The popularity of tattoos has exploded in recent years. They were long regarded as a "men only" form of expression. That's changed. Tattoos are wildly popular with young women as well. Summer weather is here and that means people will flock to beaches and swimming pools. The Independent warns swimming with a new tattoo can be dangerous, even deadly. A 31-year-old man reportedly died from a bacterial infection after swimming in the Gulf of Mexico just a few days after getting a tattoo. Doctors believe the responsible bacteria, vibrio vulnificus, entered his body through the fresh wound of the tattoo. This was an extreme case, given the man's liver was damaged from prolonged alcohol abuse. Nonetheless, a fresh tattoo is literally an open wound. Reputable tattoo artists recommend you avoid swimming for at least 2 weeks after getting new ink.

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