The Tanning Shop - Time to Shine

Sunbed After New Tattoo: Tips on Protecting Your Ink

Sunbed After New Tattoo: Tips on Protecting Your Ink - The Tanning Shop

CAN YOU TAN AFTER A NEW TATTOO?

If you’ve recently had a tattoo, it’s natural to wonder when you can safely return to your tanning routine.

While tanning may be part of your regular self-care, it’s crucial to protect your new ink during the healing process or you could risk fading, irritation, or even infection. Patience is paramount when it comes to exposing fresh ink to UV radiation. We would always recommend waiting for your new tattoo to be fully healed before visiting one of our salons for a sunbed session.

 

When Can You Tan After a New Tattoo?

New tattoos need time to heal before they’re exposed to UV light. Sunbeds emit UV rays just like natural sunlight, and exposing a fresh tattoo too soon can interfere with healing, blur the lines of your design, or cause damage to the skin.

As a general rule:

  • Wait at least 2–4 weeks, depending on your tattoo’s size and location
  • Healing may take longer for detailed or coloured designs
  • Always follow your tattoo artist’s aftercare advice

Until your skin is fully healed, avoid sunbeds completely. Even a short sunbed session could harm your new tattoo.

 

CAN SUNBEDS DAMAGE FRESH TATTOOS?

Fresh tattoos are essentially open wounds. The skin is sensitive, inflamed, and actively repairing itself. UV exposure at this stage can:

  • Lead to excessive fading
  • Increase the risk of infection
  • Disrupt the healing process
  • Cause pain or irritation

It’s worth the wait. A well-healed tattoo looks better for longer.

 

After Your Tattoo Has Healed: How to Protect It on a Sunbed

The best way to protect any exposed tattoos during your tanning session is to use a lotion that is specifically designed for tattoo protection. At the Tanning Shop, we stock a range of lotions from Australian Gold which contain their unique ColorGuard™ Plus Tattoo Technology. These lotions contain exclusive tattoo technologies, focussed on maintaining tattoo vibrancy and combating UV’s fading effect using deeply hydrating skincare ingredients.*

Learn more about responsible tanning methods in our guide

Keeping Tattoo Colours Vibrant Between Tanning Sessions

One of the easiest ways to keep your tattoos vibrant is to keep your skin hydrated! Use a skin-nourishing moisturiser to keep tattoo vibrancy! Our favourite is the Hemp Nation Agave and Lime lotion.

*Source: Australian Gold