How to Take Care of a Tattoo in The Sun

After you get the perfect body artwork you always wanted, you need to worry about how to take care of a tattoo, too.

Indeed, you have undergone the toughest step already; going under the scary needle. After this, you would feel especially disheartened if the tattoo damages just because you went out in the sun.

Indeed, many skin doctors stress the need for UV protection as these rays would dull the ink. Plus, it is not exactly good for your skin either; too much sun exposure would make your skin age.

That is not desirable under normal circumstances anyway; tattooed skin is even more sensitive. Thus, you need to take safety measures.

Know How to Take Care of a Tattoo: Sun-Shield Tips any Dermatologist Would Agree

Indeed, you need to know how to take care of a tattoo from many things, including the sun. Down below you would read more extensively about the ways of protection from the latter.

1. Stay in shade

After you get a new tattoo, the one thing that you would want to do is show it to everyone. That is very natural, but dermatologists would advise you not to.

‘Why’, you ask? Well, mainly because it has not healed during that period, and is more prone to damage. So, if you go out in the sunlight with open not-healed body art, the UV rays would react badly to the skin.

Indeed, you need to give it some time to heal properly and the usual period for that is 10 to 14 days. After two weeks, you can go out with an open tattoo and flaunt it around. But until then, maintain caution and follow the after-care treatment guidelines regularly.

2. Layer up

Of course, while it is easy to say that you should stay indoors, it is not always possible. You need to complete your tasks like work or schooling, or even go out for basic activities.

In such a situation, you need to keep the body art performance under a cover. And you can do so with the help of covered clothes.

While this is not a medicine of any sort, wearing covers is another tip skin care specialists would suggest. If you go out with your new tattoo under the sun, the rays would fade the color faster.

Plus, your skin would char and get skin damage scars, too. Not only is this unhealthy, but it would also look extremely bad.

Thus, you should put on at least a layering of clothes. Make sure that it covers the entire tattoo, and adds a layer of protection from direct exposure.

The best way to take care of a tattoo is to wear lightweight clothes in this situation, such as cotton. They are comfortable against sensitive skin, and your skin can breathe too.

You can put on a gauze bandage on top as well and it would act in a similar protective manner.

3. Sunscreen protection

Sunscreen is easily the go-to option when you are thinking of how to take care of a tattoo. There are many positives you would notice from this use, which is why dermatologists stress the need for sunblock.

You would stay safe from getting blotchy complexions, wrinkles, skin cancer, and many other types of skin damage.

Of course, you would get a huge selection when it comes to which sunscreen to use. And you can choose one that contains enough SPF content and is suitable for your skin type too.

In terms of proper aftercare for a tattoo, many types of sunscreen are safe as a protective layer choice. However, dermatologists suggest that they have at least 30 to 50 SPF protection.

And for the best effect, you should check that it has natural ingredients in the composition. You can easily choose between any physical or chemical-intensive sunblock, as long as it covers a broader spectrum.

To elaborate, these options should protect against both UVA and UVB types of sun rays. The former seeps deep into the skin and causes radical damage freely.

On the other hand, the latter burns the upper skin layers and harms the DNA of cells. This is one of the aftercare tattoo tips you should not forget.

Furthermore, both chronic exposure to UV rays and sunburns affect the look of the tattoo. This occurs gradually and leads to wrinkles, faded color, and dry skin.

You need to put sunscreen on at least 2 hours intervals for proper shielding ability. Not to mention, this suits guarding a healed tattoo only, and you should avoid putting it on an unhealed tattoo.

4. Moisturize

One of the best tips doctors would suggest regarding how to take care of a tattoo is moisturization. In fact, this signifies both on the outside and from the inside.

Indeed, you need to drink water every day, and that would keep the skin naturally healthy. Thereafter, it would protect itself from sun exposure.

You should avoid taking long showers using hot water, too. This has the opposite effect of moisturization; it would make the skin dry instead.

That happens due to the loss of natural oils from the skin. Thus, you should take shorter showers using lukewarm water, each wash lasting 5 minutes.

Plus, another tip for how to take care of a tattoo is adding moisturizing creams to the skincare regime regularly. This would keep the skin hydrated externally and the natural barrier of moisture would stay intact.

5. Regular check-ups

You must check if your tattoo is in good condition if you expose it under sunlight. You can do so via spot-checking for any moles, and also see if the design is looking as it should.

Sometimes, even with precautions, the area can get sun-damaged. Thus, dermatologists stress the need for regular checking on your own.

If you still are unclear about any symptoms or do notice some, you should visit a professional skin expert. All in all, maintaining precaution and keeping your tattoo covered is the best way to protect your new tattoos.

Also, invest in good amounts of sunscreen and put it on regularly, whether you are going out or not. Or, better yet, get a tattoo in the winter.