How to shave over tattoos?

Tattoos offer us a great way to express ourselves and showcase our style or ideas. However, they can also be tricky to maintain. And if you end up having a tattoo in a region where hair grows often, that can become an issue. Which is why you want to know, can you shave over tattoos or is it not OK to do that? Obviously, you want the tattoo to show and people to see it. But that might not be possible all the time, and it’s something you have to realize very quickly.

Thankfully, shaving over a tattoo is not going to be very difficult. However, if you do it right and know how to manage everything appropriately, it’s going to work extremely well. At the end of the day, here you will learn should you shave over tattoos or not, and if you do, how you can do that safely.

So, can you shaving over tattoos?

Let’s face it, anyone that has a tattoo wants to know if they should shave over it or not. Is it bad to shave over tattoos, though? The short answer is that yes, you can do that, but you will need special razors, not any razor will be ideal here, and that’s something you need to keep in mind. What you will notice most of the time is that when you have sensitive skin, shaving over a tattoo can lead to irritation.

However, if you use a razor for sensitive skin, that will make the process easier. Can you shave over a new tattoo? Sure, but you have to leave it to sink in and prevent any damage to the tattoo or skin. So you shouldn’t do that right away. But in general, if you have a tattoo, you can shave over it, there’s no real need to worry. Yes, you need to protect that region, so don’t damage it accidentally. But for the most part, you will be fine.

How long will the tattoo take to heal?

Obviously, you can’t just shave as soon as you got a tattoo. The main focus here is to try and let your skin to heal. After all, your skin is dealing with a lot of trauma and challenges from tattooing. You want to allocate some time for the skin to recover, because that will help quite a bit. Of course, you also want to talk with the tattoo artist and let them know that you want to recover. At the end of the day, that can be great, and it will surely lead to a more engaging and unique experience.

We should also note the fact that you want to avoid swimming, sweating and sun exposure in general. That healing period will take around 2 weeks. And we do recommend you not to shave that region within the first 2 weeks after you got the tattoo. It just allows your skin to focus on healing. Plus, you don’t need any additional trauma to deal with there, and that alone can be extremely problematic.

 

Is it necessary to wait for 2 weeks before shaving over the tattoo?

 

Yes, as we said, you want to ensure that your skin has enough time to heal. Because whether we like it or not, the healing process for stuff like this will always eat up a lot of time. Sometimes it might not be that much, however in some cases, it will take quite a bit, so keep that in mind.

What you want to focus on here is to check your skin and see when the skin is fully closed and any scabs are removed. Any signs of skin problems should be handled before you even attempt to shave over tattoos. That’s especially true if a very large portion of your skin was tattooed in the first place. You always want to protect your skin and deal with any skin problems.

If you don’t and just rush the process, then you will have infections and all kinds of other side effects. Those might not seem like much at first, but they become very problematic down the line. That’s why you should always address this type of problems beforehand and be very careful with the process. The more you do that, the better it will be, so make sure that you manage it accordingly.

Ways to know when it’s safe to shave over a tattoo

Most of the time, it’s pretty easy to figure out when you should shave around 2 weeks, maybe 3 weeks after you got that tattoo. As we said, letting your skin to heal properly is crucial here. Because if you rush things, you will always end up with problems down the line. In this case, it becomes a much better idea to just let it heal, maybe a month at most if there were scabs or any signs of infection. At least that way, you know everything is ok and that there are no issues.

Are there times when you can’t shave over tattoos?

For the most part, that’s not a problem. You need to wait a bit for the tattoo to heal, and as your skin heals, it will eventually be ready for you to shave over. That being said, if you have very sensitive skin and you’re prone to infections, shaving over the tattoo might not be recommended at all. So yes, you need to be very careful and you must ensure that you’re not damaging the skin in any way. Talk with your dermatologist if necessary, as he will let you know if it’s a good idea to shave over the tattoo, when should you do that and how you should consider handling this process.

Steps you need to go through when learning how to shave over a tattoo

Pre-shave preparation

Before you shave, it’s a good idea to know how to prepare for this process. A good rule of thumb for most men is to take a shower before shaving, because it will help soften the hair. You can even go the extra mile and try to exfoliate around once a week too. Exfoliating helps because it removes dead skin and it will also promote hair growth.

The last thing you want is any ingrown hairs, and if you prepare this way, you won’t have any. You also want to invest in a good pre-shave product too. Remember to not dismiss the importance of high quality shaving products. At the end of the day, you want to always invest in products that are great for your particular skin type. And if you can use pre-shave oil, do that too, because it will make the shaving experience simpler and more interesting as well.

Shaving process

When you are wondering can you shave over a new tattoo, usually you need to be prepared for adequate treatments. In this case, a good approach is to use a fresh, new blade. A fresh blade is usually better because it will cut properly and it won’t have any issues even with longer hair. Of course, shifting to a fresh blade can be tricky at first, but it’s certainly going to make the process easier and more convenient.

