How will my tattoo age?
So you have caught the tattoo bug, you know what design you want, and you’re looking at booking in. You may be wondering how this tattoo will look in 10 or 20 years time. We are here to help guide you towards getting a tattoo that not only looks great but ages well also.
A few things you should know before booking your tattoo
Ink will spread in the skin over time.
When thinking of your tattoo design, we can safely say bigger is always better. As an artist, we have to consider how much the ink may spread in the skin over time. You do not want little elements of the tattoo to blur into one. We will always recommend what sizing is appropriate for the level of detail. For example, if your tattoo involves two lines close together, the lines will need to be far enough apart that they can spread in the skin without touching. The placement of the tattoo will also affect how much the ink will spread on the skin over time. For example, areas of the body that are more fleshy such as the stomach and under arm, the ink will tend to spread more.
Tattoos will fade over time.
Naturally, tattoos will fade over time. There is no way to judge how fast this will happen or how much it will fade. However, you can help keep your tattoo in the best condition by protecting it. You need to make sure you’re using sunscreen on your tattoo. UV rays will fade your tattoo. This also includes sun beds. As well as this, you need to moisturize your tattoo to keep your skin hydrated and healthy.
Colour tattoos
Colour is another thing to consider when getting tattooed. If you want colour, it may not hold in the skin as well as black ink, so it may need topping up in a few years time. Colour will also be received differently by different skin types. Some people's skin takes it better than others, this can ultimately affect the aging process, if the colour hasn’t been received well the tattoo may fade quicker.
Hand and feet tattoos
We always advise doing your research before getting tattooed on your hands or feet. These areas of the body tend to have thinner skin and receive more friction within day-to-day life. This can result in the ink not holding in this area very well; Some ink may fall back out, or may fade faster.
Hopefully this blog will help you when deciding on the right design for yourself. You can read more about protecting your tattoo in our aftercare blog.