[KeithScarlett]

So, I succumbed to a longstanding appreciation of tattoos and had a tattoo done on Friday It's on the inside of my right forearm.

Getting clear / definitive information on tattoo aftercare is not unfortunately straightforward it seems so I thought I'd post on here in case anyone has personal experience.

Essentially I'm wondering whether forearm muscle contraction / exertion could damage the tattoo? I am thinking it wouldn't as the tattoo is superficial while the muscles are underneath; and there wouldn't be any more distortion to the skin than there might be when I'm sleeping and, say, lying on my arm.

Anyone have anything more definitive on this?

[Fiend]

Depends how good the tattoo is obviously....

[Fultonius]

Have you got massive popeye forearms?

[highrepute]

Use pain to gauge if it's ok. Don't climb if it hurts

[User deactivated.]

Just don't scrape it. No time off needed.

[teestub]

Not climbing or exercising when the tattoo is fresh is about not getting it sweaty and\or dirty and therefore risking infection and scarring, rather than physical damage. After a week it's usually well enough scabbed over that this is less of an issue, but will depend how fast you heal and what sort of work you got done.

[lagerstarfish]

Use pain to gauge if it's ok. Don't climb if it hurts

hopefully this applies only to tattoos and not to any naturally occurring body parts, otherwise I would never climb

[KeithScarlett]

Thanks all, really appreciated; small forearms only here  It's line work with lines 3mm wide and an area approx 8cm2 so on the small side. It seems to be healing well and I have used a fingerboard this week, the first time being on day 4, and it was fine.

I think the only mis-step I may have made was last Saturday when I went for a walk and still had the tattoo wrapped, it was a humid day and I was sweating, not loads but enough so I could feel / see it under the wrapping. This was for about an hour before I was able to remove the wrapping. So far I have no idea whether this will have had any impact, I doubt it.

As Liam says I think the main danger is physical damage i.e. scraping during the early stages of healing. I found this on Youtube after posting on here, he seems at the serious end of weightlifting (and interesting and reflective too) and is heavily tattooed and has no qualms (or ill effects it seems) lifting the same day as getting tattooed (see 1m 55s into the video):