It's summer, it's hot, and your tattooed body is even hotter. It goes without saying that you don't 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'll tell you what you need to bear in mind when it comes to sun and tattoos.
Sun and tattoos - what exactly is happening?
The sun's high UV radiation is the main reason for tattoo ageing. This is because it causes the pigments to fade. You probably know this from your garden furniture and your T-shirts: things that stand or hang in the sun for a long time lose their color. Your tattoo will do the same.
The UVA and UVB rays can penetrate into the deep layers of the skin. Photochemical processes that are set in motion as a result break down the pigments. Less pigment means less color intensity. Under the influence of UV rays, collagenases are also formed. These are enzymes that break down the skin's collagen fibers. The skin becomes drier and less elastic. This also promotes the ageing process of your tattoo.
It is better not to expose freshly engraved tattoos to the sun at all. After healing, the tattoos may be exposed to the sun, but should always be treated with a special sunscreen.
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Pay attention to this with the tattoo sun cream!
Effective sun protection is extremely important for your tattoo. Please note once again: Only completely healed tattoos may be exposed to the sun. That's why you should only apply sunscreen to completely healed tattoos!
Make sure you have a high sun protection factor (SPF50+). This is also important if you have a rather dark skin type and are pre-tanned. You should apply the sun cream very generously to the tattoo and repeat the treatment several times a day. And this applies not only to extensive sunbathing on the beach, but also when you're playing volleyball in the park with friends, going on long walks with your dog or strolling through the pedestrian zone with your girlfriends.
The sun dries out your skin. That's why you need to moisturize in the evening. Ideally, you shouldn't just use any après-sun lotion, but a special tattoo care product.
Freshly pricked: better not in the sun
About eight weeks after getting the tattoo, you can go out in the sun again, provided your tattoo has healed completely. 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 to the skin once the tattoo has completely healed.
Direct sunlight is not compatible with a fresh tattoo. Cover your tattoo with loose clothing. Sun and tattoos simply don't go together, which is why you should also refrain from swimming in the open air or in the lake. As open wounds can easily become infected, the bathtub at home is not a good idea either, and the indoor pool is also taboo. It is also better to avoid going 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 we advise this), wait eight weeks after getting the tattoo before you go swimming again. And 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 color. Tap water is also chlorinated.
You should also avoid visits to the solarium if your tattoo has not yet completely healed. Sun and tattoos don't go well together (because of the high UV radiation) and tanning beds have this too. The artificial light sources emit a particularly high proportion of UV radiation, and this damages the tattoo enormously.
Is a tattoo in summer a risk?
Freshly engraved means that you should not wear tight clothing on the tattoo. Open wounds heal best in the fresh air - summer should be the best season for a new tattoo, right?
No, the opposite is the case. Every tattoo is a large open wound. High temperatures and sweating are not conducive to healing. For many people, getting a tattoo causes circulatory problems due to the pain. Summer temperatures are a huge factor in this. Summer is therefore a bad time for large tattoos in particular.
Sun and tattoos don't go together either - do you really want to give up outdoor swimming and sunbathing for two whole months? Put your tattoo in the fall or spring instead. The moderate temperatures are still okay for loose, light clothing, and your tattoo can heal better now.