Sunscreen – why it’s a MUST!

Sunscreen – why it’s a MUST for medical and cosmetic tattooing treatments

I honestly can’t stress the importance of sunscreen enough.  Really you should be wearing a minimum of factor 30 all the time – but I’m not going to preach too much about that right now (but really……you should!).

What I will preach about though, is the importance of sunscreen for your medical and cosmetic tattooing procedures.  This is SO SO IMPORTANT (see the capitals – they help to convey just how important, I’m not shouting, but I have a serious look on my face and flaying arms!).

Immediately after treatment

Your skin has been traumatised as a result of the treatment and is therefore very sensitive. You are at risk of the skin burning and hyperpigmentation occurring (dark patches where too much melanin has been produced – more about that below). You will need to wait 10-14 days after your tattooing treatment before applying sunscreen, but after that – make sure they are protected with factor 30-50 at all times.

If you’re going on holiday, then your tattooing procedure needs to be managed around this.  We usually discuss this at your consultation.

The sun causes pigment to fade

Sun exposure will cause your pigment to fade much quicker.  Wearing SPF will protect your treatment and help it to last longer.   It really is as simple as that!  If you don’t use sun protection then you can expect the pigment to fade out much quicker.

Hyperpigmentation

This is a biggie and something I suffer with quite badly myself.  Many forms of hyperpigmentation are caused as result of over production of melanin. This can be for many reasons, including sun damage, injury/skin trauma, hormones and certain skin types.  The tattooing process causes a trauma to the skin, leaving it more vulnerable to hyperpigmentation. Our skin produces melanin as a response to exposure to UV radiation, in order to protect our skin and DNA of our cells.  If the skin had recently undergone a trauma (tattooing), then the skin can overproduce melanin during the healing process, when it’s exposed to the sun. This can result in dark patches forming around the treated area – sometimes these are permanent.

IMPORTANT ADVICE: Avoid the sun in the early healing stages (10-14 days) and then apply factor 30-50 after this time.

Honestly, I know sometimes we can all get so busy we forget sunscreen and we think we’ll be fine! And I appreciate I’m super precious about my skin, having suffered with chronic hyperpigmentation for the last few years.  That said, it really is crucial for your tattooing, both in terms of protecting your skin and ensuring that your treatments stays looking their best for longer.

So if it’s not already in your handbag, grab a tube of SPF and chuck it in there now…..after you’ve generously applied it to your tattooing, of course!

Happy Holidays x