Why Do Tattoos Fade?

Why Do Tattoos Fade

Some of my followers on Twitter have been asking me why tattoos fade...and you're in luck I go the answer!

From my research I have found 2 main reasons and several secondary reasons for fading tattoos.

• Proper care of your new tattoo is important! Give it time to heal it takes all the layers of your skin about 3 months to heal properly. During this time keep it clean by washing with normal to mild soap everyday morning and night then pat it dry. After washing it let it dry out for an hour our two so the skin can breath before covering it with bandage or clothing. You can also put lotion on your new tattoo but make sure there is NO Aloe or Vitamin E because these can irritate the broken skin. Keep the bandage on it during the day and at night for as much of the 3 months as you can bare. This is to protect the healing skin from rubbing against clothing or you bed. You can find ointments to use during this time to help it heal fast and scab over less. If you get scabs don't pick them, they are there to protect the skin. If you pick they may scar making your tattoo look bad. One last thing...do NOT go into the pool or hot tub for as long as possible after getting your new tattoo. The chlorine in the water will fade new tattoos because chlorine is bleach!
  

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• After the new tattoo is healed you will want to show it off! Use 30 SPF sunblock or better on your tattoo to protect it. The sun will fade the inks in your tattoo over time. You can minimize this by protecting it with sunblock all the time. Lighter inks are the first to fade and people with darker skin tone will notice first.
  

Those are the 2 main reasons for tattoo fading but here are a few more.

• Inexperienced tattoo artist - There is a real skill needed to know how deep to put the ink and in general you are better off with seasoned pro not the new young hot shot. If put on to deep your tattoo may scab & scar, or blur if put on shallow or thinly.
  

• Poor quality inks - Some inks are not good! A professional tattoo at a reputably tattoo parlor should be using high quality inks...don't be afraid to ask!

• Long term care - Put lotion on your tattoos everyday! After your skin has healed Aloe and Vitamin E enriched lotions are the best for long term care.
  

• Skin Damage - Sun burn, scraps & bruises, or some other physical damage to the skin will fade, scar, or blur your tattoos.

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I would like to say that if you follow most of my advice your tattoo will last forever...but that is not true. Fading of tattoos is normal and no mater what you do your tattoo will fade in the long run. Our bodies are protecting us from the inks injected into our skin so slowly the ink will fade.

Best way to avoid the long term fade...visit your tattoo artist for a touch up every 5 to 10 years!




-Ian

Information To Know Before Getting A Tattoo

Information To Know Before Getting A Tattoo

Before you decide to get a tattoo, you should always take a little bit of time to talk to your tattoo artist. When you speak to him, you should be sure to ask questions and find out anything you can about your new tattoo. You should also find out information about his background, and other important bits of information that will assist you in moving forward with your decision.

The first thing you should find out is how long the parlor has been in business. This will let you know just how professional the quality of tattoo work is and the overall reputation for the business. If the tattoo parlor belongs to the Better Business Bureau you can always check their record and see if any complaints have been files about the business in the last few years.

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You should also find out about his qualifications as well. Experience is a must here, as infections and other diseases can easily be contracted if the equipment isn't clean. Tattoo artists deal with needles on a daily basis, making experience very important. Finding out how much experience and qualifications a tattoo artists has will tell you quite a bit about what you can expect from them.

You'll also want to find out if the tattoo studio guarantees their work. In the unlikely event that you don't like the outcome of the tattoo, you'll obviously want it to be fixed. The better studios will fix it without requiring any money. Refund policies are also important, especially if you don't like the quality or the workmanship of the tattoo.

The cost is also very important. Before you decide to get a tattoo or agree to anything, you'll obviously want to know the full cost. The bigger tattoos can be quite expensive, although even the smallest of tattoos can be expensive as well, especially if you're on a budget. You can save yourself a lot of time and prevent any type of surprises by knowing the costs upfront.

Infection is also something you'll want to find out about. The better tattoo artists can provide information about infections, and tell you how to prevent them. They will also tell you about their services, and how they can prevent you from getting an infection. When you ask about infections, he should also be able to tell you exactly what to do if you think you are developing an infection as well.

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If you suffer from a fear of needles, you should always ask if there is a way to help you. You should never feel bad about asking, as many people are deathly afraid of needles. Needles are used with tattoos, as there is no other way to put the ink in the skin. If you are afraid of getting a tattoo due to the needles, you should make sure that you let your tattoo artist know. Chances are, he may be able to take extra steps to make the process go as smoothly as possible.

Asking questions is never a bad thing when it comes to getting a tattoo. If a tattoo artist hesitates to answer any question you ask or acts hasty towards you, you should always leave and find another tattoo artist. Tattoos always have risks and concern, which is why tattoo artists should be more than willing to answer any questions that you may have. Asking questions can help to ease your concern and make you feel better about the artist which is why you should always make sure you write a list of questions before you visit the tattoo parlor.

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-Ian

Tattoo Safety

Tattoo Safety

The process of tattooing involves needles that move at very fast speeds to penetrate the outer layers of the skin. The needles break the skin, and inject dots of ink into the third layer, creating the image of the tattoo design in the skin. Whenever you are getting a tattoo, common sense and a bit of safety are always the most important considerations.

When getting a tattoo, most people fear getting the virus known as HIV, which can lead to the dreaded AIDS virus. Although many fear HIV, it is just one of the many viruses that can result from tattoos. Staph, syphilis, tuberculosis, and hepatitis are all but a few of the other diseases that can result from tattoos. All it takes is a dirty or unsanitary needle and you could wind up contracting one of the deadly viruses listed above.

Just like other activities, tattooing can be very dangerous. Although tattooing is indeed dangerous, there are ways that you can minimize or eliminate the potential dangers. Each and everyday, tattoo artists have to adhere to a strict code of safety to ensure that the risk of contracting HIV or any other diseases is little to none.

Professional tattoo artists will sterilize their equipment after each use. They use steam pressure autoclave when disinfecting their tattoo guns and needles. Bleach and alcohol don’t sterilize the equipment; they are instead used to prep the equipment. Once the bleach and alcohol have been used on the instruments, they will then be autoclaved, which will sterilize them.

When the tattoo artist does the tattoo, he should always wear rubber gloves that can easily be disposed of. The ointment spreaders and any type of rags that are used should also be disposable. When you walk into the tattoo studio, the floors should be spotless. In the rooms where the tattoos are done, the working area should always be clean and sanitary.

Before the tattooist starts the tattoo, he should always give each customer a brand new set of fresh needles. Then, he should always dip the needle in a small cap of pigment that he just took out of a large squeezable bottle. If the artist dips the needle into the big bottle, you may very well be sharing fluids with those who have had tattoos from that same big bottle.

Whenever you decide to get a tattoo you should always put safety first. Safety is very important with tattoos, as you could otherwise get a disease or a serious infection. Before you decide on a tattoo studio, you should always make sure that they are clean and sanitary. If you get a tattoo from a studio that is dirty or unsanitary, you could wind up on a never ending spiral of infections and viruses.

-Ian