Yes, you can put sunscreen on a tattoo, but only after it's fully healed (typically 4-6 weeks), as applying it too soon to a fresh, open wound can cause irritation or infection; for new tattoos, cover them with loose clothing instead, and for healed tattoos, use a broad-spectrum SPF 30+ sunscreen to prevent fading.
It's always best to follow your tattoo artist's aftercare instructions and only use the products they recommend during this initial phase. Typically, you'll need to wait four to six weeks before using sunscreen, but that timeline can vary based on tattoo placement, skin sensitivity, and how well the area is cared for.
Like everyone here is saying, covering up the tattoo with a thin long sleeve shirt is the best option to keeping the sun off your new tattoo. Anything made from cotton or UV protective beach/fishing shirt will be your best bet. Both of these options should be available to you at a store like Walmart.
For the first two to three weeks, your tattoo should stay completely covered when you're outside. That means no direct sun exposure. Wear loose, breathable clothing over the tattooed area.
Apply a quality sunscreen to protect your sensitive skin from UV damage, a waterproof dressing, and ensure your tattoo does not come in contact with sand. Chlorine is drying for the skin, but applying barrier creams or ointments and a waterproof bandage can help divert chlorine from affecting your new tattoo.
Not only will sunscreen protect your tattoo against fading, it can help prevent skin cancer. You should keep a fresh tattoo out of the sun during the entirety of the healing process. If sun exposure is unavoidable, wearing pants and long sleeves will help prevent the sun from reaching your skin.
Your healing tattoo needs 2–3 weeks before exposure to chlorinated water. Ocean and saltwater: The salt and minerals can irritate healing skin that hasn't fully settled.
Tattoo Care After 2 Weeks (Days 15 to 30):
This is the last stage of the healing process. Most, if not all, of the scabs will have fallen off by this point. If your tattoo looks dry and dull, continue to moisturize to rehydrate the skin.
You have a rash or bumpy skin around your tattoo
If you notice a rash or lumpy, bumpy skin around your new tattoo, this could be something to worry about. Any itching that seems extreme, or rashes and cracked skin, could indicate infection.
Bepanthen is one of the most highly recommended tattoo aftercare products and is the go-to ointment for many tattoo artists and studios. Typically used as a nappy rash ointment, Bepanthen has been around for a long time, and its gentle formula is used to treat babies with irritated skin.
Days 1-3: Your tattoo will appear fresh but may feel tender, red, and slightly swollen. Days 4-7: Light scabbing begins to form, and itchiness may start on the tattooed area. Weeks 2-4: Scabs and flakes will naturally fall off. You'll notice a shiny layer of skin, indicating deeper healing.
How to Speed Up Your Tattoo Recovery?
After getting a tattoo, avoid scratching/picking, submerging in water (baths, pools, hot tubs), direct sun exposure, tight clothing, and harsh soaps or petroleum jelly; instead, keep it clean with mild soap, moisturize lightly with artist-recommended lotion, and let it heal undisturbed to prevent infection and preserve the ink. Always follow your tattoo artist's specific aftercare instructions for best results.
You should wait at least 4 weeks after getting your tattoo (or as recommended by your artist) before using sunscreen.
When it's new, your skin is in the healing phase: fragile, sensitive, and still rebuilding. Sun exposure at this stage can cause: Burns or sunburn on the tattoo. Premature fading of the design.
“The ultraviolet light in the sun not only damages the skin, but can also cause tattoos to fade,” says board-certified dermatologist Dr. Jeremy Fenton. “If the skin under the tattoo gets a lot of sun exposure, the tattoo will also start to get stretched out as the skin gets looser and more wrinkled.”
Submerging your tattoo in a bath or hot tub can cause serious damage. So avoid doing that for at least two to three weeks. However, showering is perfectly fine, as long as you don't saturate your tattoo. If you get soap or shampoo on your tattoo, wash it quickly with water.
During those first three days after you've sat like a champ to get your forever art, a combination of blood, plasma and ink might ooze from your tattoo — this is called the weeping healing stage. A tattoo bleeding ink while healing is normal.
Why is my new tattoo fading after just a few days? It's not unusual for your new tattoo to appear to fade shortly after application. During the healing phase, the top layer of skin may dry out and flake, causing the tattoo to look dull or less vibrant. This is a normal reaction as your skin begins to heal.
No, $200 an hour is generally not considered a lot for a quality tattoo in many areas; it often falls into the mid-to-upper range for experienced, reputable artists, reflecting their skill, custom designs, and the permanence of the art, though rates vary significantly by location, artist reputation, and specialization. While some very in-demand artists charge more, $200 is a fair market value for professional custom work, not excessive.
Stage One (Days 1-6) – Oozing, swelling and redness that gets better gradually over each day. Scabbing begins to form over the area. 2. Stage Two (Days 7-14) – Itching and flaking begins, and this continues until layers of dead skin and scabs have fallen off.
Signs of a Tattoo Infection
Congratulations—you've reached the second stage of the tattoo healing process, where things might get a little (more) uncomfortable. At this point, you may experience intense itching, scabbing, and dry skin flaking off the tattooed area. This phase typically lasts about a week.
Look for products specifically designed for tattoo aftercare, or opt for a gentle, non-comedogenic lotion. 3. Avoid picking, scratching, or peeling the scabs, as this can lead to ink loss, scarring, and infection. Allow the scabs to naturally flake and peel away on their own, even if they feel itchy or tight.