There is a plain fact about having a new tattoo in Australia: it will require more protection than you might think. The heat, the sun, the salt and chlorine, even the dryness can be an irritant to the skin and impede healing, not to mention the possibility of infection or fading. One does well to err on the side of caution with clean skin, some moisture and plenty of shade.
Here is the unvarnished version. Two weeks in, your fresh ink should be kept clean and dry, away from any pools or beaches and certainly out of the direct sun and long sweaty affairs. Once it has healed, put some clothes over it to shield it from the sun and then apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen made for tattoos; in a country like ours UV rays and a tattoo are a poor combination.
I am Eleanor Maris. Melbourne has a way of teaching you things, whether it is at a tram stop or in the spa, or when a summer afternoon gets sticky by midday. You learn that heat makes the skin act up. A care regimen that would see you through a cool English spring is liable to come unstuck in an Australian summer if you are out working or commuting, or making believe a beach outing is “just a quick dip”.
Why Australia Changes The Rules
Your aftercare has to be of higher priority here given the climate. The day-to-day exposure is more of a trial than most allow for. You may not feel the scorch but the UV is there, and friction and sweat will have a healing piece irritated in no time.
It is not so much a single blunder as the sum of them: being in the open at a tram stop, wearing something synthetic, a stint at the gym and then an itch that tempts you to over-moisturise. Good tattoo care in warm weather is about nipping those small aggravations in the bud.
What Most People Get Wrong
Some will tell you a fresh tattoo only warrants attention on the beach. That is a myth. The rigours of suburban life can upset the healing process in the heat: a hot car, a day in hospitality, gardening, walking the dog or a hike up a ferny track in the Dandenongs where a backpack strap is chafing the same place all day.
Then there is the notion of “airing it out” which is taken to mean baking in the sun. It is not. Direct UV is not what a fresh tattoo needs. And if you are yet to make up your mind on placement for an appointment, a guide to tattoo styles might put some areas in perspective that are simpler to put under cover while they heal.
Why Sun Exposure Matters
In a blunt sense a fresh tattoo is a wound you have put there and the sun will not be kind to it while the skin barrier is mending, leading to inflammation and uneven results. As for work that is already healed, too much UV is what causes it to fade. Until the skin is sound, keep the sun off it; one does not put sunscreen on open or unhealed skin.
Heat, UV And Fading
You will find some of the world’s highest UV levels in Australia. The Government’s own health advice is to put some protection on when the UV Index hits 3, and for much of the year that is par for the course in this country. It is easy to think that a tattoo will only go dull from months of sunbathing, but early on the UV can do its damage before the tattoo has properly settled, and in time it will erode the colour and lines.
First Two Weeks Done Properly
From day zero to two weeks is the critical period. Consistency in cleaning and drying is called for and it is not very exciting. Most aftercare goes wrong because people make too much of it. I would say be fussy about it. Nothing carefree or glamorous, just common sense. Do not let your forearm marinate in sweat on the 86 tram.
Cleaning Without Fuss
Hands first. Then a gentle wash with lukewarm water and a fragrance-free product of the type your artist would recommend. A clean paper towel will do to pat it dry, or just leave it to the air. Under no circumstances should you be scrubbing at it or using a towel that is not your own, and resist the urge to get carried away with it on the grounds that it “feels a bit flaky”.
Then there are the aftercare instructions from the likes of Dr Pickles, Eleven Pillar Tattoo Studio, Surf N Ink, Art n Soul or Victory Tattoo Co. They will all have their own way of doing things which may vary in accordance with the size and siting of the tattoo or if second-skin has been put on. Heed what your artist tells you above all else; they were there for the session and know your skin.
Moisture, Not Slathering
When the tattoo is dry and your artist gives the word, put on a light moisturiser or aftercare balm, but keep it to a very thin layer. You want a sheen, not something as glossy as pavlova topping. In humid weather an excess of product will only serve to trap bacteria and sweat along with the heat.
Some itching and scabbing is to be expected, but don’t make light of thick scabs, ooze or redness that is spreading. A tattoo is supposed to settle down over time, not become more of a nuisance each day.
- Clean with lukewarm water and hands that have been properly washed.
- Your artist may put you on a fragrance-free wash for this.
- Be gentle when you pat it dry and let it go completely before you put any clothes or dressing on.
- A thin application of the product they recommend is enough.
