by Erin Botelho

Created on: August 21, 2008

Do you have a lot of time and money invested in tattoos? You might have most of your body covered by them. Maybe you just have one hidden in a secret little place. No matter what you have you want to take care of your tattoo. There are a lot of different things that can affect the appearance of your tattoo. So lets look at some of them how you can avoid them.

The first thing that can affect the look of your tattoo is you! Did you know that when you get a tattoo, a good artist will start with a small line and then wipe the ink away to make sure the ink took? Some people just do not hold ink! That might sound kooky but for some people when they bleed their bodies push foreign objects out. I am that way. My tattoo artist says some people just need 2 coats of paint. So make sure you find a good artist who has had a lot of years in the practice and make sure you look at their artwork. Most of them will have pictures they can show you.

Another thing that can affect your tattoo is the healing process. It might look as if your tattoo took well, but the way your body heals determines how the tattoo will look. It's important to follow the after care instructions your artist gives you. A good artist will give you cleaning instructions. Now if your body heals like mine and scars easily you'll probably need a touch up. If you don't keep your tattoo clean you can get an infection which can also cause scarring.

The position of your tattoo can affect the look as well. Did you know getting a tattoo in a place where the blood flow isn't so good can cause the ink to spread out and fade? Strange but true! Usually places like the wrists, fingers and toes have less blood flow to them. Also a place that sees a lot of friction, such as toes against socks, can cause the tattoo to fade faster. That is because the skin sheds faster due to the friction.

Weight can be a big factor in the appearance of a tattoo. You might have been bigger when you got your tattoo. As you lose weight you might start to notice sagging. This is especially true if you lose a lot of weight rapidly. You might also be surprised to see that the position has changed. That tattoo might have been in the middle of your arm when you first got it done but by losing weight and toning up it might now be slightly off centered. That's because the skin tightens and moves when you lose weight. Also gaining weight can cause the tattoo to look faded. That's because the skin has now stretched. A good artist will not tattoo over stretch marks that are really bad because the ink will pool under the skin and make your skin look like you have a splotch there.

Now most of us want to show off our tattoos. For that we need to expose them. Exposing them can cause fading if they are exposed too much to the sun. To keep your ink looking new make sure you put sunblock on before you go outside. Some medical treatments that involve radiation can cause fading as well.

Lastly, time will cause the tattoo to fade. Your skin continually sheds and grows new skin. This process pushes the tattoo closer to the surface and will cause fading. You will always have a mark where there tattoo was but after time it might look like a big ink smudge. Having periodic touch ups will keep it looking like new!

If you decide to get a tattoo, remember it is a life long commitment. Taking care of it will insure you stay "Pretty in Ink". Happy tattooing!

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