Ready for the sun? Of course you are! But your tattoo(s) might need some extra sun protection. While most of us worry about the sun’s harmful effects on our body and face, it is important to keep mindful of what those UVA/UVB rays can do to your tats — fade, blur and damage!
BeautyStat got in touch with dermatologist Dr. Paul Jarrod Frank who gave us some helpful tips on how to protect our works of art on our bodies. Some tips include which products to use to help block the sun’s rays, and how your tattoo is affected over the years by outside sources and the quality of the inks used. If you want to ensure that your tattoos are looking their best this summer, then read on!
Dermatologist Dr. Paul Jarrod Frank offered some of his tattoo sun-protecting expertise,
“All tattoos are not created equal,” explains Dr. Jarrod Frank. “Their quality ranges from very amateur to very high-end, expensive and professional. It is not only the quality of inks used that determine this but the technique of ink placement in regards to depth and density of the pigment particles.”
“Certainly the better the artist and ink the more resilient the color, borders and overall quality of the tattoo remains over the years. Certainly outside sources such as the sun will make a big difference in how one’s tattoos change over the years — no different than the skin as a whole.”
Dr. Jarrod Frank
“Precautions are no different for a tattoo than the skin in general. That being said, understandably, people with tattoos generally want to show extra cautions in these areas.”
To protect your tats from fading, Dr. Jarrod Frank suggests the following:
“First, it is important to apply a zinc oxide or titanium dioxide containing sunscreen. These are physical blockers rather than chemical ones and work by reflecting the light. They, in general, offer the highest degree of sun protection and now come micronized, so they rub in relatively clear without the pasty white discoloration.”
“Sunscreen should be applied at least half an hour before sun exposure and certainly after 15 or more minutes in the water. The numbers of SPF vary widely. In general a SPF 50 or greater will let the least amount of solar radiation through. Frequent application of every 2-3 hours outdoors is generally appropriate.”
Coppertone has introduced their Tattoo Guard Sunscreen Stick SPF 50 ($5.99/0.6oz)
Individuals can protect against UVA and UVB rays that can fade or blur their tattoos will benefit from this new sunblock. Available in a stick or lotion, the moisturizing formulas can help maintain the smooth appearance of tattooed skin.
Coppertone Tattoo Guard Sunscreen Stick:
Helps prevent sunburn
Antioxidant-rich formula
Precise application
UVA/UVB sunscreen helps protect against UV rays that can fade or blur tattoos
Active ingredients
Avobenzone 3%–Sunscreen
Homosalate 15%–Sunscreen
Inactive Ingredients:
Beeswax, Lauryl Laurate, Ozokerite, Cetearyl Behenate, Polybutene, Cetyl Alcohol, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Myristyl Myristate, Tocopherol (Vitamin e), Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Phenoxyethanol, Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin a Palmitate), Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate.
Do any of you lovely ladies have tattoos? How do you protect yours from the sun? Let us know by commenting below (you just might win a free sample)! Make sure to follow us on our Pinterest page by clicking HERE! And don’t forget to get the latest beauty and skincare news by following us on Twitter @BeautyStat!
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