We have all heard the talk before: don’t go in the direct sunlight, always wear sunscreen, and don’t use tanning beds, etc. But all of this cannot be truer, especially when it comes to protecting the biggest organ of your body from premature aging and worse, skin cancer! That’s right! Direct sun exposure and harmful UV lights can have a toll on your beautiful skin and can be even more imperative if you just got yourself a new tattoo.
Tattoos take time to heal, but direct sun exposure and getting slack with your skincare routine can have harmful impacts on your skin and your new tattoo. Fresh tattoos are an open wound with no protective covering over it. When they get exposed to the sun, it will cause them to fade, burn, peel, crack, and blister.
Below we mention some tips to help you take care of your new tattoo in the summer.
Stay Hydrated
Drinking plenty of water should be your top priority as staying hydrated in the summers is always significant, and post-ink is no exception. There are many benefits to drinking enough water: from detoxing your body to energizing and clearing your skin.
For tattoo aftercare, especially, drinking water will help keep it moisturized and will heal it from the inside out. Along with your other tattoo aftercare practices, staying hydrated will be the cherry on top and will keep your tattoo looking good, vibrant, and healthy.
Moisturize
The skin around your new tattoo can get really dry and start to peel off. To combat this problem, you must keep your skin moisturized and hydrated at all times. Soft, gentle, and unscented lotions, without harsh chemicals, are perfect for the job. Always keep a small travel size tattoo-friendly lotion with you wherever you go and moisturize your tattoo, in case you feel your skin is drying out.
Also Read: The Art of Tattooing — Unique Styles and Techniques
Using sunscreen is the number one protection for your tattoo. It doesn’t matter if your tattoo is old or new; using the right sunblock can go a long way. UV exposure and sunburns can damage the look of tattoos over time and can lead to fading. They also make your tattoo wrinkly and dry.
Any kind of sunblock is better than no sunblock at all when it comes to protecting your tattoo from the sun, but most experienced tattoo artists suggest using sunscreen with natural ingredients and with 30-50 SPF. Another important thing while choosing a sunscreen for a tattoo is making sure that it is broad-spectrum, meaning it protects against both UVA and UVB rays.
Cover Up
If you are exposing your new tattoo to direct sunlight, especially in the first month or first two weeks of having it, then you will need to get prepared for a lot of damage that comes next. Not only will sunlight cause the tattoo to fade, but it will cause your skin to burn and scar forever.
The best way to avoid this from happening is to keep your tattoo out of the sun completely. This does not mean that you cannot go out at all. Instead, you will have to wear some long sleeves or any piece of clothing to cover your tattoo from UV rays.
The piece of cloth covering your tattoo can be light as long as it successfully hides the tattoo design entirely.
These are some of the tips you can try to take care of your new tattoo. Summer can be a wrong time to get one, but if you follow these tattoo aftercare practices, you’ll be good to go.
