Now that the beautiful summer weather has arrived, many of us here in the Pacific Northwest love to get outside and enjoy all our region has to offer. From hiking the Cascades, to beach combing the Olympic Peninsula, or taking in a Mariners game at Safeco Field, we are out in the fresh air and sunshine, taking it all in. Enjoy the outdoors, but remember to protect your skin from the sun. Here’s what you need to know about protecting your skin from the sun if you’ve had a recent tattoo removal.
Advancements in laser technology have made significant improvements in the ability to remove tattoos. Today, laser tattoo removal is a common practice and one that is usually very successful. That said, there are still some factors that effect the success of tattoo removal such as ink color and quality, location, the age of the tattoo and sun exposure.
Sun exposure affects laser tattoo removal
Sun, or UV, exposure affects laser tattoo removal because of how it affects the pigment in your skin. If your skin is tanned or burned, it can be harder to remove a tattoo because the skin is more vulnerable and it is harder for the laser to break up the ink particles in the tattoo.
It’s best to wait a few weeks after sun exposure, to have your tattoo removed. If your skin is tan, or burned, it can be harder to remove and require more treatments and you could run into adverse effects like burning and scaring.
About sun exposure after treatment
We at Sound Tattoo Removal recommend waiting at least 4 weeks before exposing your skin to the sun or using a tanning bed. Because your skin is more vulnerable after laser treatment, we encourage our patients to cover up or use a sunscreen to avoid UV exposure or burning of the treated area, which could lead to burning, blistering or scarring.
