The Sun's Damaging UV Rays and Dry Skin
Fade the Bright Colors of Tattoos

Tattoos are amazing works of art that can easily fade without proper protection. Some tattoos are small and simple, others so large and intricate they can cost thousands – and sometimes even tens of thousands – of dollars to create. That puts body art in the category of fine art.Museums Don’t Hang Their Art in the Sun
And you shouldn’t hang your body art in the sun either, without strong protection. Here's why:

Ink color will fade over time no matter what, but the sun's UV rays (UVA and UVB) accelerates color loss.

The sun tans and/or burns the top layer of the skin, making it harder to see through to the tattoo below. It's a little like looking at your tattoos through tinted glass.

The sun prematurely ages the skin causing wrinkling, a leathery texture and brown spots — not exactly a great canvas for your art.

The sun, wind, swimming pool chlorine, and indoor heating during winter dry out the skin, creating a dull finish that robs your tattoos of their vibrancy. Don't Be Fooled - Clothing Doesn't Always Protect Tattoos!
You may think your tattoos are safe from the sun because you hide them under clothing. But according to the Skin Cancer Foundation, harmful UV rays can penetrate certain materials, leaving your skin - and your tattoos - vulnerable. One of the poorest performers is that white T-shirt you
slip on at the beach or pool when you feel your skin burning. It provides an Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) of 7, whereas a long-sleeved dark denim shirt offers an estimated UPF of 1,700 – which amounts to a complete sunblock. (We've all heard of SPF (Sun Protection Factor) ratings for sunscreens; now there's UPF, which measures the amount of UV radiation that penetrates a fabric and reaches the skin.)

Save Your Tattoos from Color Fade!

• Wear sunblock every day on your tattoos as well as any part of the body exposed to the sun.

• Moisturize your skin every day - that means men, too! Right after you shower lock in the moisture already on your skin with a layer of emollient lotion. This time of year, if you skip the moisturizer your skin is itching and dry again in no time.

• When not showing them off, keep your tattoos completely covered for the best color protection. Darker, more tightly woven fabrics provide a better armor than light-colored clothing. Consider clothing specially designed with sun-protecting properties.

• Put your clothes to the test: If you can see through it when you hold it up to the light, then UV radiation can penetrate it – and your skin.

• Keep your skin healthy – eat right and drink lots of water to keep your skin elastic and hydrated. Dry, flaky skin is unattractive. Dry, flaky tattoed skin isn't any better.

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