Getting older is a fact of life. Skin is the largest organ in your body, which unfortunately shows the earliest signs of aging. Which results in your tattoos looking faded. Over time your skin naturally loses its elasticity and ability to hold and lock in moisture.
The skin's collagen and elastin break down, causing your skin to become loose and wrinkled. This is when your tattoos fine lines and details become blurry and washed out. Protect your ink from UV radiation. The sun is the single most damaging factor that accelerates skin aging and tattoo fading.
Apply sunscreen anytime you are going to be outside with exposed tattoos. Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen and with a sun protection factor SPF of 30 or higher.
Bad art from a bad artist It's possible to ruin your new tattoo by choosing an unskilled artist. Finding and choosing an experienced artist goes without question 2.
Keeping your fresh tattoo covered too long Fresh tattoos are open wounds, and after the tattoo session, the artist will cover your new tattoo. Tattoo Infections As discussed above, the post-procedure wrapping helps protect your skin from getting infected. Sleeping with a fresh tattoo Getting a goods night's sleep can be awkward during the tattoo healing process. Cleaning and excess water exposure Keeping a fresh tattoo clean goes without question.
Picking or scratching itchy or peeling skin During the tattoo healing stages, some people experience itchy and scabby skin. Excessive sun exposure Excessive sun exposure is a fast way to ruin a new tattoo. Getting older and aging skin Getting older is a fact of life. Several factors accelerate skin aging and tattoo fading: Oxidative stress Elevated blood sugars Exposure to UV radiation Exposure to environmental toxins So, you must be thinking, what can I do to slow my skin aging and keep my tattoos looking great?
Since there's no magic anti-aging pill, here's 7 things you can do to help slow aging skin and tattoo fading:. Keeping hydrated daily with lots of water. Dehydration causes a loss of collagen, decreased cellular repair, resulting loose and dry skin. Regular exercise, which goes beyond doing cardio. Lifting weights resistance training releases natural anti-aging hormones.
Lifting weights also keeps your skin tight and firm. Great for tattoos! Eating clean. Avoid sugars, trans-fats and artificial sweeteners. Increase your intake of foods high in antioxidants like fruits and vegetables. Antioxidants go a long way in helping your skin fighting free radicals.
Avoid smoking, excessive alcohol and drugs. These release free radicals that damage healthy skin cells. The cumulative effect causes decreased cellular repair, compromised skin's health and dry skin. Some artists argue that consistently wrapping your tattoo promotes germs and bacterial growth on the healing skin. This contention is why it is imperative to listen to the guidance of your tattoo artists.
And, if it is a particular concern, inform your artist. During the first two days after getting tattooed, your skin will secrete both plasma and blood. This is a completely normal part of the healing process, but these fluids can cause itching and possibly cause the skin to stick to your bedding. Leaving the bandage on may seem like a sound way to ensure that your tattoo is safe from infection and other forms of potential harm.
However, this theory is a bit misguided. Leaving the bandage on for too long can actually result in infection. This is why it is crucial to regularly change the dressing if you keep your tattoo wrapped for an extended period of time.
If the wrapping becomes compromised or there is an abundance of blood or plasma inside the wrapping, it may be necessary to change it more frequently. Keeping your wrapping on for too long without changing it or giving your skin time to breathe can have adverse effects. As mentioned above, it can cause infection by keeping the area too moist , and keeping your wrapping on for too long compromises the healing process.
Without the proper exposure to oxygen, your freshly tattooed skin takes longer to heal. This elongated healing period can actually put you at a higher risk of infection.
This is because the moisture of the area prohibits your skin from creating a new, protective barrier. There are many reasons that your t attoo artist will recommend wrapping your tattoo:. Because the tattoo is sterilized and adequately moisturized before applying the wrap, the wrapping creates the perfect environment to ensure your new tattoo's safety.
Most importantly, wrapping your tattoo creates a protective barrier from bacteria and other germs that can cause infection. Certain things that you are exposed to , such as bedding, rough fabrics, or even germs , can compromise your new tattoo's healing process and comfort. Proper wrapping can protect your freshly inked skin from irritants. If you have ever had someone accidentally bump or knock your tattoo, then you know how painful it can be to your healing skin.
When the area is completely dry, they can apply a thin layer of moisturizer to the tattoo, but leave it uncovered to allow the skin to breathe. Some tattoo artists recommend waiting between hours before applying moisturizer, though others recommend doing so as soon as the first wash.
For the first couple of days, the tattooed skin may feel warm to the touch and have a reddish appearance. The colors may also appear very bright against the rest of the skin. The tattoo will become less vibrant as the healing process continues.
A person should avoid submerging the tattoo in water or getting the tattoo wet during the first 3—6 weeks, except for when washing it. A person can continue using the washing technique above throughout the first week when needed. Someone who is sitting in an air-conditioned office all day may only need to wash the tattoo once a day. However, someone who is working in a hot or dirty environment and sweating may need to wash the tattoo every few hours.
It is best to wash the tattoo with clean fingers only and not a cloth or towel, which may irritate the skin and prematurely remove any scabs that may have formed. Scabs will often form in the first few days, and ink may still come up through the skin and need to be washed away. It is important not to pick the scabs or scratch the skin.
In general, Scabbing is not a sign of improper wound care. Scabs will form anytime the skin is injured, and can be a sign of healthy tissue forming underneath the wound. Keeping some form of antibiotic ointment or moisturizer under occlusion as long as there is no known allergy on the wound can help it heal better and the sooner this is done the better healing will happen with less chances of scarring. Around the beginning of the second week, the scabs will start to flake off.
It is important to be especially gentle with washing and moisturizing during this week, as it is easy to tear away scabs and damage the tattoo. The skin is likely to feel very itchy during this week. However, it must not be scratched. Additional moisturizer may help relieve the itch. Using a moisturizer that is kept in the refrigerator may also soothe itchy or irritated skin. If necessary, an over-the-counter product, such as Benadryl , may be taken by mouth to help relieve the itching.
The final stage of healing can be slow, and requires patience. Most of the larger scabs will have flaked and fallen away by now. Small scabs and bits of dead skin may appear.
However, these will also clear up as the healing process continues. Scabs and flaking skin can cause the area to look dry and dull. Applying moisturizer and protecting the tattoo from the sun will help with these issues.
The outer layers of skin should completely heal by the end of week three. The inner layers of skin can take longer to heal. However, they require much less care. The chance of infection is reduced once the outer layers of skin have healed, as there is no open wound for bacteria to infect. Moisturizing regularly in the months following will help keep the tattoo looking bright and clear.
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