1. It’s a very good idea to shave in the direction of the grain. The reason why we think it’s a good approach is because you won’t end up bringing a lot of pressure to the skin. And since your skin was already traumatized by tattooing, you do want to protect it. Plus, going in the direction of the grain can still help remove the unwanted hair without leaving ingrown hairs too, which is always a major plus.
2. Additionally, you should go over the same patches of skin multiple times, as many as you need. Since you go in the grain’s direction, this means you won’t add too much pressure to your skin, and you can still remove the stray hairs as well.
3. Some people choose to go with a waterproof razor because it’s very easy to use, and it doesn’t damage your skin either. Instead, it allows you to use water to your advantage and remove any of the discomfort. It’s a very good approach you can use if you’re serious about shaving over tattoos.

Why do we need to use a new blade over a tattoo? If you go for a used blade, it might have impurities left over, and you don’t want to spread them over your tattoo. The skin in those parts of your body is already very sensitive and prone to infections. So that debris and leftover hair might end up leading to infections.

Of course, if you already cleaned your blade thoroughly and there are no remaining compounds, you can try to use that. But for the most part, it just makes sense to opt for a new blade. At least when it comes to shaving over tattoos. Is it bad to shave over tattoos? Not really, especially if you do that with a new blade. However, you always want to take precautions and protect yourself as much as you can, just to avoid problems that can sometimes arise.

Keep the right post-shave aftercare

Once you finish shaving, the process is not over. You should have a proper after-care routine after you shave too, since it helps a lot. You will need to use a cleanser because it allows you to remove impurities with much better accuracy and results. Not only that, but a cleanser will also offer you a better way to remove the unwanted hair quickly, something that does make a huge difference in a situation like this.

Moisturizers can also be very useful, mainly because they allow you to access anti-aging ingredients and vitamins. Plus, they offer hydration for your skin, something that can be incredibly helpful and powerful as well. Dermatologists also recommend the use of unscented, gentle products. Tattooed skin can be quite sensitive for a very long time. So it makes sense to opt for those gentler products, as it protects your skin and you don’t have to deal with any problems in the long run.

Some people choose waxing over shaving, and in some cases it might work. But if you have tattoos, waxing is definitely not a good option. It will end up affecting your skin and making it prone to infection. Sure, some prefer waxing over shaving tattoos, however you should avoid both these options in the first few weeks. And even then, you might want to talk with the dermatologist to ensure you pick the right option that fits your needs.

Can shaving tattoos lead to ingrown hairs?

It is a possibility, especially if you choose to shave against the grain. The thing you need to realize is that shaving tattoos against the grain will end up pushing the hair follicle inward, most of the time. So that’s why you might end up with ingrown hairs down the line. It might take a little bit of time until that happens, but issues like that can potentially appear, so use that to your advantage.

Focus on going in the direction of the grain and not against it. Once you go against it, you will end up with challenges and various complications, things that can become very problematic. Keeping it save, and also moisturizing along with having a proper skincare routine will eliminate challenges.

Should I use only shaving cream and products for sensitive skin?

If you have tattoos and also want to shave, then yes, it makes sense to opt for those products that cater to sensitive skin. Your skin is more sensitive because you tattooed it, and it takes a while until it actually recovers from that. Of course, eventually very special care is not as needed, but using products for sensitive skin is still recommended.

These products also tend to have nutrients and compounds that cater to your skin and nourish it properly. That’s a game changer and it can help protect your skin for a very long time. Yes, it does have its fair share of challenges because of that, but overall the results you get are nothing short of incredible. We do think that it’s a good idea to always talk with a medical professional before you use any type of products that you add onto your skin. Minimizing risks is crucial here, and talking with a dermatologist is always going to streamline the process.

Is it possible to deal with infections if you’re not careful?

Yes, that’s the risk when it comes to shaving over a tattoo. The shaving process itself is not going to be dangerous. Problems arise when you end up shaving a tattoo that’s new, because it didn’t have enough time to heal. That’s when you encounter scabbing and irritation, sometimes even infections. That doesn’t mean it will happen often, but it does mean that if you’re not careful and you are unprepared, you might end up with certain side effects down the line.

A lot of people that get a tattoo don’t really shave that region for a while. Tattoo artists also tell their clients to avoid shaving if possible, since it can be dangerous to do that on damaged, unhealed skin. So you do need to stay on the safe side as much as you can, otherwise, you will encounter all kinds of problems down the line. That’s why you can never be too careful with this kind of stuff.

Can shaving damage a tattoo?

That’s another question that has become very common between people who have a tattoo or want to get one. Should you shave that region or not, is it going to lead to problems? For the most part, shaving over a tattoo is fine, and it won’t cause any problems. However, you do need to avoid shaving too soon, as we said. If you put a razor on that damaged skin before it’s healed, that alone will become an issue and you want to avoid it the best way that you can.

In some cases, shaving too soon can lead to ink coming away and it will ruin your design very quickly. That’s the last thing you want, especially if you have a large tattoo piece that you are still working on. As we said, expecting a few weeks after you finish the entire tattoo is the ideal option. If you rush, then that will be a downside and it will affect your tattoo quite a bit.

Conclusion

So, should you share over a tattoo or not? Generally, you won’t have a problem if you shave over your tattoos. The most important thing is to not shave over a new tattoo right away. Wait for a few weeks, give your body enough time to heal that area naturally. And once you finish that process, you can start shaving your body without a problem. But you shouldn’t rush the healing process. Even then, you still want to go to your dermatologist and find the right after-care treatments to minimize any downsides.