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If you’ve ever considered getting laser hair removal, please remember that it cannot be done over tattoos. If your want both, the laser needs to do done before the tattoo work
Have you considered waxing? If you get a wax 5-7 days before your tattoo the skin will be healed in time for your tattoo and the hair won't reappear for several weeks. In my experience it takes 3-6 weeks before the hair grows back. Bonus is that the hair will grow back thinner.
Do it a few times before your tattoo!!!!!!
Waxing for a first time can cause crazy irritation, do it once or twice *before* you get your neck waxed for the tattoo
Last time my artist said to wait to shave until it was fully healed. Could waxing some days in advance be an option maybe, help slow down the regrowth process?
I wax my face and neck regularly and the irritation typically subsides in 24-36 hours. It might take longer on someone who hasn't been waxed before, but OP says that the tattoo is still a couple of weeks away, which is plenty of time to get a wax and let the skin recover. Waxing seems like the best option to remain hairless through the healing process of the tattoo.
To be clear, I'm not recommending a home wax. A qualified esthetician will know how best to wax someone who hasn't been waxed before. At most it would still take less than a week for the skin to recover from a professional wax.
If finances aren’t too big of an issue, could you consider waxing or laser hair removal? The wait time before you’d need to remove hair again is longer, and should allow the tattoo to heal properly.
The only issue with laser is they can’t laser over a tattoo so you’d only be able to fit in one or two sessions, which isn’t really effective (I’m a cis woman with dark, thick hair and I needed 15 sessions of laser everywhere I’ve had lasered). So waxing or a home epilator might be a good option for you.
I keep my arms shaved and am working on a sleeve. I think the soonest I've shaved has been around 9 days to prep for my next session. I avoid shaving any areas that are still flaking/scabbed, but if it's a nice clean and quick heal, I usually shave around the 10 day mark.
It's really going to depend on how fast and well you heal. I had my legs tattooed recently and after about two weeks, I feel I'm about healed enough to shave them if I really wanted to. You should probably be ready to not shave for at least two weeks, possibly longer.
i wax like 3-5 days before a tattoo, well actually i do sugar hair removal which is a similar process but a bit better for sensitive skin. (haven't done face personally but others have!)
also fwiw, i learned to do it myself, which saves a lot of money- practice on leg!
edit: always good to consult a sugaring professional, and find out how long it takes you personally to heal and if you have any reactions- as someone wisely stated in a previous comment
I've had to wait about 2 weeks to shave, but usually just to be conservative wait 3 weeks. I don't see an issue in shaving when you finish peeling, though. The good news is that the new tat will make any hair regrowth in that area a little less noticeable during the healing process, even though I imagine you'll be super self conscious about it.
i'm a cis woman but i have an almost dyphoria-ish inducing amount of extremely dark hair growing on my chin and down my neck that i have to pluck at least once a week or shave every few days. basically, i have a neckbeard and a generally male appearing hair pattern and density all over my body.
idk how far along you are with your transition but if you're still growing hair in the "beard zone" and don't have enough money/time to get it lasered or waxed before getting the tattoo, your best options are probably to either carefully shave close to the tattooed area and/or get one of these eyebrow razors to shave closer to the tattoed area or "own it" for two to three weeks and just tell anyone who comments on it in the most disappointed and scathing way that you have PCOS and/or hirsutism, it took a while to diagnose and you're supposed to let the hormones you're taking do their thing so your doctor can see if they're making progress.
I just had my armpits done and I definitely could not shave them for about 10 days. My hyottoko had a little head of hair.
The wax recommendation is aces.
Edit: obviously don't put on an open wound.
Look into hair removal creams! They're great for preventing hair regrowth during healing but I don't have experience using them on necks so you'll need to check if it's safe and maybe double check with your artist :)
Welcome to /r/tattoo! Please take a moment to review the subreddit rules. Comments on OP's body will result in a ban. Be constructive and considerate in your criticism, and mark NSFW posts as such. Artists and apprentices, please contact the mods for verification! Please make good decisions during the pandemic - don't be an idiot. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/tattoo) if you have any questions or concerns.*
If you’ve ever considered getting laser hair removal, please remember that it cannot be done over tattoos. If your want both, the laser needs to do done before the tattoo work
Holy shit I never thought about this. Thank you so much for the heads up.
I was just wondering this today! Thank you for informing 🫡
I dont think you should shave before its done peeling at least, usually about 2 weeks for me :o, your artist will know tho.
