Why Tattoos are Fading

You can tell a fresh tattoo from an older one simply by their brightness and vibrancy in colours.

It is unavoidable that tattoos fade over time, which is why many people want to get them

removed rather than getting it touched-up. We’ve put together the most common reasons why

tattoos fade.

The skill of the artist

Some tattoos already fade within a few months or even weeks. While some fading is normal, i.e.

any colour (even black) will never stay the true colour for long because of the healing process

and the translucent nature of your skin. If strong fading happens very quickly though, you have

probably chosen a poor tattoo artist that didn’t place the ink deep enough into your skin.

No Proper aftercare

For the first three days after getting your tattoo it is absolutely critical to do proper aftercare.

Usually your tattoo would be covered with a bandage or foil at first, and once you take it off you

have to apply an aftercare product. Your tattoo artist should give you such a product and instruct

you on how to use it. If you didn’t follow their instructions, that could be the cause of your tattoo

fading quicker than usual.

Sun exposure

The sun is probably the most common cause of tattoos fading because it exposes your tattoo to

its ultraviolet rays. If you don’t cover up your tattoo or apply sunscreen with a high SPF, you

will likely see it loosing colour over the summer.

Chlorine

Spending a lot of time in pools and spas can be bad for your tattoo. Chlorine is known to fade

tattoos, especially when they are still in the healing process. It’s best to avoid pools for a few

months after getting a tattoo, otherwise you might see it loose colour quicker.

No proper skincare

Beautiful skin will make a tattoo look better. On the other hand though, if you don’t practise

good skincare and don’t moisturize your skin (and especially your tattoo) regularly, this can

affect the colours of your tattoo. A good cleaning routine is also important, as cleaning products

that are left on for too long can also cause your tattoo to fade.

Touch-up or removal?

Don’t believe rumours that there are special lotions that bring the colour on your tattoo back.

That is nonsense. Your only options are either to learn to live with it, to do a touch- or cover-up,

or tattoo removal.

With touch- and cover-ups, keep in mind that you cannot do that multiple times, because sooner

or later the skin will just turn into a big scar. Every touch-up damages your skin more, and

eventually it won’t hold any more ink, colours will start to look muddy and your tattoo overall

will start to look really bad. Like we said, every tattoo will fade over time. Some turn green,

some spread out and some even change shape quite significantly. Oftentimes tattoo removal is

your best option. Contact us for a free consultation today!