INKEDblog takes you beneath the skin of today's tattoo culture. Our mission is to celebrate tattooing as a modern art form which incorporates art, fashion, style, and pop culture. While paying homage and respect to the past, we look to present a contemporary take on the present and future of skin art. getinked@inkedblog.com

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Monday  Jul 10, 2006

Dear INKEDblog: Tattoo Fade

I was a good friend of Waylon Jennings and after he passed, I got a Waylon wing tattoo with bright southwest colors (taken from a design on a shirt he gave me).

It's a beautiful tattoo, but the tattoo crusted and all the bright color tones came off so it's now pastels. The girl that did this (while I lived in Phoenix) said my skin wouldn't hold the brighter colors. Is there any way I can get an expert opinion on this? I'd really like it to be the colors of the original design.

Debby

Dear Debby,
The intensity of the colors in your tattoo will be affected mainly by three things: your skin tone, the quality of your tattoo aftercare, and the tattoo’s amount of exposure to sunlight.

If you have a dark skin tone, colors will not be as bright as they would on a lighter skinned person. The pigment acts as a sort of filter. This is why white ink tattoos do not show up very well unless the wearer is extremely pale.

If your tattoo became very scabby during the healing process, it is also possible that your aftercare was compromised. If you have it filled in later, remember to wash the tattoo Very Gently with mild soap each day, dry it, apply a Small amount of lotion to keep it moist, and Do Not go swimming, hot tubbing, or soak it in water. (Showering quickly is all right).

As for the sun exposure, this is the primary reason tattoos fade. Wear loose fitting clothes covering your tattoo when you are outside at all times during the healing process. After that, ALWAYS put sunblock on your tattoo.

It is certainly possible to have a tattoo artist fill in or re-do the color that you have lost.

Best of luck,
INKEDblog

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