Tattoos & Yoga

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

Hey! This is my first post as a yogaforum-newbie. I’m so excited to be part of the community.

I was wondering if anyone out there could provide me with any insight regarding the healing time it requires to recover from a fresh and raw inner forearm tattoo. As much as I’m considering body art, I would hate to take an extended break from my daily practice.

Alternatively, is a sabbatical from yoga actually required? Could one take restorative classes instead? Any other recommendations? Or perhaps I could work with my instructor to modify certain poses?

Thanks- A.

#2

As with any tattoo, regular healing time should take 1-2 weeks for most (if not all) the skin flakes to come off. My most recent tattoo is healing BEAUTIFULLY! No big chunks or flakes, and I strictly followed my artist’s care instructions: fragrance-free Lubriderm applied once daily and rubbed in much like one would rub moisturizer into their face–not leaving a slick sheen or anything. Keep it very very dry and I am guessing you can probably back on the mat after a week, except for poses that require forearm contact to the mat, in which case I’d give it an additional week. Just be sure to take it easy in working the forearm muscles the few days to follow. Cracking the skin while trying to heal the color could result in a color run or just a less than perfect heal. In the words of my artist, “I wouldn’t go hanging dry wall in the next couple of days.”

So now I’m curious, what art work are you considering?

#3

Thanks for the detailed reply Zo! I had a few conversations with one of my friends, who let me know that he got his tattoo in the morning and was in the gym by the afternoon. I wouldn’t want to run the risk of cracked skin and color runs. To answer your enquiry, the past few years I’ve been contemplating on getting an image of Shiva on my left forearm. I’ve seen phenomenal artistic interpretations of the Hindu deity, which makes designing the final tattoo incredibly daunting! While I’m aware of dissenting views of body art and yoga, I’m unsure if the tattoo would inadvertently be misconstrued as being sacrilegious. On the flip side, I don’t blink an eye when I see a tattoo of Jesus nailed on a cross on other people.