Healing Tattoos in the summer

Hello tattoo enthusiasts!

Healing Tattoos In the Summer

Summer is upon us, and we are excited to go outdoors and enjoy nature. The summer is a popular time to get tattooed, and an ideal season to show off your inked skin. However, the warmer months tend to pose increased risks for tattoo healing. It’s crucial to be well-informed so you can ensure your new tattoo heals beautifully and stands the test of time. Good news–we are here to help!

In this first edition of our Arcola Creek Tattoo newsletter, we will give you the scoop on summer tattoo healing so that you are prepared to create the best healing experience for your next tattoo. We will explore some reasons why tattoos can be more difficult to heal in the summer, and then give you our best tips on summer healing so that you can still enjoy all your favorite activities without compromising the quality of your tattoo.

Note: Because we want this newsletter to focus on summer-specific aftercare, we will not discuss some of the basic aftercare instructions such as washing, not picking or scratching, etc. Please refer to our aftercare packets provided during the tattoo service for aftercare basics, and always listen to the instructions from your artist.

What risks does the summer pose for my tattoo healing?

First, it’s important to note that your tattoo starts as an open wound. It takes several weeks for the top layers of your skin to fully heal, and even longer for deeper layers. The first few weeks of healing are the most vulnerable time for your tattoo, as your skin is working hard to repair itself after being superficially wounded during the tattoo process.

Tattoos can be more difficult to heal in the summer due to several factors, including:

● Increased sun exposure: UV radiation is one of the main causes of tattoo fading, and

poses additional risk when a tattoo is first healing. Sun exposure during healing can damage your tattoo by causing fading and discoloration, increased risk of scarring, delayed healing, increased skin sensitivity, and uneven skin texture or healing.

● Water activities: Prolonged exposure to water, like when swimming or soaking, majorly hinders the tattoo healing process. It prevents the formation of protective scabs and poses an infection risk. Bacteria in natural bodies of water, and harsh chemicals in pools and hot tubs, can cause further damage and/or infection to a healing tattoo.

● Other outdoor activities: Activities like hiking, sports, and beach time can not only expose the tattoo to the sun, but also expose it to things like sweat, dirt/sand, and friction, all of which can delay healing and cause complications. Intense exercise can

also lead to excessive sweating (see below).

● Sweating and Heat/Humidity: Like with water activities, sweat introduces moisture to the tattoo, hindering the formation of protective scabs. This can prolong the healing time and lead to poor healing. Further, the introduction of heat and moisture creates an environment where bacteria can thrive, increasing risk of infection. Intensive exercise that causes lots of sweating poses these risks during initial healing, and can cause additional irritation from friction.

Now that you are informed of the risks of summer tattoo healing, you can use this information to make a game plan for your healing process. With just a little bit of planning, you can still enjoy most or all of your favorite summer activities without causing any issues to your tattoo healing.

How can I protect my healing tattoo from damage, and still enjoy summer activities?

Avoid sun exposure: Do your best to keep your new tattoo out of direct sunlight for about 4-6 weeks after getting it, and especially during the first 10-14 days of healing. If you will be out in the sun, cover the area with clothing. Light, breathable fabrics, wide-brimmed hats, and UV protective clothing are ideal. A bandana or scarf can be a good choice to tie around an arm or leg, and is easy to keep on-hand so it’s always available in case you unexpectedly end up in the sun.

Once the tattoo is fully healed, you can switch to SPF 30 or higher sunscreen when exposing the tattoo to sunlight, and reapply it regularly when spending elongated periods of time outdoors.

Stay out of the water: For at least 2 weeks, and while scabbing and peeling are still present, do not soak your tattoo in any body of water. Unfortunately, this means no swimming. We know this can be difficult if you enjoy the water, but it really is best to take this precaution and save yourself the major healing risks. When any scabs have fallen off and top layers of skin have regenerated, you can return to water activities with much less risk.

Avoid Intense Exercise and Sweating: During initial healing (about 2 weeks), try to avoid activities that will cause excessive sweating. Light exercise (like walking) is usually acceptable, as long as the tattoo is kept clean and protected.

Keep it clean: Try to keep your new tattoo protected from dirt and sand. If you do accidentally get the tattoo dirty or sweaty, wash promptly and continue usual aftercare.

Vacations and Tattoos: Getting a tattoo before or on vacation can be tempting, but isn’t the best idea, because vacations tend to include water activities, lots of sunlight, and shared public spaces (think bacteria). If you want to get tattooed on your vacation, try to wait until the end of your trip so that you don’t feel like you have to miss out on fun activities. It’s also important to

note that tattoo artists can’t work on sunburnt skin, so protect your skin from burns leading up to your session.

Dos and Don’ts of Summer Healing, Summarized:

Don’t:

● Expose the tattoo to direct sunlight for the first 4-6 weeks, and especially the first 1-14

days.

● Soak the healing tattoo in water, including pools, bathtubs, hot tubs, lakes and oceans.

● Sweat excessively during initial tattoo healing.

● Expose the tattoo to dirt, sand, or friction.

● Get a tattoo right before you go on vacation, or at the start of a vacation.

● Get a tattoo over sunburned skin.

Do:

● Keep your fresh tattoo covered with loose, breathable clothing when out in the sun

during initial weeks of healing. We like UPF clothing that is designed to protect skin from UV rays. Bandanas or scarves are good, portable choices to keep on-hand. Once the tattoo is fully healed, around 4-6 weeks, you can switch to using an SPF 30+ sunscreen.

● Stay out of pools, lakes, oceans, hot tubs, and baths during tattoo healing.

● Avoid activities that will cause excess sweating during initial healing period.

● Stay hydrated.

● Keep skin clean and lightly moisturized.

● Get tattooed at the end of a vacation or afterwards, and protect yourself from sunburn before the appointment.