How Soon Can You Put Sunscreen On A Tattoo?
When Can You Put Sunscreen on a New Tattoo – Experts advise waiting 4 to 6 weeks before applying any sunscreen on your tattoo. This time is given for the tattoo to heal fully, so that the epidermis recovers to protect the much more sensitive dermis layer of the skin.
Contents
Can I go in the sun 2 weeks after a tattoo?
How to Protect Your Tattoo From the Sun – @ girlknewyork Wear sunscreen: Sunblock is the number one form of protection for your tattoo. Applying sunblock will help prevent skin cancer, wrinkles, blotchy complexions, and other skin-caused damage. Any sunblock is better than no sunblock when it comes to preparing your ink for the sun, but most artists will suggest using a fragrance-free sunscreen with 30-50 SPF (try to stick to natural ingredients if possible, too).
- Whatever sunscreen you would normally use without a tattoo is fine — whether chemical or physical;
- According to Nussbaum, SPF is a critical part of protecting your tattoo against UV rays;
- “The most important thing when choosing a sunscreen is to make sure it is broad-spectrum, meaning it protects against both UVA, which penetrates deeper than UVB rays, causing free radical damage, and UVB rays, which damage the cell’s DNA and burn the skin,” she says;
“Sunburns and chronic UV exposure can damage the appearance of tattoos over time and lead to fading, wrinkles, and dullness/dryness. ” Nussbaum also says it’s safe to put sunscreen on a healed tattoo, but fresh ink will need to heal first (instead, cover it with a bandage or loose clothing).
Be sure to reapply your sunblock every two hours to ensure a continuous and solid layer of protection. Cover up: If you don’t want to deal with the hassle of reapplying sunscreen , the second-best option for sun protection is to ultimately keep your new ink out of the sun.
At the very least, make sure not to expose a new tattoo to direct sunlight for the first month of having it—especially the first two weeks. Not only will sun exposure cause the tattoo’s colors to fade, as previously mentioned, but it may also burn your skin and scar it from sun damage.
Keeping your tattoo out of the sun doesn’t mean you have to stay inside all day, though. Maintain your ink’s vibrant colors and linework by always wearing at least one layer while in the sun. It can be light—as long as it covers the tattoo design completely.
Get your tattoo during the winter : One of the easiest ways to prevent sun damage to your tattoo is to consider what time of year you’ll be getting inked. Getting your tattoo in the winter will reduce your bare exposure to sun, as chilly weather means more clothing to cover up with.
However, the winter season also means dry skin. If your skin tends to feel dry, flakey, and itchy during the colder weather months, load up on moisturizing lotions. To protect your new tattoo, we love the original, unscented Aquaphor formula.
Slather on day or night for intense moisture and protection. (Or, try one of these tattoo artist-approved lotions ). If you get the tattoo too close to a vacation or beach day, you’ll spend the whole time out of the water with your ink-covered. While saltwater may seem like it’ll help ( chlorine water —not so much), any kind of soaking during your initial healing period may cause infection and damage the design work you paid for.
If you really want to get a tattoo during the summer, at least wait until you know you won’t be going on vacation for a month or so. And if you want to get tattooed while on vacation ? Just wait until the latter half of your trip, so you can still have fun in the sun and worry about aftercare once you’re home.
Moisturize often, inside and out: Nussbaum also suggests moisturizing often and drinking water every day. “Keep your skin well hydrated so that it can protect itself from external damage and maintain your skin’s natural moisture barrier,” says Nussbaum.
She also notes that hydration doesn’t mean more showers, though. “Skip the long, hot showers, which can strip the skin of its natural oils and lead to dry skin, and instead opt for a shorter shower (five minutes maximum) with lukewarm water.
” Check-in with your skin: Another essential thing to do if you expose your tattoo to the sun is to check your skin for any visible signs of damage. Aside from spot-checking regularly for any mole additions or changes (this should be a weekly thing, regardless of the season!), make sure to give your tattoo a good once over to ensure that the design hasn’t majorly warped.
What happens if I put sunscreen on a new tattoo?
So, the final conclusion would be; DO NOT put sunscreen on a new, healing tattoo. You’ll risk damaging and painful infections and might completely mess up the tattoo design. Wait until the tattoo is completely healed. Only then can you truly enjoy being outside in the sun, but with proper sunscreen protection.
How do you protect a fresh tattoo from the sun?
Be Careful During Healing – However, coming out of the tattoo salon it is very important to be careful for the first 4 to 6 weeks. There are many risks, starting with possible alteration of the tattoo or post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation that causes unsightly dark spots that persist for months and are not easy to get rid of.
During the healing process, it is best to keep it out of the sun. If you have to, double up your protection. Cover the tattoo with clothing or a bandage, and use sunscreen, preferably with mineral screens.
Indeed, unlike chemical filters, they block UV rays at the surface of the skin. As your skin has recently been damaged (by the tattoo needle, itching…) the sun can tarnish or degrade your tattoo. 
