New tattoos and summer sun don’t always mix. Here’s what your tattoo artist wants you to know.
What happens if you show up to your tattoo appointment with sunburn? We asked tattoo artist Hannah Gehrke (@gerktattoos) to break it down.
Can you tattoo on sunburn?
“Don’t do it!” says Hannah. “Sunburn is first and foremost skin damage and affects the outer layers of your skin.”
As well as being super painful, getting a tattoo on a sunburn could technically be difficult. Stencils, inks and ointments tattooers use haven’t been designed for sunburnt skin.
"It always results in the stencil having to be moved elsewhere on the body with no damage, or the booking being rearranged altogether until the area has fully healed,” Hannah says.
What about peeling skin? Afriad that's a "nope" too from Hannah. "[The stencil] sticks to the outer layers of flaky, dead skin, so with one wipe it comes straight off!”
Should I tell my artist before the appointment that I'm sunburnt?
“Yes please!” Hannah says. “We can either find a new home for the tattoo or rearrange the appointment. It's inconvenient for both of us, sure, but it's much better to be safe than sorry.”
How long after you've had sunburn can you get a tattoo?
“Tattooing sunburnt skin wouldn't only be incredibly sore, but there's a huge chance of healing being problematic. Your skin would already be trying to mend from the sun damage, so it's best to let it heal up before attempting to tattoo it.”
Back from holiday? You may want to wait before booking that tattoo. (Tattoo by gerktattoos)
Will my tattooist be able to tattoo me if my skin is peeling or blistered?
“Tattooing over blistered skin would probably result in a fast track ticket to Skin Infection City, so it's best to avoid any areas with considerable skin damage altogether,” Hannah says.
With this in mind, it’s unlikely your tattoo artist will agree to tattoo you if you turn up to your appointment with any type of sunburn, even if it’s minor.
“[I'd] like to think the vast majority of artists would say no to someone with sunburnt skin,” Hannah adds.
Does sunburn fade tattoos?
Absolutely, sunburn causes tattoos to fade. “The lines blister, burst, scab and then drop out, resulting in a very patchy looking tattoo," Hannah says.
Sun exposure fades tattoos and sunburn will only speed up the process. After you’ve been sunburnt your skin peels and in doing so you shed layers of skin faster than you would normally.
So it’s best to avoid exposing new tattoos to the sun, and keeping old ones fresh with plenty of SPF and/or cover too.
How to protect your new tattoo from sunburn
If you’ve just been tattooed there are a few things you can do to help keep your new tattoo sunburn free, including:
- Keeping it covered with some light clothing
- Keeping it out of direct sunlight
- Applying sun cream once it’s fully healed
- Avoiding swimming
While it’s healing, Hannah recommends sticking to your regular chosen moisturiser and to “keep those new tattoos under wraps and protected.” You also want to avoid getting your “healing tattoo soaking wet, so take steps to cool yourself down in the shade."
How to treat sunburn on a new tattoo
Ok, despite words of warning from your artist you’ve still gone and sunburnt your new tattoo. Now what? Hannah recommends you “completely leave it alone.” This may include:
- Leaving it to dry out
- Not touching it
- Not bursting any blisters
- Not applying any creams to it
- Keeping it covered with light clothing
Signs you may need to see your GP? "[If your tattoo] begins weeping yellow/green fluids, becomes inflamed/red - not the sunburn itself - which begins to spread over time rather than decrease in size,” Hannah says.
“You are not harder than the sun. Your skin is your body's largest organ, and you should take the steps to look after it," Hannah says. "If you're getting tattooed in the summer, make sure to consistently reapply sun cream while you're out and about and seek shade to avoid burning prior to your appointment. Look after your skin, folks!”
*Article updated 9.7.25.