You want to get rid of that regretful tattoo. But you love being out in the sun at every opportunity. If that’s the case, then you might want to learn how sun exposure can affect your laser tattoo removal.
Sun exposure and the skin
Laying in the sun is one of the best ways to spend the day. Who doesn’t want a nice healthy glow? The sun increases the production of Vitamin D and Melanin in the body. Some call Vitamin D the sunshine vitamin. It’s important in the role of maintaining healthy bones and teeth, supporting the immune system, and increasing metabolism, to name just a few.
It’s the Melanin that soaks up the radiation from the sun, and this is the reason our skin turns brown.
Melanin
The increased production of melanin in the skin causes you tan or burn. The more melanin in your skin, may result in an ineffective laser tattoo removal treatment. The laser works by targeting tattoo ink but if there’s not much contrast between your tattoo ink and skin tone, the laser will not be able to differentiate between the two.
And if you do burn, your skin becomes weak. And won’t be as responsive as it could be when it comes to laser tattoo removal.
The more melanin in the body, means we have to use a lower setting to ensure we don’t experience any unnecessary side effects like scarring or skin pigment. The skin needs to be as close to the natural skin tone as possible. This gives us the best possibility of removing your tattoos in the least amount of treatments.
Skin tone is only one of the variables we need to consider when it comes to tattoo removal. There are many other factors to consider and which help us estimate how many treatments you might need.
Sunbathing before and after treatment
Two most common questions we get are: Can I sunbathe before laser tattoo removal? And how long after laser tattoo removal can I go in the sun? Well, it’s advisable to wait at least 6 weeks before and at least 4 weeks after treatment. You’ve committed to get rid of your tattoo, and you want to see the best possible results. Therefore, you might need to sacrifice a few days in the sun. However, think about when your tattoo has been completely removed…you’ll be able to go lay in the sun for as long as you desire!
If you must go in the sun and it’s unavoidable either before or after your treatments, then try keeping your tattoo covered up with loose clothing or Bandaid. When possible use sunscreen and limit your sunbathing to 10 minutes at a time.
At Goodbye Tattoos Sydney, we love BeachFox Sunscreen. Not only is it SPF 50+, but it’s clear, quick-drying, and non-sticky!
Fake tanning
Fake tanning not recommended! Try not to use any fake tan products at least 2 weeks prior and post-treatment.
It’s important to maintain a healthy immune system, because the more toxins in the body, the slower the process, and this also applies to toxins absorbed by your skin.
Furthermore, some fake tan products contain activators. Which may react with the laser treatment and this can lead to skin pigmentation.
To sum up….
So now you know how sun exposure can effect your laser tattoo removal. The sun increases levels of melanin which leads to tanning and burning.
If you experience blisters or broken skin during the laser tattoo removal process, then getting sunburnt, will be painful and could cause scarring. This, in turn, could lead to a longer ink elimination process overall.
If all the necessary care is taken when undergoing laser tattoo removal, it won’t be long before you can sit in the sun all day and show off your tanned body to all your friends and family.
We have a lot of information on how laser tattoo removal works. However if you any questions, our friendly laser tattoo removal specialists are ready to answer any questions. Get in touch today Godbye Tattoos, Neutral Bay today. 1300 74 50 74 or info@goodbyetattoos.com