23 Shocking Faded Tattoos & 5 FREE Ways To Prevent Tattoo Fading

 

So as you can see, tattoos will fade over time. Not only is Inked Ritual Anti-Fade Tattoo Care our first choice in tattoo fading protection, but we also recommend and follow these five free ways to reduce tattoo fading:

 

1. Tattoo Placement

There are various locations on the body where our skin ages or stretches much faster. This can have a detrimental effect on the look of your tattoos, and how quickly they fade. These areas include joints, fingers, upper arms, abdominals, feet and other any areas likely to rub against your clothing. So before getting a new tattoo, always consider the placement. Foot tattoos are a great example, due to the constant rubbing between your feet, socks, and footwear. Also, you may want to consider avoiding getting inked on any areas of your body most affected by weight gain or weight loss, as the skin stretching is a sure-fire way to destroy an awesome tattoo. Don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting to avoid getting inked in any of these areas, but if you do, make sure you start a skin care ritual to protect your ink from fading. Bottom line, if you fail to take care of your tattooed skin, over time, your beautiful ink will start to fade away.

2. Ink Quality

Many people are not aware of this, but the quality of tattoo ink can play an essential role in your tattoo’s lifespan. If the ink is low-quality, or over diluted by an inexperienced artist, your tattoo will not look as good as it should if high quality concentrated ink was used. Before booking a tattoo session, you may want to ask your artist what ink they use, to make sure their ink choice is solid. Some excellent tattoo ink brands are Moms Ink by Millennium Colors, Intenze, External, Kuro Sumi, Starbrite, Dragonhawk, and Dynamic Color. Now, something else to consider is that lighter ink colors such as pinks and yellows will fade much faster, and with the recent popularity of watercolor tattoos designs, these will need extra care to protect them from fading and looking washed out.  Remember, your tattoos should always look cool or sexy for as long as possible so you may want to consider choosing darker colors for that new tattoo. But if you are dead set on getting a design with lighter ink colors, just make sure you protect them from fading.

3. Healing Quality

The aftercare and healing phase of your new tattoo is especially important when it comes to tattoo fading. During the first couple of weeks, your tattoo ink will not be correctly set, so you must take care of your tattoo as best as you can. In addition to this, during the first couple of weeks, your tattoo will go through different healing stages where it can start to scab, peel or become itchy. No matter what you do, never pull off any scabs or peeling skin, or even scratch your tattoo, as this can severely damage your tattoo by leaving scars and faded areas. No matter how unsightly it may look, just be patient and let your skin heal with the scabs falling off on their own. Or better yet, to reduce or avoid scabbing, peeling and itching during the tattoo healing phase, consider using a high-end tattoo aftercare product. Not only can some products heal your tattoo faster, but they can also effectively help set your ink, leaving your new tattoo looking brighter and bolder. There are numerous tattoo aftercare products, some good, some great and some not so great. Whichever brand you choose, make sure that you never apply too much lotion or over saturate your tattoo. This can suffocate your skin, clog your pores and damage the ink.  Remember, a fresh tattoo is an open wound that must breathe to properly heal. There are numerous horror stories from people who ruined their new tattoo after using low-quality skin care creams or lotions, that caused infections, acne or breakouts. Do your homework. The life of your tattoo is at risk if you use cheap aftercare. 

4. The Sun

We've all heard just how bad the sun is for our skin. Well, guess what, it gets even better! The sun’s UV rays are the most damaging thing for your tattoos. Fresh ink is extremely sensitive to the sun, making them more vulnerable to damage in a shorter period of exposure. During the first 6-8 weeks of healing, keep your new tattoo covered if going outside, even if it’s not sunny. After your ink is healed, always use a good UV sunscreen lotion. Our Inked Ritual lab is currently developing an advanced UV sunscreen for tattoos. Once it's done we will let you know. Also, stay out of tanning beds with your fresh ink. Once your new tattoo has healed, always cover them with some UV lotion to prevent any damage.  

5. The Aging Process

Being aware of the four points above should help reduce the time it takes your tattoo from fading. But remember, our skin naturally ages, so we must take care of our tattooed canvas to prevent our ink from fading. I'm sure I don't have to explain how eating healthy, drinking plenty of water, and staying active is great for longevity, but did you know your tattooed skin needs more? Your tattoos will only look as healthy as the skin they're under. Tattoos are expensive, so you need to take care of your skin as best as you can. Hydrated and moisturized skin helps keep your tattoos looking fresh and bold. Consider starting a daily skin care ritual, as this will go a long way in protecting your tattoo investment from fading away. Not only will these tips help your ink, but they will also keep you looking more youthful!

Oh, and one more thing, a good old-fashioned smile and laugh never hurts to keep you young!

If you have any questions, comments or cool tattoo stories, please share!

Cheers,  

Mike - Founder