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Saltwater Pools and Tattoos

2 messages · last activity 8/9/2008

All right people, I've heard this too many times to ignore anymore. First, saltwater pools are not okay for tattoos, becuase saltwater pools DO contain chlorine. Saltwater pools use dissolved salt as a store for the chlorination system. The chlorinator uses electrolysis to break down the salt and release CHLORINE into the water. As such, a saltwater pool is NOT chlorine-free; it simply utilizes a chemical reaction to convert salt into chlorine, instead of direct addition of actual chlorine. Second, you shouldn't be swimming in ANYTHING, even soaking in a bathtub, unless you've had your tattoo for about three weeks, and it appears completely healed on the outside.
Not to mention chlorine is a bleaching agent which would almost guarantee you'd pull color out of a fresh tattoo. Damn, doesn't anyone read/follow their care instructions or is it that some of these places don't provide them?