First Posted: 9/30/2013
All thoughts of swimsuits have been pretty much tucked away since next summer, but you can do something to prepare yourself for next season right now – something you might not have thought was best to do come fall.
According to Steve Gulbin of Marc’s Tattooing, this is actually the prime time to get that tattoo or, especially, piercing you’ve wanted, though many people don’t tend to see things that way.
“It’s a slower time of year right now, for us,” Gulbin said. “People tend to not get pierced and tattooed because they can’t show it off.”
While it’s true that your body is bundled up now that the temperatures are dropping, it’s actually a better environment to heal a piercing or tattoo in.
Gulbin said many don’t realize just how long it takes a piercing to heal, and that such a process can actually hinder your summer if you choose to do it at the start of the season.
“When you get your navel pierced, it takes six months to a year for it to heal, so if you get it pierced in April or May, you really shouldn’t go in a chlorine swimming pool for the whole summer. Your whole summer is kicked.”
Eyebrow, lip, and ear piercings can also be affected in the summertime. Though you can successfully avoid contact with chlorinated water, it’s the possibility of a sunburn that can cause problems with a fresh piercing.
Certain tattoos are also best saved for the fall.
“If you want to do something big, like a bigger tattoo piece, you usually make an appointment every three weeks to a month to get work done, so for the next four to five months, well, that’s time you’re out of the swimming pool and out of sun,” Gulbin said.
Layering of clothing is actually better for the healing process of a piercing, as it won’t be as exposed to dirt and germs as much if you were clad in a tank top or bikini.
“As long as you’re wearing a loose-fitting shirt under everything, not, say, a wool sweater over bare skin, as long as it’s covered by a clean piece of cotton material, it’s absolutely fine,” Gulbin said. “That’s actually better because it’s more of an out of sight, out of mind thing, so you’ll be less likely to sit there and play with the piercing.”
