Can I get a tattoo if the skin is peeling from sunburn?

It's the first day of autumn (when this article was created), so summer is officially over. Until next year, we can only nostalgic for those wonderful, sunny, hot summer days. But some of you are still dealing with late sunbathing, which of course is associated with sunburned skin.

Now, if you are anything like me and decided to go on vacation in late August and early September, you will understand what I am talking about. Sunburn seems to take longer during this period because the sunlight is not as intense as it is during high summer. However, there is a catch. You might think it's impossible to get burned from this gentle, low-intensity sunbathing, but here we are. Sunburn and peeling. And some of us have tattoos.

So what can you do? If this sounds like your end-of-summer scenario, then you are in the right place. Let's talk about tattooing tanned, flaky skin and why you should probably reschedule your tattoo appointment!

Tanned and flaky skin - why does this happen?

Sunburn occurs for two reasons;

• The skin is overexposed to damaging UV-B rays, which are known to damage the DNA in skin cells.
• The body's natural defense system becomes too overwhelmed to react, which in turn causes a toxic reaction or inflammation and increased/accelerated production of melanin, known as sunburn (or sunburn in mild cases).

As a result, DNA is completely damaged in skin cells. Thus, in order to regenerate and promote the development of new cells, the dead cells actually cause the skin to flake off. This amount of skin damage can be prevented by using sunscreens with an SPF of 30 or higher. Regular use of sunscreen, especially in summer, creates a protective barrier on the skin, minimizing sunburn and preventing general skin flaking.

Peeling skin should be treated with lotion and gentle exfoliation. At first, with severe sunburn, it is important to cope with the pain. Thus, by taking ibuprofen, you can manage pain and reduce inflammation. It is also important to avoid dehydration and not expose your skin to the sun until it has completely healed.

In some cases, skin peeling is moderate. The skin is flaky in some places, and no "layers of flaky skin" occur. This means that the skin should recover quickly with proper care. However, strong peeling takes longer and can even cause pain.

How do you know if your skin is flaky? Well, there are layers of flaky skin on the body, and the areas of peeling are visibly inflamed and redden. These areas also hurt, and when you touch them, your natural skin color usually turns red.

Tattoos and tanned skin

Now the problem with tanned skin is that you are dealing with 1st or 2nd degree skin burn in most cases of skin flaking. This means that the damage to the skin is severe, even with moderate skin flaking. The only way to get around this is to let the skin heal, as we mentioned earlier.

So, how about a tattoo on tanned skin? Well, you might want to postpone your appointment with the tattoo artist for a week or two, because no tattoo artist will tattoo on tanned, flaky skin. The reasons for this are;

• The tattoo needle will further damage the skin
• The pain of the tattoo will be extreme, especially if it is in a very sensitive area.
• Skin peeling will interfere with the tattoo needle and the tattoo artist will have visibility problems.
• It can be difficult to match the ink color to the "current" skin color, which is tan and red.
• Peeling the skin can cause some problems with the tattoo and even lead to infection (dead skin cells can carry germs and bacteria).
• The tattoo artist will not control the process due to numerous obstacles and problems.
• Sunburned skin can flake off and also form blisters, which can also become infected during tattooing.
• As the skin layer peels off, there is always a risk of ink smearing.

All in all, it's a big NO to whether you can get a tattoo when your skin is tanned and flaky. This is far from the ideal skin condition for a process that damages the skin itself. So putting damage on top of damage can be very harmful to your skin and overall health.

So what can you do to speed up skin healing?

The only thing you can do besides using home remedies is to wait until your skin heals and stops flaking. This process can take from several days to several weeks, depending on the severity of the sunburn. To help your skin heal faster, you should;

• Drink plenty of fluids Drink at least 8 glasses of water throughout the day, and eat fruits and vegetables, which are also sources of fluid and hydration. This is especially true on hot days.
• Use a cold compress - If your skin is badly burned and flaky, you can use a cold compress to cool the skin. A cool shower also helps. Do not apply ice directly to the skin, as this further irritates and damages the skin. Instead, put ice cubes in a plastic bag and even wrap it in a towel.
• Take medication – Anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen or aspirin can help soothe sunburn or skin inflammation. It can also help with pain and promote faster healing. We recommend that you avoid anti-inflammatory ointments as they usually contain oil. Now, oil-based products can prevent skin from healing and cause the skin to close and store moisture.
• Avoid peeling skin It can be quite tempting to remove dead skin cells, but this should be avoided. The skin has a natural way of dealing with dead skill cells and removing them on its own. When the new skin underneath the dead cells is fully healed and regenerated, the flaking will fall off on its own. If you clean them, the skin may become susceptible to further damage.

When will you finally be able to get a tattoo?

Depending on the severity of your sunburn and flaking skin, you should wait one to two weeks to get a tattoo. With moderate sunburn, without sunburn and skin peeling, for example, you can immediately get a tattoo. However, increased reddening of the skin and increased flaking of the skin means that you should wait for it to heal before getting a tattoo.

As long as the skin tan is in the normal and natural area, you can get a tattoo whenever you want. Moderate to severe sunburn and skin peeling means you should wait 7 to 14 days to get a tattoo.. Even so, your tattoo artist will examine the skin to make sure it has completely healed.

Final thoughts

No tattoo artist will tattoo tanned and flaky skin. It's too risky for the client. The process will be extremely painful, the tattoo may fail due to many obstacles, and the skin will be severely damaged. There is always the possibility of inflammation and infection of the tattoo due to skin peeling and blisters caused by sunburn.

So, if you want to get a tattoo, just be patient. Remember; a tattoo is something permanent. So, you want to have the best possible foundation for such an experience. If there is even the slightest chance that something could ruin your tattoo, think about it and just wait.

For more information, be sure to talk to your dermatologist, who will check your skin condition and help you estimate the time it takes for your skin to heal.