- No picking or scratching, and stay clear of anything that rubs tight.
Managing Heat And Sweat
Many an Australian has had trouble with aftercare in hot weather. Perspiration is not in itself a catastrophe, but then you add in the friction and grime and the healing skin gets irritated in short order. If you are one to live in a muggy part of town, exercise every day or put in hours outdoors, you will have to make some changes to your routine. This is not the time for heroic hikes or putting up with a long humid commute as though you were resting at home, much less packed festivals.
Daily Steps That Actually Help
Put on something loose and breathable and get out of your sweaty gear in a hurry. Should you find sweat has collected around the tattoo, give it a good rinse and pat it dry. Unless the artist has told you otherwise, heavy ointments are best left alone in the heat, they can be as rough as guts when it gets warm.
I have seen in my time in skin therapy that those who do the best in summer are not ones for fancy measures. They are simply well organised. They see to it the area is clean, they don’t overdo the moisturising and they don’t try and carry on with the same old routine they had pre-tattoo.
If You Only Have One Day Out
Make sure it is the shadiest, coolest option available. An indoor errand is preferable to a walk on the beach. There is a world of difference between a Fitzroy brunch in a linen shirt and spending the whole day in the sun at St Kilda with a new calf tattoo.
Summer tattoos on the forearms, shoulders, feet or ankles are not for the faint of heart if you have to commute or work outside or do sport. They are more prone to irritation and harder to put a shield on.
Steer Clear Of Water Hazards
Don’t think of a bath or a pool as an inoffensive indulgence while you are healing. Fresh ink and a soak in saltwater or chlorine is a bad deal. Take the advice to avoid swimming to heart.
One is often asked for a figure in days but that is not how it works; healing is dependent on your skin, where the tattoo is and so on. Don’t start soaking because it looks better, wait for it to be fully healed.
Swimming Timelines In Real Life
In the real world most people will have to forgo a tinnie-to-beach excursion or a few laps of the pool while the tattoo is tender or scabbed. A shower is acceptable if your artist is okay with it, a soak is not. Saltwater stings, chlorine dries you out and both are a hygiene issue.
Here in Australia it is the incidental water that catches you out. A beach walk becomes a wade, or you are on a camping trip with dusty heat and communal facilities that are not conducive to keeping your hands clean for aftercare.
When Sunscreen Comes In
It is important but you have to time it right. Put nothing on a new tattoo until it is done healing, broken skin will have a reaction and the stinging from some products is no fun. After it has healed, sunscreen is part of the long term plan. For colour and lines to hold up, particularly in Australia, a broad-spectrum SPF 50+ is your friend.
How To Use SPF Properly
Before any sun is to be had, put a water-resistant SPF 50+ of the broad-spectrum variety on your healed tattoos and reapply as the instructions say, in particular if you have been swimming or put in some hard work. Exposed skin on the neck, forearms, hands and calves must have sunscreen, though one’s first defence should be clothing.
When it comes to product selection, there is merit in keeping it simple. You will find some opt for what is put forward by studios in their aftercare or Tattoo Skincare lines; others are quite content with a no-nonsense sensitive-skin sunscreen from an Australian pharmacy once the tattoo has taken hold.
Use Clothing As Your Shield
For protracted time outdoors you are better off with clothes than sunscreen by itself. UPF pieces are handy for a day of driving, hiking or gardening as they provide coverage you can rely on without having to fuss over them. In Australia where it can be cool in the morning and then blazing by the time your flat white is done, a good sleeve or shirt is more practical than trying to keep up with reapplication as the sweat runs down your elbow.
Best Fabrics And Fit
Opt for something soft and breathable that will not chafe or stick. A UPF-rated rash vest or shirt will simplify matters for a healed tattoo under a hot sun. With a new one, stay away from anything tight that would rub or dislodge scabs. If the question is what to put over a healing tattoo in the sun, clean, loose apparel is safest. For a healed piece, make use of UPF and sunscreen where you can.
| Situation | Best Protection | What To Avoid | Practical Note |
| Fresh tattoo (indoors) | Loose, clean clothing or dressing of the artist’s making | Tight sleeves, a heavy hand with ointment | Suited for office work and running errands |
| Fresh tattoo (outdoors) | Get in the shade and cover up | Unhealed skin in the sun, sunscreen | Put off extended outdoor plans |
| Healed tattoo at the beach | SPF 50+ and UPF | Direct exposure all day | Do not forget to reapply post-swim |
| Healed tattoo, working out | SPF if skin is exposed and fabric that breathes | Gear that causes friction | Dry off and shower after |
Choosing Products In Australia
There is no call to have a bathroom cabinet full of sardine-like niche aftercare paraphernalia. The sensible way to see to a new tattoo in summer is with a good wash, a balm or moisturiser of the right kind and eventually a dependable broad-spectrum sunscreen.
