Summer is one of our busiest seasons at Dr. Rock Tattoos. People are showing off more skin as the temperature gauge hits triple digits, so it’s only natural that a new tattoo is on the mind.

You’ve reserved a time for your tattoo session and worked out the design with your artist. After an hour or six, your fresh ink is beautifully bright and the next phase begins - after care. In Austin during the summer there are a few things to keep in mind to ensure your new tattoo looks its best.

Summer in Austin is active, despite the blazing hot temperatures. Try to keep things chill for the first few days after getting tattooed. Avoid strenuous workouts, hikes and cardio around the lake. Whatever you do, make sure there’s no risk of your new tattoo rubbing up against anything.

It will take two weeks minimum for the tattoo to fully heal. Consider it a summer relaxation period where you focus on taking it easy before jumping back into physical activities.

We know you really want to take a dip in Barton Springs Pool to keep the scorching heat at bay, but you’ll need to wait at least two weeks, and four weeks is better. New tattoos shouldn’t be submerged in water at all during the first two weeks of the healing process. After that, short swims in a pool are okay, but stay out of the lakes and Colorado River for a few more weeks.

Once your new tattoo has healed enough to see the light of day, you’ll want to protect it with SPF. The sun is intense in Austin during the summer. Tattoo ink fads from UV exposure, so the more you can block the rays the better.

Keep the new tattoo out of the sun or covered with loose clothing for the first three weeks. After that, use SPF when it’s exposed to sunlight. The general rule of thumb is that if the tattoo has peeled and is smooth to the touch SPF is safe to use.

Excessive sweating while a tattoo heals is no bueno. A tattoo is essentially an open wound. The extra moisture on your skin can increase the risk of an infection. Plus, sweating in the area of the new tattoo softens the scabbing and can pull out trace amounts of ink, affecting the final look of the tattoo.

So instead of suffering through Austin’s summer heat, chill out in the AC as much as possible until your tattoo is healed.

The best thing you can do is follow the after care instructions from your tattoo artist. They will be familiar with your skin and can make more personalized suggestions based on the time of year. At Dr. Rock Tattoo you can count on our team for professional guidance before, during and after the tattoo session so that your ink looks amazing.

Collaborative, honest, and straightforward. We're here to guide the process, bring ideas to the table, and keep things moving.