Why Sunscreen Is Essential for Your Tattoos

By Kristan Kelly

on Mar 2, 2026

Tattoos are a big investment that you want to take care of to ensure you get your money's worth. Protecting your tattoos by using sun protection is what, in the long run, makes your tattoos look better as they age.

You shouldn’t apply sunscreen to a brand-new tattoo because it’s essentially a fresh wound created by the needles piercing your skin. But after three to four weeks of the healing process for the tattoos, you want to make sure you start applying sunscreen to the tattoo daily. While waiting for the healing process to finish, wearing clothes that cover the tattoo and can protect it from the sun is a good way to protect the skin.

What to look for in a fully healed tattoo:

Smooth skin
No scabs or peeling
No redness
No itchness

From the start, when you get a new tattoo, once your skin is healed enough to use sunscreen, you want to make sure you do so. Starting with that care early on will help your tattoo look new and fresh for years to come.

Sunscreen is one of the most important steps in protecting tattoo color, detail, and skin health.

Why the sun is harmful to tattoos

Sun exposure to your tattoos can take a big toll on the art. Failing to protect your skin not only harms your tattoo but also harms the health of your skin.

UV rays can damage your skin, but also, when you are not realizing it, start to permanently alter and damage your tattoos. The UV rays in the sun start to break down the ink of your tattoo into particles, fading and blurring the tattoo the longer you are in the sun without protection.

Investing in a good sunscreen to protect not only your skin but also the tattoo you invested a lot of money into is a must.

What SPF is best for tattoos

When choosing a sunscreen, it’s important to research which product works best for your specific skin type and to make sure it’s safe for protecting tattoos as well. Always make sure the sunscreen you pick out is SPF 30 or higher. SPF 50 is always best if you want the most sun prediction but as long as you have 30 or higher, your skin should be protected.

A good water-resistant formula is best for the summer because of the hot weather, but also because you do not have to reapply as much. Which means less worrying about whether or not your tattoo is protected from the sun.

A mineral sunscreen is the healthiest sunscreen that you could get for your skin. Mineral sunscreen contains no harmful ingredients that will damage your skin. Chemical sunscreen is very harmful to the skin, but also to your tattoos. Ingredients like avobenzone, oxybenzone, and octinoxate are contained in chemical sunscreens and can penetrate deeper layers of the skin, including tattoo ink that will cause a fade to the ink over time if put on your skin.

Tattoos are sensitive, so taking good care of your skin and using a mineral sunscreen can help your tattoo heal properly and age well over time. The added moisturization and formulas designed for sensitive skin help ensure that your tattoo continues to look vibrant and well-maintained over time.