The weather is getting warmer and we’re beginning to spend more time outside.  Enjoying the sun is a great way to spend your time off, but if you’re undergoing laser tattoo removal treatments or considering starting the process, care must be used when exposing your skin to the sun.

Sun exposure can be beneficial for tattoo removal, but it must be done cautiously.  Right after laser treatment and until the skin is healed, sun exposure is not recommended.  After healing, cautiously enjoy the sun.  The sun can help to fade tattoo ink and help to promote healthy skin growth.  Additionally sun exposure can help to repopulate hypopigmentation caused during laser treatments.  Hyperpigmentation can also be helped through sun exposure as sunlight helps the body to regulate its natural melanin production.

There is a downside to sun exposure, though.  Too much sun can lead to a sunburn.  Laser treatments cannot be performed on sunburned skin.  Also a dark tan, beautiful as it may be, can decrease the effectiveness of the laser on the ink.  It is no secret that the laser is attracted to melanin, the substance that gives our skin and hair color.  The more melanin, the more the laser will be attracted to the skin color rather than the tattoo ink.  This is not to say that tattoo removal is impossible on darker skin tones, but it can be slightly more difficult so it is best to maintain your skin’s natural color at least in the area to be treated.

Please, do enjoy the sun, but do so with caution especially if you are undergoing or considering laser tattoo removal treatments.