Why summer can be a bad time to get a new tattoo

More than ever we have tattoos. About 25 percent of Australians They are inked.

But a tattoo can be a big investment of time, money and pain.

So how do you take care of your tattooed skin? Here’s what you need to know about sunburn, sweating, and discoloration.

What is a tattoo dermatologically speaking?

Tattoo inks are deposited in the skin layer called dermis. This layer contains sweat and sebaceous glands, a blood supply, immune cells, collagen to support skin structures, and fibroblasts, which produce collagen.

fibroblasts begin ink particles, as well as immune cells in the dermal tissue known as macrophages. The ink particles also stick inside collagen bundles.

Among these three mechanisms, the dermis retains tattoo inks so well that they can be seen even in 5,300-year-old people. ice mummy Ötzi.

Can I get a tattoo if I am sunburned?

No, and many tattoo artists won’t. During sunburn, the skin requires additional immune cells and fluid to kill and break down cells that have suffered too much UV damage.

This inflammation It can affect tattoo ink deposits. You may not get the look you’re looking for, as immune cells remove too much ink or swelling distorts the lines.

It’s much better to be proactive about sun protection before a tattoo, or at least be patient and reschedule when your skin has healed.

How soon after my new tattoo can I go out in the sun?

There isn’t much research on how soon you can expose your new tattoo to the sun. However, most tattoo artists We recommend that you avoid sun exposure while the tattoo heals, which usually takes about three weeks.

This seems sensible, since your new tattoo is a type of wound.

Because the skin is damaged when a needle is inserted, it is not surprising that the most common short-term complication is local inflammation with swelling, redness, and discomfort at the tattoo site. There is an influx of immune cells to deal with the damage, much like a sunburn.

So in a way, you should treat your new tattoo like a sunburn and Avoid sun exposure while it heals.

But you shouldn’t use sunscreen on the tattoo at that time. That’s because sunscreen can enter the dermis through puncture wounds and cause further irritation. Instead, cover your new tattoo with loose clothing.

What happens if my tattoo gets sunburned?

Reactions induced by sunlight Both new and existing tattoos are common. There is usually swelling, itching, or stinging at the tattoo site that may begin immediately or develop over the course of a day. We’re not really sure why this happens.

Most of the time, these reactions are unpleasant but do not require medical treatment, like sunburn.

There is also a small amount of evidence that sunburn from a tattoo temporarily suppresses the skin’s immune system, allowing a infection to settle down.

Do tattoos increase my risk of skin cancer?

Some ink components, such as mercury or carbon black, are suspected of causing cancer when used in other applications. However, there are no evidence Skin cancers are more likely on tattooed skin.

Tattoos cause newly developed skin cancers harder to detect. In addition to making the lesion more difficult to detect, the colors of the tattoo interfere with the doctor’s assessment of the colors of the lesion, which can be an important sign of cancer.

Therefore, it is a good idea to become familiar with moles and freckles on an area of ​​skin before getting a tattoo and check them yourself once a month for changes.

Red tattoos appear to be more likely to develop large but benign (non-cancerous) skin tumors called keratoacanthomas. These appear within a few months of getting a tattoo and often grow quickly but then heal on their own.

However, they can be difficult to distinguish from squamous cell carcinomas (a type of skin cancer). They can also damage underlying structures, such as nerves and muscles. Therefore, it is often necessary to remove them anyway.

Can sunlight fade my tattoo?

As tattoos age, they may fade slightly as some of the loose ink particles seep deeper into the dermis. Sun exposure can also degrade ink particles.

There is limited research on this in human skin. After all, most people don’t want to remove their tattoos for scientific reasons. So most of what we know comes from research. in mice.

However, modern tattoo inks give a strong color. Therefore, in practice, you may not notice any fading for years.

Does tattooed skin sweat differently than non-tattooed skin?

This is an important question, because sweating is one of the main ways our body prevents overheating in summer. If you have a full sleeve or your entire back is your canvas, that’s a significant amount of skin.

Since the tattoo pierces the skin repeatedly, sweat glands in the dermis it can be damaged.

But research on the impact of tattoos on sweating is mixed and depends on what you’re doing at the time.

In A study, researchers used a heatable suit to increase the core body temperature of study participants by 1°C. The tattooed areas produced about 15 percent less sweat. It is not clear whether this is enough to increase the risk of heat stress.

However, when other researchers looked at sweating exercise induced There was no effect on sweat volume between tattooed and non-tattooed skin.

Long-term risks

When performed in the clean conditions of a licensed tattoo parlor, tattooing is relatively safe.

But in the long term, some people develop allergic reactions to certain colors due to the different compounds in each, most commonly red dyes. This can cause bumps, scales, scars, or other visible changes.

So what is the most common long-term side effect of tattoos? Tattoo regret and desire to have them remote.

Katie Lee is a PhD candidate and Erin McMeniman is a senior lecturer in the Southern Clinical Unit of the Princess Alexandra Hospital and an informal research assistant at the University of Queensland. This piece first appeared in The conversation.