From the likes of Numbastay and other retailers to what you get at the pharmacy, an Australian shopper has plenty to choose from. But do not be tempted by the most ornate tin; pick a formula that is suitable and apply it correctly.
What To Look For
Your artist will likely give his approval to a plain, fragrance-free cleanser for washing. As for moisture, eschew thick perfumed body butter in favour of an aftercare product that will not irritate. Once healed, make sure you have your SPF 50+. Prices in Australia are not unreasonable for quality items: expect to pay in the region of AUD 10-25 for a good fragrance-free cleanser, 15-35 for an aftercare balm and 15-30 for a decent sunscreen depending on the size. There is no need to part with silly money.
Know When To Get Help
A certain amount of itching, scabbing, flaking and even some redness and warmth is to be expected. Yet there is a point at which normal healing gives way to signs of infection or trouble with the pigment. Let it go on too long and you will have made a mess of the tattoo and your skin. The way Eleanor Maris puts it, the rule of thumb is simple: when a tattoo is not improving with the passage of each day but seems to be on the decline, put away any notions of amateur sleuthing and get in touch with your artist. A GP should be your next port of call if the situation calls for it.
Red Flags Worth Taking Seriously
Do not make light of such things as redness that is spreading, pronounced swelling, pus or fever, an unpleasant odour, hot skin or red streaks. These are indications of infection and warrant medical attention; pain too, if it is getting worse rather than abating. Should you be left with some pigment loss or patchy healing and there is no sign of infection, have a word with your artist on the possibility of a touch-up once it has all healed over.
There is a body of research and public data from the University of Queensland (UQ) on the subject of sun exposure and skin health, and the medical view in Australia has not wavered: one does not mess about with our UV levels. Those with eczema, allergies, slow healing or a predisposition to sensitive skin would do well to be on their guard and make the artist aware of it prior to the appointment.
- Contact your artist first for aftercare clarification if the tattoo seems irritated but not dangerous.
- See a GP urgently if there is spreading redness, pus, fever, severe pain or other clear infection signs.
- Discuss touch-ups only after complete healing, not while the skin is still peeling or inflamed.
Common Questions Answered
You will hear these asked a good deal when the wrap is off and the weather gets feral. The short of it is to be more stringent in the opening weeks than you feel called for.
How Should I Care For My Tattoo When I’m In The Sun?
A fresh one should be shielded by clean, loose clothing and kept from direct rays. When it is healed up, seek shade and put on broad-spectrum SPF 50+ and UPF clothing, reapplying as you should.
How Should I Care For A New Tattoo In Australia?
It must be protected from soaking, heat and sweat as well as the sun, and kept dry and lightly moisturised. The higher humidity and the outdoor life we lead here mean new tattoo care in Australia demands more of an eye than in cooler climes.
Can I Get My Tattoo In The Sun After 3 Weeks?
Only if the tattoo is properly healed, which many are not at three weeks. Any scabbing, shine or tenderness and you are to avoid the sun. Limit your exposure even after it has settled.
What To Cover My Tattoo With In The Sun?
For the unhealed tattoo, sunscreen is out; go for breathable, loose fitting clothes. On a healed piece, UPF clothing is ideal with sunscreen on what is exposed.
Does Sweat Ruin A Healing Tattoo?
Not of itself, but leave it to long periods of sweating and friction and poor hygiene and the skin will be irritated. Make sure to have a shower or rinse and dry off.
The Simple Takeaway
Aftercare in Australia is not rocket science but it is a matter of discipline. You can let the Australian UV undo good work in a hurry if you are not protecting a healed tattoo with some conviction. I have been around enough skin rooms and hot footpaths and gum trees in my time to know that the unglamorous kind of aftercare is the best. Common sense, light product, clean hands and nothing more. Not very thrilling perhaps, but preferable to putting down money for a fine tattoo and having the summer take its toll.
Related guide: tattoo styles explained guide.