Can someone who has a tattoo, scars from burns or incisions tan indoors? Should special attention be given to these areas, where skin is more sensitive?
Really there are a couple different situations that need to be addressed a little differently. Persons with fresh tattoos have had chemicals injected into their skin, which can make that local area very sensitive to UV exposure while the tattoo is still healing. After about two to three weeks, when the skin has had a chance to heal, people should cover their tattoos with sunscreen or chapstick to protect the tattoo from further exposure. At this point the chemicals have lost their photosensitivity. The tattoo, though, has the ability to fade with exposure to UV, whether that UV comes from indoors or outdoors. Scars are a little different issue. Here, the skin has tried to compensate for damage done to the affected area. In most cases, scars, whether from incisions or from burns, generally don’t tan very well. Instead, they often become sensitive to UV exposure, and can burn more easily. Persons with scars are advised to use sunscreen on those areas to minimize UV exposure. -top of page
