by Lynda Mc Donald

Created on: August 03, 2009

There are quiet a few factors that can effect how well your tattoo heals and ages. Whether you have one tattoo or more tattoos than bare skin, it's important to know what can damage them and change their appearance.

If you have a tattoo on an exposed part of your body, like an arm or neck, then the amount of sun exposure it gets can have a huge impact. Regardless of how sunny it is outside, it is highly recommended that you cover all exposed tattoos with a high factor sun cream, to help to preserve then ink and stop it from fading. Also going sun bathing or toasting yourself in a tanning bed, even with the highest factor sun cream possible is a bad idea. But if you simply must be tanned, having sun cream protecting your tattoo is a necessity.

Weight gain and loss can also be a factor in how well your tattoos last throughout the years. If you lose or gain a lot of weight, depending on the body part the tattoo is on, you could be faced with potential sagging or stretching. This is an important factor to take into consideration when deciding on an area to get tattooed. As you reach old-age wrinkles could also have an impact on your tattoo.

All tattoos will fade, but it could be unnoticeable if you take good care of them. Your skin is shedding and renewing itself daily, which, over time, fades your tattoo. If you are inked on a hand, foot, or anywhere else that has a high rate of movement or impact with clothes on a daily basis, are going to fade a lot quicker.

Your skin type can also effect how well your tattoo ages. Some people's skin will reject ink and attempt to push it out much faster than others, this means they will have to wait for their tattoo to heal, and then have it re-inked if they want it to be vibrant and fresh looking.

Not taking proper care of your tattoo during the healing process, can have a massive impact on how it turns out. Every tattoo artist will have their own guidelines on tattoo after-care. The majority recommend, having it covered for the first few days, either with cling-film or a bandage. It is also important to wash it and apply tattoo-friendly (most recommend Bepanthaen) every few hours, and continue to apply cream until fully healed. Do not pick or scratch at your tattoo while its healing, and avoid direct exposure to sun. The tattoo should not be soaked for the first two weeks as this can cause the ink to run, so baths are not advisable.

If you really want a tattoo; it's like getting a pet, you have to learn to take care of it, and do it regularly, especially if you want it to stay looking good.

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