The Beach/Pools

[revs114]

I'm really curious as what you guys do as far as the beach/swimming pools go. We all know how bad sun exposure is for tattoos. Do you avoid these places all together? Or sit in the shade? Or tan with high SPF sunblock on?

I personally go to the beach and sit in the sun, putting on SPF50 and reapplying often, is this safe for my tats or should I just stay in the shade?

Lets hear your opinions!

[irezumi]

sun is gonna fade your tattoos one way or the other, so just deal with it or bring an umbrella/sun tent or something like that. and yes, always apply sunblock, and often. you should be doing that anyway tattoos or not. as far as tattoos go, unless you go to the beach for several hours several times a week, its not gonna be a huge impact. my drivers arm is far darker than my other arm, and thats just from daily exposure in the car. colors 20 years old are still fairly bright for how old they are. i do go to the beach several times a week(to run, not to tan lol), but always in the early AM when the sun isnt at its peak, never for more than an hour. and i always apply sunblock. i know the sun is gonna do what it does, but hey thats life. i'm completely covered in tattoos, so what if a few are a little lighter than others. for some people that have a handful of tattoos it might seem like a bigger deal.

by the way, any spf above 30 is basically no more effective than 30 is.

[TrixieFaux]

I try to avoid getting tan but it is sometimes hard when living in Los Angeles. I love swimming pools...so if I go to one I have my sunglasses, a big floppy hat, and sunscreen especially on the tattoos. Whenever there is a chance I sit in the shade. You could always bring one of those big umbrellas to the beach, I want to get one. It's nice to be able to have some shade.

[Our Endless Days]

this is a little bit different topic, but do you guys apply moisturizer/lotion to your tattooed skin? i was usually trying to put some palmers cocoa butter of my tattoos a few times a week, but recently switched to organic virgin coconut oil.

[revs114]

Good answers so far guys.

this is a little bit different topic, but do you guys apply moisturizer/lotion to your tattooed skin? i was usually trying to put some palmers cocoa butter of my tattoos a few times a week, but recently switched to organic virgin coconut oil.

I personally moisturize my tattoos weekly with a cream called Bepanthol here in Greece (I'm sure you have it in the States under a diff. name), it has pro-vitamin b5 and other stuff good for the skin, I feel like my tattoos look better because of it but it might just be all in my head :p

[Katy32]

I put a higher spf on my tattoos and usually just a 15 or 20 on the rest of me. I like to have a little bit of a tan. I use one of the kids face sticks on my tattoos (its labeled so I know which one it is. Seem to work really well.

[Ursula]

I just don't go to the beach because 50 thousand morons ask me dumb questions about my tattoos :/

[reverend1]

I just don't go to the beach because 50 thousand morons ask me dumb questions about my tattoos :/

That kinda sucks.

[irezumi]

I just don't go to the beach because 50 thousand morons ask me dumb questions about my tattoos :/

by the time someone notices the heavily tattooed freak is about the same time i already ran past them.

[Tight-Lines]

by the time someone notices the heavily tattooed freak is about the same time i already ran past them.

In the nude?

[irezumi]

do squid socks count as clothing?

[Tight-Lines]

do squid socks count as clothing?

everyone has their own opinion man...

[bulldog]

i just put some suncream on and get on with my life

[Ursula]

Horseshit. I just typed a long ass reply about sunscreen and why I don't wear it and what it has and hasn't done to my tattoos (I live in the sunshine state). Fucking Macs with their swipey finger screen change thing loosing my damn message.

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Horseshit. I just typed a long ass reply about sunscreen and why I don't wear it and what it has and hasn't done to my tattoos (I live in the sunshine state). Fucking Macs with their swipey finger screen change thing loosing my damn message.

[reverend1]

@Ursula I hate that, it happens to me all of the time.

[dtorre]

do pools have alot of bacteria even with chlorene?

[reverend1]

Not as long as the chlorine is at the proper level.

[heathenist]

Horseshit. I just typed a long ass reply about sunscreen and why I don't wear it and what it has and hasn't done to my tattoos (I live in the sunshine state). Fucking Macs with their swipey finger screen change thing loosing my damn message.

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Horseshit. I just typed a long ass reply about sunscreen and why I don't wear it and what it has and hasn't done to my tattoos (I live in the sunshine state). Fucking Macs with their swipey finger screen change thing loosing my damn message.

I'm pretty interested in why someone wouldn't wear sunscreen.

[Androosh]

I'm pretty interested in why someone wouldn't wear sunscreen.

I second that. I just want to make sure I'm not fucking myself up with the sunscreen.

[heathenist]

I second that. I just want to make sure I'm not fucking myself up with the sunscreen.

I've heard that some sunscreen contains chemicals that are carcinogens, however, they still protect from sun damage. Also, sunscreens with zinc oxide are free of carcinogens, so just look for those.

[reverend1]

Copper Tone Sport Pro in spray form. Great stuff.

[slayer9019]

do pools have alot of bacteria even with chlorene?

Even if they don't have a high level of bacteria, I'm more concerned about the chlorine itself. I used to take care of my parents pool and the chemicals used bleached the shit outta my clothes (one downside to wearing only black).

Horseshit. I just typed a long ass reply about sunscreen and why I don't wear it and what it has and hasn't done to my tattoos (I live in the sunshine state). Fucking Macs with their swipey finger screen change thing loosing my damn message.

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Horseshit. I just typed a long ass reply about sunscreen and why I don't wear it and what it has and hasn't done to my tattoos (I live in the sunshine state). Fucking Macs with their swipey finger screen change thing loosing my damn message.

Yea Driod does the same shit, that's why I stopped posting from my phone. It somehow closes my app or just "blows up" when I fat finger. Also I love a double post in 1 post, truly epic.

[Ursula]

Basically, I don't wear sunscreen because I don't feel like I need to. I have that pale olive tone skin that just doesn't tan or burn. I can be outside in the sun for literally hours and not get anything worse than a slight tan. I've been in FL for about 5 years and haven't had a sunburn yet. The last time I can remember burning was the tops of my feet in Mexico 15 years ago, that was before I was getting tattooed. It's nothing to do with chemicals in the sun lotion, although I'm sure it can't be good for you.

As far as tattoos fading in the sun, yes that is a real thing that happens as others have said. It just hasn't really happened to me. The only thing that is noticeably faded on my arms is some Japanese pink, but I don't think it's due to sun exposure, it's just hot pink in an older tattoo, and some pink in another one that was never in there well in the first place. I have baby blue, hot pink and golden yellows on my forearms that look good as new. Even purple that has lasted.

So yeah, I haven't been wearing sun lotion since I was old enough to make that call for myself and for me it hasn't been an issue. Us Italians just don't tan easily, that's why those Jersey Shore morons have to get fake ones all the time. I actually went and did some fake tanning as a teenager and it barely worked on me.

I don't recommend this for everyone, but for me so far, it's been fine.

[jayessebee]

I like my faded tattoos, honestly I think they look better after they have "baked in" a bit... Though I don't spend a lot of time outside regularly so I'm still fairly pale

[Colored Guy]

I just don't go to the beach because 50 thousand morons ask me dumb questions about my tattoos :/

I hang out with mostly tattooed people at the beach... the morons are less likely to approach a group of us.

CG

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I use a Neutrogena 45 sun block on my ink. I tan really dark anyway, so the rest of me I use a 15-30. The 45 stays on well and actually has to be scrubbed off when I get home. I'm either in my pool or on the beach from May to October.

CG