Getting a Tattoo This Summer: Aftercare for Sun, Sea and Swimming
Llandudno in the summer is hard to beat. The prom is packed, the sea is finally warm enough to get in, and it is tempting to spend every spare hour outside. If you have just had new work done, or you are planning a tattoo before your summer holidays, that sunshine and seawater can actually work against you. Here is what you need to know about looking after a new tattoo through the summer months, straight from the studio.
How long before you can swim, sunbathe or use a pool?
A lot of the work I do is large-scale, and naturally, larger tattoos take longer to heal than smaller pieces. My advice is always at the top end of what the NHS recommends, because it is not worth risking an infection or damaging a tattoo you are going to have for life.
Sunbathing: give it a full 4 weeks. Direct sun on a healing tattoo will cause it to lighten, and it can lead to scarring and inflammation too. If you are out and about while it is healing, keep it covered with loose, breathable clothing rather than relying on sun cream, since sun cream should not go anywhere near broken or healing skin. Once it is fully healed, get into the habit of using an SPF of 50 or higher every time it is exposed. It makes a real difference to how well a tattoo holds its colour and detail over the years.
Swimming pools: smaller tattoos need 2 to 3 weeks, larger ones need the full 4. Chlorine irritates healing skin, and pools carry a higher risk of infection while the area is still open.
The sea: much the same as pools, 2 to 3 weeks for something small, 4 weeks for anything larger. The catch is that if you are in the sea, you are almost certainly also in the sun, and you cannot put sun cream on a tattoo until it has had the full 4 weeks to heal. If a dip in the sea is part of the plan, build that into your timing.
Baths, hot tubs, saunas and steam rooms: leave these until you have hit the 4 week mark, no matter the size of the tattoo. Warm, wet conditions are exactly where bacteria grows fastest, and hot tubs, saunas and steam rooms tend to be used by lots of different people, which only adds to the risk.
Before your appointment
It is worth thinking about sun exposure before you even get tattooed, not just after. We cannot tattoo skin that is burnt or peeling, so if you have an appointment booked, keep using SPF on the area in the weeks leading up to it. Turning up sunburnt is one of the more common reasons an appointment ends up having to be rearranged.
Signs your tattoo is not healing the way it should
The first few days are meant to look a bit alarming. Redness, swelling, warmth, tenderness and some bruising around the area are all normal, along with a clear fluid in the first 24 hours. That fluid is mostly plasma rather than pure ink, which is why it can occasionally look black or coloured, so there is no need to panic.
After day 3, though, you want to see things calming down, not getting worse. Get in touch with your artist if the redness keeps spreading, if the pain is getting worse instead of easing off, if the swelling is not going down, if you notice a thick yellow or green discharge (especially with a bad smell), or if you start to feel feverish or get chills. Red streaks spreading out from the tattoo are a sign to get medical advice straight away, not to wait it out.
How to tell your tattoo is actually healed
A tattoo that has been looked after properly should not scab. Scabbing usually means the healing is being dragged out, and it raises the chances of scarring. You will know you are fully healed when there is no more scabbing, flaking or peeling, the skin feels smooth all the way across with no open areas, there is no tightness when you move, and that shiny, tight look to the skin has settled down completely.
A few extra tips for the summer
Beyond the basics above, a few things make a real difference if you are healing through summer.
Try not to pick or scratch, even when it gets itchy, which it will. Picking pulls out ink and can leave patches that need touching up later.
Drink plenty of water. It sounds simple, but well hydrated skin heals faster and holds colour better in the long run.
If you have a beach holiday booked, we would recommend waiting until after your holiday to get tattooed. That way you are not stuck covering it up, avoiding the sea, or worrying about aggravating it while you are away.
Quick Answers
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Not for at least 2 to 3 weeks for smaller tattoos, 4 weeks for larger ones, and only once you can also apply sun cream to protect it.
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Wait a full 4 weeks, and keep the area covered with loose clothing rather than sun cream until then.
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Yes. In the first 24 hours, a clear fluid, sometimes black or coloured, is completely normal.
If you are ever unsure how your tattoo is healing, do not guess, get in touch with the studio directly. Every piece heals a little differently, and it is always better to ask early than to wait and hope it sorts itself out. If you are planning a new tattoo this summer, get in touch with Atelier Tattoo Studio in Llandudno to book a consultation.