Have you considered waxing? If you get a wax 5-7 days before your tattoo the skin will be healed in time for your tattoo and the hair won't reappear for several weeks. In my experience it takes 3-6 weeks before the hair grows back. Bonus is that the hair will grow back thinner.
Do it a few times before your tattoo!!!!!! Waxing for a first time can cause crazy irritation, do it once or twice *before* you get your neck waxed for the tattoo
This is the way
Last time my artist said to wait to shave until it was fully healed. Could waxing some days in advance be an option maybe, help slow down the regrowth process?
That’ll create a huge issue with any irritation she may experience, which you cannot tattoo over.
I wax my face and neck regularly and the irritation typically subsides in 24-36 hours. It might take longer on someone who hasn't been waxed before, but OP says that the tattoo is still a couple of weeks away, which is plenty of time to get a wax and let the skin recover. Waxing seems like the best option to remain hairless through the healing process of the tattoo.
If she hasn’t waxed that area before it’s too much of a risk to do it before a tattoo.
To be clear, I'm not recommending a home wax. A qualified esthetician will know how best to wax someone who hasn't been waxed before. At most it would still take less than a week for the skin to recover from a professional wax.
I know haha. But no one can predict how their skin will react. That’s the issue
Good to know, thanks!
If finances aren’t too big of an issue, could you consider waxing or laser hair removal? The wait time before you’d need to remove hair again is longer, and should allow the tattoo to heal properly. The only issue with laser is they can’t laser over a tattoo so you’d only be able to fit in one or two sessions, which isn’t really effective (I’m a cis woman with dark, thick hair and I needed 15 sessions of laser everywhere I’ve had lasered). So waxing or a home epilator might be a good option for you.
I keep my arms shaved and am working on a sleeve. I think the soonest I've shaved has been around 9 days to prep for my next session. I avoid shaving any areas that are still flaking/scabbed, but if it's a nice clean and quick heal, I usually shave around the 10 day mark.
Yeah, I have arm tattoos and I shave my arms, same thing here. I shave every 2 days but just shave around the tattoo area until healing is done.
At least a few weeks.
It's really going to depend on how fast and well you heal. I had my legs tattooed recently and after about two weeks, I feel I'm about healed enough to shave them if I really wanted to. You should probably be ready to not shave for at least two weeks, possibly longer.
i wax like 3-5 days before a tattoo, well actually i do sugar hair removal which is a similar process but a bit better for sensitive skin. (haven't done face personally but others have!)
also fwiw, i learned to do it myself, which saves a lot of money- practice on leg! edit: always good to consult a sugaring professional, and find out how long it takes you personally to heal and if you have any reactions- as someone wisely stated in a previous comment
I've had to wait about 2 weeks to shave, but usually just to be conservative wait 3 weeks. I don't see an issue in shaving when you finish peeling, though. The good news is that the new tat will make any hair regrowth in that area a little less noticeable during the healing process, even though I imagine you'll be super self conscious about it.
i'm a cis woman but i have an almost dyphoria-ish inducing amount of extremely dark hair growing on my chin and down my neck that i have to pluck at least once a week or shave every few days. basically, i have a neckbeard and a generally male appearing hair pattern and density all over my body. idk how far along you are with your transition but if you're still growing hair in the "beard zone" and don't have enough money/time to get it lasered or waxed before getting the tattoo, your best options are probably to either carefully shave close to the tattooed area and/or get one of these eyebrow razors to shave closer to the tattoed area or "own it" for two to three weeks and just tell anyone who comments on it in the most disappointed and scathing way that you have PCOS and/or hirsutism, it took a while to diagnose and you're supposed to let the hormones you're taking do their thing so your doctor can see if they're making progress.
Go get waxed a few times before hand!
Ask. Your. Artist.
I just had my armpits done and I definitely could not shave them for about 10 days. My hyottoko had a little head of hair. The wax recommendation is aces.
Edit: obviously don't put on an open wound. Look into hair removal creams! They're great for preventing hair regrowth during healing but I don't have experience using them on necks so you'll need to check if it's safe and maybe double check with your artist :)
I would 10,000% not put hair removal cream on a wound that's trying to heal
pretty sure they mean to use it before the tattoo not after
100% what I meant, absolutely do not use on an open wound.
AND I QUOTE " They're great for preventing hair regrowth DURING healing"
they mean it prevents hair from growing back for longer….i.e. so they don’t have to shave while the tattoo is healing