I know it’s a little early, but once we get into the New Year I automatically begin to think about the Summer. Once the Holidays are over, I’m ready for the snow to take a hike, and the green life to begin. However, there is a rub in those balmy, fun loving, sunny days. Tattoo fading.
One of the most common practices of the Spring and Summer is tanning. Yes, a nice tan looks good, but it also puts your ink at risk. Face it, the big fiery Day Star can bleach the color out of anything, and your art is no exception. Expose your tattoos to ‘ol Sol long enough and they will fade. If you use a tanning bed they will fade even faster.
Regardless of it’s social acceptance, the fact remains that tanning is not a healthy practice. A tan is your skin’s reaction to being nuked by the Sun. I realize that little bit of info isn’t going to keep anyone from getting a tan. Hell, it sure isn’t going to stop me, but I do try and limit my tan to a nice gold instead of a burnt sienna crayon. Even then I take a lot of precaution to preserve my ink as much as possible.
Although there have been advances in tattoo ink, making the colors a bit more durable and UV resistant than they were a while back, it would seem a good idea to protect your art. Either that, or start saving some cash for a few early touch ups.
Here are a few of the best products to help preserve the life of your tattoos:
Deep Cover Super Sunblock.
The Body Shop’s Watermelon Stick
Banana Boat’s SPF 50, for Extra Sensitive Skin
Banana Boat for Kids – SPF 50
A good rule of thumb, the higher the SPF (Sun Protection Factor), the better. An SPF of 2 will protect you for about 20 minutes, a 6 for about an hour, and a 30 for about five hours. Also remember to avoid any sunblocks that contain PABA as they have been found to be carcinogenic.
All that being said, here’s wishing everyone an early Spring, and little to no tattoo fading.