It is summer, it is hot, and your tattooed body is even hotter. It goes without saying that you do not hide your beautiful tattoos under your clothes! However, tattooed skin is extremely sensitive to the sun. This is especially true for designs that have just been inked. Make sure your skin stays healthy! Protect your tattoo in summer! We are going to tell you what you need to bear in mind when it comes to sun and tattoos.
The sun and tattoos – what happens exactly?
High solar radiation is the main reason for tattoo aging. This is because it causes pigments to fade. You have probably noticed this in your garden furniture and your T-shirts – anything that stays or hangs in the sun for a long time loses colour. The same will happen to your tattoo.
UVA and UVB rays can penetrate into the deep layers of your skin. As a result, photochemical processes that are set in motion break down pigments. Less pigment means less colour intensity. Under the influence of UV rays, collagenase, an enzyme which breaks down collagen fibers in the skin, is formed. Consequently, the skin becomes drier and less elastic. This also provokes the aging process of your tattoo.
It is better not to expose freshly engraved tattoos to the sun at all. After healing, tattoos can be exposed to the sun, but you should always put special sunscreen on them.
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Tips on tattoo sunscreen
Effective sun protection is extremely important for your tattoo. Once again, please notice that only completely healed tattoos can be exposed to the sun. For this reason, you should only apply sunscreen to completely healed tattoos.
Make sure you use a high sun protection factor (SPF50+). This is also important if your skin is rather dark and pre-tanned. Sun cream should be generously put on your tattoo and you should repeat treatment several times a day. This applies not only to extensive sunbathing on the beach, but also if you play volleyball in the park with your friends, go for long walks with your dog or stroll through pedestrian zones with your girlfriend.
The sun dries out your skin. That is why you need to moisturize it in the evening. Ideally, you should not just use after-sun cream, but a special tattoo care product.
Freshly pricked tattoos – better not in the sun
If your tattoo has healed completely, you can go out in the sun about eight weeks after getting it. Before that, you should definitely refrain from doing so. This is because you must not apply sun cream to open wounds – it should only be applied once the tattoo has completely healed.
Direct sunlight is not compatible with a fresh tattoo. Cover your tattoo with loose clothing. The sun and tattoos simply do not match, which is why you should also avoid open-air swimming. As open wounds can easily become infected, the bathtub at home is not a good idea either, and indoor pools are also forbidden. It is better not to go to the solarium.
Swimming or solarium – not so easy!
Wait until your tattoo has completely healed before swimming. How long this takes varies from person to person, but it usually takes around six weeks. If you want to be on the safe side (and this is what we advise), wait eight weeks after getting the tattoo before going swimming again. This applies to outdoor pools, indoor pools, the sea and lakes as well as the pool at home and your own bathtub. Chlorine and salt water irritate the skin and remove its colour. Tap water is also chlorinated.
You should also avoid visits to the solarium if your tattoo has not completely healed yet. The sun and tattoos do not get on because of high UV radiation and tanning beds have this too. Artificial light sources emit a particularly high proportion of UV radiation, which damages tattoos enormously.
Is a tattoo a risk in summer?
Freshly engraved tattoos involve not wearing tight clothing on them. Open wounds heal best in the fresh air, so you might come to the conclusion that summer is the best season to get a new tattoo.
No, it is just the opposite. Every tattoo is a large open wound. High temperatures and sweating are not conducive to healing. Getting a tattoo causes circulatory problems to many people due to pain, and summer temperatures contribute enormously to this. Therefore, summer is a bad time for large tattoos in particular.
The sun and tattoos do not get on either. Do you really want to give up outdoor swimming and sunbathing for two whole months? Get your tattoo in autumn or spring instead. Moderate temperatures are still good to wear loose light clothing, and your tattoo will heal better.