How To Cover A Tattoo In A Tanning Bed?

Summer is fast approaching and you really want to get an even tan on your body to look and the summer skin. There is no doubt in my mind that you would have considered a tanning bed to get that easy tan within the hour. But then you remembered that your tattoo artist had warned you about UV rays and their fading effect on your tattoo. There must be a way you can cover your tattoo to be able to use the tanning bed.

So how to cover a tattoo in a tanning bed? There are many ways that you can protect your tattoo in the tanning bed, and I am here to help! Even if it might be dangerous, there are still ways to safely tan in a tanning bed with your tattoo.

Key Takeaways

• UV rays are able to fade your tattoo because they cause a reaction that breaks up your tattoo.
• You can use sunscreen, adhesive bandage, or clothing to protect your tattoo in a tanning bed.
• Tanning beds are harmful to tattoos, so consider spray tans and self-tanners for temporary tans that are safe for tattoos.
• You cannot get a tan on your new tattoo under any circumstances! Wait a full month to allow your tattoo to heal before you use any tanning method.

UV Rays Effect on Tattoo

Firstly, it is important to understand why is UV rays harmful to your tattoos. UV rays, or ultraviolet rays, from the sun and tanning beds are a type of radiation that gets absorbed by the skin. They are made up of various wavelengths, where the longer ones are called UVA or UV alpha, and the shorter is called UVB or UV beta. UVA can penetrate through to the dermis level, where your tattoo ink is settled.

When your tattoo inks absorb the UVAs, it causes a reaction that splits the pigments in your tattoo ink. Once the pigments are split, the macrophage white blood cells in your body will attack the pigments. They will further break it down and pass it out of your body through the liver. This is why UV rays cause tattoos to fade. They break the ink apart and your body does the rest!

The UV rays produced by the sun come from far away, so they are not that intense. But tanning beds are really intense! The intensity of the UV rays will cause a faster splitting of your pigments and make your tattoo ink fade even quicker. This is why tanning beds are considered to not be good for your tattoo.

Ways to Cover Tattoo in a Tanning Bed

If you still feel like you want to get a tan in a tanning bed, there is no one to stop you. But to protect your tattoo you will need to use these ways or risk ruining your tattoo and the skin!

SPF 50 Sunscreen

For a normal day out in the sun, SPF 30 is more than enough to protect your tattoo. But not for a tanning bed! For that intensity, you will be needing SPF 50 at the very least. You could go for higher ratings such as 70 and 100 but they are not really worth buying because they block about the same as SPF 50.

For an SPF 50 sunscreen, the Coppertone SPORT Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 is a good choice. It contains zinc oxide which will help protect you from both UVA and UVB rays produced in the tanning bed. So make sure that you cover your tattoo area well with SPF 50 sunscreen before getting in.

Adhesive Bandage

While not all adhesive bandages will have UV protection, Recovery Aftercare Derm Shield Tattoo Black can be a good way to cover your tattoo while providing some protection from the tanning bed. However, it is more suited for protection against the sun than a tanning bed. The intensity from the tanning bed might also heat up your skin so do be careful about that. Do not use the tanning bed for more than 15 minutes in this case.

Clothing

Another thing that you can cover your tattoo in a tanning bed is just plain old clothing! Cover your forearm tattoo with an arm sleeve or shorts for your thigh tattoo. This will however give you an uneven tan that you might not like as UV rays cannot penetrate through clothing. Good protection against UV rays but you will not the desired tan you want.

That is why, other than SPF 50 sunscreens, you can’t really tan your tattoo in a tanning bed. Even then, it still is harmful to the tattoo and the skin underneath. With adhesive bandages and clothing, you can protect your tattoo but you will not get an even tattoo!

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Can You Tan on a New Tattoo?

If you are wondering whether you can tan on a new tattoo, then the answer is a resounding no! A new tattoo is a like an open wound, which will make the tanning bed attack your exposed skin and cause further damage. This will ruin your tattoo and the skin.

Not to mention the fact the new tattoo ink will take time to settle in your dermis. If you tan your new tattoo, the ink pigments will break even faster and leak from your skin instead of passing through the body. There is also no way that you can apply sunscreen on your new tattoo to protect it in the tanning bed. This will further ruin your tattoo and prevent it from healing with all the chemicals in sunscreen.

That is why you have to wait about 4 to 8 weeks after you get a tattoo to get a tan! With proper tattoo aftercare, your tattoo skin will heal in as short as 4 weeks but it is safer to wait until the 6 to 8-week mark to make sure that the upper skin layer of your tattoo is completely healed. Then you can contemplate getting a tan.

Other Ways to Tan Your Tattoo

You could always use other methods of tanning instead of a tanning bed! These methods are safer on your skin overall, especially tattoos. But remember, that you can only apply these once your skin is healed, and you can’t use them on a new tattoo whatsoever!

Spray tan

To give your tattoo a nice even tan without UV rays, you can go to a spray tan salon! These will last you about two weeks and give your tattoo a bronze effect and cause no harm to your tattoo at all. Spray tans today contain moisturizing ingredients that can help your tattoo after it’s healed as well.

Self-tanner

If you are not keen on going to a shop, you can always get a self-tanner and do the tanning at home. Tanning lotions or tanning oils can help accelerate the formation of melanin in your body which is what darkens your skin. You can apply these on your body and over the tattoo for a temporary tan and will do your tattoo no harm. Just remember to have your tattoo healed before using them!

FAQs

Can you use a tanning bed if you have a tattoo?

Yes, you can use a tanning bed if you have a tattoo. As long as the tattoo is healed you can use it. However, UV rays will affect your tattoo so you must wear sunscreen or cover your tattoo when in a tanning bed.

How soon after can you tan a new tattoo?

The tattooed skin will take up to 4 to 8 weeks to completely heal the top part of the skin which is when you can tattoo after a new tattoo. The timing will depend on how well you did your tattoo aftercare.

Can Saniderm protect my tattoo from UV rays?

Unfortunately, Saniderm does not have a UV protection bandage that will help with your tanning. But you can use SaniBalm to help moisturize and help provide a little protection against the sun. But if you want to use a tanning bed, I would advise you to apply SPF 50 sunscreen.

Final Thoughts

If you ask me, I will advise against using a tanning bed. But if you must, then your best option for an even tan is to use an SPF 50 or higher sunscreen before getting in a tanning bed. Clothing and adhesive bandage will protect your tattoo, but they won’t give you an even tan. The skin underneath might also heat up so you will have to be careful of that. For a tan, spray tan, tanning lotions, and tanning oils are the best way to get a tan that is safe for your tattoo.

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