Suppose you just got a tattoo. It's the middle of summer and the ink is still steaming. Actually, you want nothing more than to soak up that vitamin D with your whole body and put on your t-shirt and shorts to show off your fresh tattoo.
When you have a tattoo applied, you obviously want to keep it fresh in color for as long as possible. After all, it is an investment for life. So let's talk about how unfortunate it would be if the sun spoiled your fresh tattoo.
Influence of the sun on your tattoo
It had been on your to-do list for some time. A visit to the tattoo artist. Decision made, appointment made, and stepped in. After careful consultation with yourself and the ink maestro, you finally got your favorite design on your upper arm. The sun is shining, the sky is blue, but what exactly do those fine rays do to your tattoo?
That beautiful brown color on your skin that you get after a few hours of baking is due to the UV radiation from the sun. Nice bonus, but not for your fresh tattoo. UV radiation causes your skin to produce melanin. This is the substance that causes your skin to produce pigment (and thus gives you your brown color). When this radiation hits your tattoo, it will also darken, and that's exactly what you don't want. If the UV light hits the skin layer where the ink molecules are located, it will also attack those same molecules. The ink is then worked out of your body via your liver, causing your tattoo to fade. The contours will blur, your tattoo will no longer look sharp, and suddenly your favorite design is not so beautiful anymore. You don't want that.
Does sunscreen protect your tattoo?
Even if you don't have a tattoo, sunscreen naturally helps protect your skin from harmful UV radiation. Let alone what it does to protect your beloved tattoo, because without sunscreen your tattoo would fade much faster.
So always use a sunscreen. One with a high SPF that protects against both UV-A and UV-B radiation. UV-A radiation penetrates into the deeper skin layers, where it will also encounter and attack your ink. A battle you don't want to have.
Sunblock Sticks
Sunscreen is no longer only available in the recognizable large tubes or sprays. To make it a lot easier for you, sunscreen sticks have now come onto the market. These sticks, which are extremely popular within the surf community, bring quite a few advantages. They are compact and therefore easy to carry in your pocket. Want to go to the beach, the pool, or just explore the terrace extensively? No problem, put the stick in your (swim) shorts pocket and you're good to go.
Even though the sticks are small in size, the protection they offer is all the greater. These sticks all contain SPF50, with protection against both UV-A and UV-B radiation and are also water-resistant.
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Salt & Stone - Tinted Sunscreen Stick SPF50 |
Sunbathing with a new tattoo?
It is always a challenge for yourself to get your tattoo in the summer. Of course, you want to show it to the world and not cover it under a layer of apparel. But you still have to challenge yourself to protect your tattoo as much as possible.
Has your tattoo just been done? Then avoid the sun completely for a while. The first three to four weeks, your skin is still healing from your freshly done tattoo. Exposure to the sun can then lead to blistering on your tattoo. You can probably imagine what this will do to the end result. Not recommended, let's just leave it at that.
Are you stubborn and still want to be in the sun? Then make sure to cover your freshly done tattoo as much as possible with apparel. So when, for example, you have been tattooed on your arm, wear long sleeves.
In the first few weeks, it is important to keep your tattoo well hydrated. So invest in good tattoo aftercare products. When the four weeks after getting your tattoo are over, keep in mind: apply, apply, apply in the sun. All for the long term and preservation of your artwork!
Do’s and don’ts
Do’s:
- Keep your new tattoo out of the sun for the first four weeks
- Cover your tattoo with apparel (for example, long sleeves)
- Once you can be in the sun, apply well with sunscreen
- Use a sunscreen with an SPF above 30
- Check the ingredients of your sunscreen
Don’ts:
- Sit in the sun with your new tattoo
- Not applying a good SPF 30+
- Buying an SPF without protection against UV-A radiation
- Buying Sunscreen with petroleum extracts
Your tattoo artist will definitely give you some tips about the healing of your skin, the aftercare, and the preservation of the sharp lines. If you have any questions, always ask your tattoo artist. They know best what your tattoo needs. If you have any questions about the aftercare products or good SPFs for your fresh tattoo, let us know.
Take care of your ink!
Your friends, The Alpha Men.