Finally, while it is healing, do not go in the ocean and apply reparative care generously. Our Reparative Tattoo Aftercare Cream is perfect because it repairs, sanitizes, and protects thanks to its exclusive ingredient, Alga Sendatu® made from red seaweed. 
.
How do I know if my tattoo is healed?
You will know that your tattoo is completely healed when there are no scabs, the texture of your skin where the tattoo was placed is the same as a similar surface of skin, and the colors on your tattoo are no longer faded.
Will one sunburn ruin a tattoo?
However, Ray explains, ‘But generally, a well-applied tattoo can withstand several good sunburns in a lifetime. ‘ So if you’ve got a good quality tatt, there’s no need to panic if you do forget your sunscreen on a rare occasion, because your tattoo won’t disappear after one sunburn; unless it’s a white ink tattoo,.
What kind of sunscreen is best for new tattoos?
Blue Lizard Sensitive Mineral Sunscreen King says it’s ideal for tattoo aftercare. It’s non-comedogenic and doesn’t contain additives like parabens, octinoxate, oxybenzone, or fragrances, ‘making it a good fit for sensitive skin,’ says Dr. King.
Does sunscreen help tattoos from fading?
If you’ve ever gotten a tattoo, you’ve heard the whole tattoo care spiel, which includes sun protection. Sun safety is no joke, especially if you’re inked. Sun exposure can cause serious damage to the skin over the course of a lifetime, including premature aging and even skin cancer.
- If you have a tattoo, you probably want to keep it looking its best, so it’s a good idea to pay a little extra attention when it comes to sun protection;
- Since the sun’s UV rays are damaging to the skin , many people with tattoos choose to apply sunscreen to their body art to prevent it from fading;
Professional tattoo artists actually recommend keeping your tattoo covered up for the first three months. Once the healing period ends, sunscreen should be carefully applied before going outdoors. Hinterhaus Productions / Getty Images.
How do I protect my new tattoo at the beach?
Nexcare Waterproof Sterile Bandages – Bandages, $7. 44, jet. com Applying a bandage over your new tattoo prior to heading to the beach is a great way to prevent water, sand, and bacteria from infecting the site.
Is it dumb to get a tattoo in the summer?
Summer is often looked at by many people as the best time of year to get a new tattoo — there’s something about wearing less clothing that seems to inspire people to get body art. But we’ve also heard contradictory reports that getting a tattoo in the summertime can be a little riskier than during other seasons because sun exposure can increase the possibility of fading.
- Of course, whether or not you should get one all depends on who you ask;
- “It’s fine to get a tattoo in any season you want,” dermatologist Elliot Love, DO , told POPSUGAR;
- According to Dr;
- Love, the main factor to consider when getting a tattoo is making sure you’re protecting it from the sun’s harmful UV rays;
“It’s important to remember that whether it’s the winter or summer, it’s not the temperature that matters, it’s sun exposure. ” Tattoo artist Gianna Caranfa , on the other hand, doesn’t recommend it: “There are definitely more rules to follow when healing a tattoo in the summertime,” she said.
Why is my tattoo fading after 3 days?
This is a bit of a trick question. The reason being, is that a tattoo “fades” to the naked eye within days of application. This occurs because as the skin heals, the top layer dies and new skin forms to take its place. During this period the epidermis typically has a faded appearance. However, this is a natural part of the tattoo healing process and as the peeling subsides and the dead skin falls away the design will once again look crisp and fresh.
- Still, it won’t have that same deep dark tone as it did when your tattooist put his/her gun away;
- Anyone who has received a tattoo already knows this;
- But what you want to know now, is when can you expect a tattoo to fade in the longer term;
Let’s have a look.
How often do you moisturize a new tattoo?
Should I apply lotion to my tattoo? What kind of tattoo care products do you recommend? – Yes! Moisturizing your tattoo regularly is extremely important. You should moisturize your clean tattoo 3 – 6 times per day, for roughly two weeks (though proper skincare is always important, and most tattoo enthusiasts moisturize their tattoos daily for life!). A white cream lotion or moisturizer, preferably unscented, should be used! We recommend these fragrance-free, white cream lotions: Aveeno , Curel , and Eucerin . Be warned: your favorite fragranced lotion is not a good option for moisturizing your tattoo – this can cause an excruciating burning sensation when applied to the tattoo, which is essentially an open wound. The fewer chemicals in the product, the better! Pure cocoa butter or shea butter is also popular for darker skin tones and is a fine option. There are some manufacturers who design products specifically for tattoo aftercare that work well for long-term care (such as Tattoo Goo , H2Ocean , and Hustle Butter ). Do NOT use aloe vera gel to moisturize, and we don’t recommend A&D ointment either, as the oil in these products can extract some of the ink from your tattoo.
How can I speed up my tattoo healing?
