Exposing tattoo to sunlight?

Question

Now, i know that on new tattoos you should not expose them to direct sunlight and healed tattoos you should use sunblock but what about if my new tattoos(1 week old) were exposed to direct sunlight for only about a minute at a time, like say, walking to my car or walking through a big parking lot to a store? would that short amount of direct sunlight affect it respectively? I KNOW about tattoo goo(i use it all the time), and i know about these different skin lotions and how to take care of tattoos. i just want to know about the little bit of sunlight exposure.

Answer 1

over time the suns damage will add up- a minute a day for one year is 365 minutes.

I would suggest using a high strength sunblock on your tattoos and your whole body in general-

if you want your tattoo to stay bright and nice keep it protected.

Also depending on the color of the tattoo will tell you the rate of fade-

my sister has one that has the color orange in it- and it has faded drastically in the last few years.

Protect your investment and your skin- use sunscreen-any brand will do- as long as it has a high SPF factor. You don;t have to spend a ton for specialty items either to get the same protection.  

Answer 2

Sun light until fully healed will ruin the tattoo, sure the others that answer are partly correct. In the end the least amount of sun the better your tattoo will last, be patient.

Answer 3

That's kind of a tricky question. Any amount of sunlight is bad for a tattoo, but, as you say, will a minute or two here and there hurt it? The thing is, you have to add up all those "minute or two's" through out your life, and it can end up being a substantial chunk of time.

But I think your real question is how much is too much? I don't believe there is a definitive answer to that. Your best bet to keep your tat healthy and looking fresh is to keep it covered all the time with either sunblock or whatever. It only takes a second to slap on a layer of sun block and is worth it in the long run.

Answer 4

Little bit of sunlight like that won't hurt. But when you know you will be out for a long period of time is when you would want to cover it up or sunblock on.

Answer 5

you are fine. just take care of ur tattoo like you would ur skin, or other "wounds". technically, tattoos are skin wounds, so be good to them. dont worry. everything will be fine.

Answer 6

I should be fine, as long as there isn't a direct and prolonged exposure to the sunlight. For a short amount of time like walking to your car shouldn't effect it at all. Just make sure to keep it moisturized.

Answer 7

It shouldn't be a big deal. They are more concerned about long amounts of exposed time.