Can a Tattoo Help Protect Your Skin From the Sun?

If you have a tattoo, the idea of a tattoo protecting your skin from the sun may sound ridiculous and contradictory. Tattoo artists are adamant about the need to protect your tattoos from the sun since UV radiation can cause them to fade and become damaged, after all.

However, Carson Bruns (a world changing scientist and artist) is turning this notion on its head.

Bruns is passionate about making tattoos as functional as they are beautiful. He is currently developing a tattoo ink that can help you detect when you are being exposed to high levels of UV radiation and should seek protection.

For those of you who do not know, traditional tattoos are essentially just thousands of micro particles of pigment that are trapped under the first layer of your skin. Although the art of tattooing has been performed for over 5000 years, these microparticles have only slightly changed in this time. Until now.

Bruns is combining his love of art with his passion for science and creating a new type of tattoo ink that detects UV radiation. He is doing this by switching out the traditional microparticles in tattoo ink with complex, nanotech particles.

These nanotech particles are filled with UV detecting dye that changes color when exposed to harsh sunlight. Tattoos with this ink initially appear clear and can’t be seen but become visible when exposed to too much UV radiation, showing you when it is time to seek shade or reapply sun protection.

Whether you love tattoos or hate them, the potential benefits of this avant-garde tattoo ink are huge.

Learn more about Bruns and his innovative inks by watching his TedTalk below.