to a new tattoo – se be extra diligent after sex like you would with any form of physical exertion.