If you’ve noticed your tattoos looking a little lacklustre and less vibrant than they used to be, you could be experiencing Tattoo Fading.

Tattoo fading is a common phenomenon, and affects all tattoos as they get older, causing tattoos to lose vibrancy, clarity and require touch ups.

But what actually causes Tattoo fading and how can you prevent it?

We’ve got all the answers below.

What is Tattoo Fading?

Tattoo Fading is the natural process by which tattoos fade over time, due to a number of factors.

It causes a tattoos lines to lose clarity, sometimes slightly warping your tattoo’s design, as well as causing a tattoo’s colours to become much less vibrant compared to when it was first inked.

The process starts as soon as the tattoo is inked, but generally the effects are not seen for several years after the tattooing process.

What causes Tattoo Fading?

Tattoo pigments are injected into the Dermis layer of skin, which sits between the surface layer (the Epidermis) and the bottom layer (the Hypodermis). The Dermis includes sweat glands, hair follicles, blood vessels and nerves. Light shines through the Epidermis, and is reflected off the pigments, resulting in the beautiful colours we see in fresh tattoos.

Tattoo Fading is caused by loss of these pigments due to the Immune system and UV damage, as well as obstruction of the pigments due to skin health and ageing.

The immune system

Your immune system works hard to prevent infection from bacteria, virus and toxins that might breach into your body through cuts and scratches to your skin.

While tattoo pigments are not themselves harmful, they are seen as a potential invader and will be broken down and removed over time by the immune system.

UV light

Ultraviolet light, such as that found in sunlight affects tattoos directly and indirectly. These high energy light beams can cause breakdown of low-quality pigment molecules causing them to lose their vividness and be removed by the immune system more easily.

It can also have a damaging effect on overall skin health, which can cause further fading.

Skin Health and ageing

A beautiful piece of art is only as long lasting as its canvas, and in the case of tattoos, your skin is playing the role of canvas.

Light needs to penetrate the epidermis and reflect back off the pigments with as little light lost as possible. 

Rough skin texture from dead skin, wrinkles and scars, causes light to scatter on the skin surface, decreasing the amount that makes it through to the tattoo pigment. Dehydrated skin likewise causes the cell's contents to be more concentrated, making the cell less transparent, and blocking more light from penetrating.

How to prevent tattoo fading?

While tattoo fading can't be fully prevented, there are steps you can take to significantly slow the process.

UV damage to your tattoo and your skin can be prevented by use of sunscreen and by covering your tattoos with clothing, especially in hotter, sunnier climates. It is worth noting though that the first couple of months after you initially get a tattoo, the tattooed area will be a lot more vulnerable to UV damage while that area is healing.

While the immune system will take its toll over time, using high quality tattoo inks, which tend to be harder for the immune system to break down, can add extra longevity before touch ups are required.

Likewise by keeping your skin in good health, you can reduce the inflammation in the tattooed area, and the immune response that results from it. This is particularly key just after having a new tattoo. By ensuring sterility; using antimicrobial soap and wrapping the newly inked area, you can massively reduce the need for the immune system to respond, and in doing so, preserve that all important pigment.

Once the tattoo is fully healed, skin health can be maintained by use of tattoo aftercare products such as our Moisturiser & Vibrancy Serum, and our Exfoliating Body Scrub.

By removing dead skin and smoothing skin texture, the Exfoliating Body Scrub, allows more light through the epidermis, removing obstacles to its vividness. 

Vitamins & minerals can then be added to the dermis layer with our Moisturiser & Vibrancy Serum, to ensure the skin has the antioxidants it needs to help prevent sun damage.

Other active ingredients help to add and retain moisture such as Hyaluronic acid, Shea Butter & Coconut oil