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How to Shave Over Tattoos and Piercings

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Guys often have a lot of questions around tattoos and shaving. Should you shave before a chest or back tattoo? What about before getting a sleeve done? When can you shave after a tattoo? And what about if you have piercings too – how should you navigate shaving with a lip piercing?

At Gillette, we’ve been helping guys to get the perfect shave for over 115 years, so we’ve come across all of these questions many times, and there are shaving products in our collection that can help.

So find out how long should you wait to shave over a tattoo and how to shave near tattoos or piercings without causing irritation or damaging your skin with our simple guide. Here’s everything you need to know about piercings, tattoos and shaving:

Should You Shave Before a Tattoo?

Shaving before a tattoo is essential – it’s important to make sure there are no hairs in the way to guarantee a smooth finish and to help prevent the tattoo from becoming infected.

smart-looking, bearded man with tattoos

Tattoo artists will usually shave your chest, back, or wherever else you’re getting tattooed, before inking you. However, if you want to make sure the shave’s up to your usual standard use a razor that’s guaranteed to leave you with a close, smooth shave, like the Gillette Fusion5 ProGlide Razor with its five ultra-sharp blades.

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If you want to make totally sure that you avoid razor burn and razor bumps that could take attention away from your new piece, use our SkinGuard Sensitive Razor instead. It has extra protection between the blade and your skin to help prevent irritation.

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When Can I Shave Over a Tattoo?

After getting inked, you can’t shave over the area of your new tattoo until it’s fully healed. This could take two to three weeks. During this time, you need to keep your ink protected to allow it to heal properly, so shaving is out of the question.

When your tatt is properly healed and the skin feels back to normal, you’ll be able to shave as normally again. The Gillette All Purpose Styler and Beard Trimmer is especially good for grooming your chest and back hair – and for any of your other manscaping needs – as it’s designed to trim, shave and edge your body hair.

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Every Gillette Styler comes with a ProGlide Razor Blade, which will help you to make sure your tattoo is left looking super smooth after its first shave. Keep it looking that way by signing up to Gillette’s shave club for fresh razors delivered to your door every few weeks. Remember: newer, sharper razors are always best for avoiding shaving cuts – the last thing you want to be worrying about spoiling your new tattoo.

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So if you’re wondering can I shave my leg after a tattoo, remember to use the freshest and sharpest tools for the job. Razors blades become dull over time and you’re more likely to catch your skin and cause unneeded irritation with old blades!

Why not find out exactly how often to change your blades and the answer to plenty more grooming issues with our most frequently asked shaving questions?

Does Hair Grow Over a Tattoo?

As your fresh new ink heals, you’ll find that hair does grow over tattoos. This is down to the fact that your tattoo artist has marked the dermis, which is the same layer of skin that your hair follicles are located in.

You may also wonder does shaving damage tattoos? As your amazing new design heals, you wouldn’t want to mess with the artwork gracing your skin. Experts suggest you just need to wait for your tattoo to heal fully before letting a razor pass over it.

Remember to always use a clean and fresh razor shaving near body art as irritation or infection could stall your healing process.

tattooed man wearing sunglasses indoors

How to Shave Around a Facial Piercing

Lip piercings or other facial studs can throw up a whole load more challenges during shaving, but you can still stay clean shaven with the right tools and technique.

man who has shaved around his lip piercing

The precision trimmer on our All Purpose Styler is ideal for navigating the area directly around a lip piercing that’s most difficult to shave, and you can use it trim the rest of your stubble or get a smooth shave – the look you go for is up to you. Check out the top beard styles to find the one that suits you best.

If it’s not too fiddly or uncomfortable, you could always take your piercing out each time you shave, but if the area around it is extra sensitive, use our SkinGuard Sensitive Razor to shave with.

Make sure you’re getting proper protection during shaving too, and use a shaving gel that’s designed to be sensitive to your skin. Our Fusion5 Men’s Ultra Sensitive Shaving Gel or SkinGuard Men’s Sensitive Shaving Gel are both good choices.

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Remember, getting your technique right is just as important as finding the perfect tools for the job:

We suggest using short strokes with minimal pressure when shaving near a piercing or tattoo.
Along with finding out how long till you can shave over a tattoo, you should also remember to be extra cautious if you’re shaving near areas that can twitch or move unexpectedly. Joints and ankles are especially important for this.

Whatever your style and whatever your personality, Gillette has products to help you feel your best.

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