Every year from May my messages start filling up. "Kisha, I want to get tattooed — but I'm heading to the sea next month. Is that okay?" Or someone comes back from holiday, skin brown and dry, wanting to jump straight into the chair. Here's the honest answer: summer is not a problem. But there are a few things that genuinely make a difference.

And no, I don't mean the usual "drink lots of water" tips you find everywhere. I mean specific things I see in my Munich studio time and again.

Summer Is Not the Enemy of Your Tattoo

I hear this a lot — getting tattooed in summer is a bad idea. That's simply not accurate.

I tattoo year-round. Including in the middle of summer. The results are the same when you look after a fresh tattoo properly. Summer itself doesn't cause harm — poor aftercare does. And that's equally true in winter.

What Actually Happens When Skin Is Dehydrated

Here's a real case from my studio. Someone came in straight from a week away — sun, sand, chlorine. Their skin was dry, tight, flaking. I tattooed them, and the result: a large, thick scab.

What does a large scab mean? It takes more ink with it when it comes off. The tattoo looks paler afterwards, the lines less crisp. It can be touched up — but why take the risk?

My advice: if you've just come back from holiday and your skin feels dry — give it a few days. Moisturise, drink water, let the skin recover. Then come in.

Sweat — It Sounds Worse Than It Is

The second summer topic is sweat. On a fresh tattoo that's not an ideal situation: moisture, friction, bacteria.

But here's the good news: this problem has an elegant solution that I already use with almost all my clients anyway.

The Healing Film: Why It Changes Everything in Summer

SecondSkin film is honestly the best thing that's happened to the tattoo world. It sits on the fresh tattoo like a second skin — protecting from the outside while healing happens underneath.

In summer that means: no sweat reaches the tattoo. No sand, no dust, no friction. You carry on with daily life normally — even when it's 30 degrees outside.

The film stays on for four to five days. After that the tattoo is essentially healed.

Sun and a Fresh Tattoo: SPF Is Non-Negotiable

What you genuinely want to avoid is direct sun on a fresh tattoo. Not because of the heat — because of UV. UV fades ink, and on a tattoo that's still healing it happens particularly fast.

If you're going outside: cover the tattoo or apply SPF 50. This also applies after it's healed — if you care about how your tattoo looks in ten years.

Vacation Booked in Three Weeks?

The most common question I get in summer. My honest answer:

Three weeks is almost a complete healing cycle. With healing film you're already in a completely different situation after four or five days. Three weeks later the tattoo is typically fully healed. That works.

If you're flying in a week though: better to wait. Come back after your holiday. One week is not enough for the first healing phase — and I don't want you sitting by the pool worrying.

My Honest Advice

Don't let "tattoo in summer — bad idea" throw you off. That's a blanket oversimplification. What matters is the condition of your skin, your plans for the next few weeks — and an honest conversation with your artist.

If you're planning to get tattooed soon and aren't sure the timing works — just write to me. We'll find a solution together.