Posted on Aug 08, 2018
5 Tips for Tattoo Aftercare In The Summer
With the sunny weather and high temperatures in the summer, it’s important to take proper care of your new tattoo. After all, you didn’t go through the planning and pain to have it fade or peel. Here are our top five tips for proper tattoo aftercare in the summer.
Fresh ink always puts us on a high. Waiting years, days (or maybe hours) from when you decided “let’s do this” and it’s finally done. Well, not completely done. The initial pain is over, but what’s more important than getting your tattoo, is maintaining it. Especially if you went through the careful planning of testing out your tattoo with our Custom Platform or Freehand Ink - you don’t want to f**k it up with negligent aftercare.
With the sunny weather and high temperatures in the summer, it’s important to take proper care of your new tattoo. After all, you didn’t go through the planning and pain to have it fade or peel. Here are our top five tips for proper tattoo aftercare in the summer.
Tread Water Lightly
Summers feel like they’re made for pool dips and riding ocean waves. But jumping right into the waters post-ink might not be your best bet. So how long do you have to wait to go in the water after getting a tattoo? In general, it’s recommended to wait about 2-4 weeks for your tattoo to heal before doing any water activities like swimming. Plus, swimming pools have chemicals like chlorine and other germs and bacteria. So while it may be tempting to go for a dip, exposing your fresh tattoo may be harmful and can cause the skin to itch, dry-out and even flake. The longer you wait, the better it’ll heal. But if you’re a water baby at heart, maybe an ocean inspired inbox is a better fit for your summer ink fix, until pool season is over.
Modest Is The Hottest
Water exposure isn’t the only thing to avoid with your new tattoo; the sun can be just as harmful. If you’re planning on spending a long time outdoors, some long sleeves or any clothing that covers your tattoo from those UV rays is a good idea. Your tattoo does need time to breathe, but that breathing room can happen once you’re indoors. And if tanning was on your mind, the only option for now would be the sunless, lotion kind*
*It’s important to check the ingredients in your tanning lotion as they may also cause harm to your healing tattoo
SPF Like You Mean It
Fresh ink or not, you should be SPF-ing all the time. But it’s especially important after you get a new tattoo, to add that extra protection for your skin. Sunblock with a high SPF is the best protector against skin cancer and other diseases related to sun exposure. Plus, the suns rays could contribute to fading your tattoo. And we know that’s one kind of ombre nobody wants. So, if you’re heading outdoors, lather up on that SPF.
Moisturize
The 3 S’s of dreamy skin – soft, smooth, and supple. That’s exactly what you’re going to want, especially with the potential peeling and drying of your skin around the area of your new tattoo. The best way to combat that is to keep it moisturized and hydrated. Gentle, unscented lotions are best, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Baby Lotion as well as a few others. Pro-tip: in case your skin dries out suddenly, keep a small travel size container of tattoo-friendly lotion in your bag for when you’re on the go. Better to be safe than sorry!
Hydration Nation
H2O is always the way to go. Staying hydrated during the summer months is always important, and post-ink is no exception. You’ve heard this one over and over, but it’s no lie when we say there are a ton of benefits to drinking enough water: detoxing, energizing, clearer skin. Especially for skincare, drinking plenty of water will help keep it moisturized and clear from the inside out. Combined with all your other tattoo aftercare practices, this will be the cherry on top to keeping your ink looking and feeling vibrant and healthy.
Aftercare and maintenance are a huge part of keeping your tattoo looking it’s best. Don’t be afraid to ask your tattoo artist questions you about aftercare or even for demonstrations on how to clean it. If you haven’t taken the plunge just yet to get inked, be sure to research carefully and make sure you’re prepared to put in the aftercare work. And if you’re on the fence about going permanent, check out some of our Path To Permanence series to help you prep for your ink journey!
Written by Jasmin Husain