The suns rays are one of the most harmful things to a tattoo.  UV rays will break down your colors in as little as one sun burn.  Some colors will fade others can change shade rapidly, creating a tattoo that has lost its luster.

Lisa Gets A Tan And Sees The Light

Don’t believe me?  How about a little show and tell.  The tattoo of the female holding a skull included in this article belongs to my dear friend Lisa.  The tattoo is less than a year old.  This is her first color tattoo that has really been affected by sunlight, but as you can see there is a definite difference in the tattoo within just  a few months.

As you can plainly see the colors have faded and seem to bleed into each other.  Notice how the contrast has virtually disappeared?  This loss of contrast makes the tattoo look flat instead of retaining the origional textured look.

Compare the before and after photo’s and you will see the obvious differences, particularly in the hear, clothes and hair textures.  The tan in her skin makes the yellow that was applied to the tattoo almost invisible.

Luckily my friend Lisa has seen the light and now applies sunblock to her tattoos religiously.  Sadly the damage to the tattoo may have already been done.  With as little as one bad sunburn or dark tan certain tattoo colors can become forever damaged.

Yellows and blues will loose their “brightness” quicker than others, whites can become yellow, reds turn brown and the crispness of your shading will be gone forever.  It may seem like a hastle but it is essential that you keep your tattoos out of the sun.

Highlight Your Tattoos

I have also included some photos of my tattoos which I apply sunblock to religiously and never ever tan them.  I do get some sun but I make sure that my tattoos are always covered with clothing or sunblock.

I think that tattoos look the best during the summer if you use sunblock.  They actually jump off your skin due to the natural contrast your untanned skin gives compared to your tanned skin.  The whites and bright colors will contrast even better against the background of your tanned skin.

In hopes to broaden my own knowledge as well as providing even more relevant content here at Pounded Ink, I have added a forum to the site.

The forum contains several sections to discuss any form of body modification. There is even sections where you can upload pictures of your own modifications for the world to see.

Registration is free and only requires confirmation of your e-mail address to activate, so you can start posting right away.

In time I hope to build a strong helpful community devoted to every aspect of body modification. No procedure is too extreme to talk about.

What are you waiting for? Click here to see what all the fuss is about.. Stop by, say hello, and tell the world what you think. The more the merrier. See you on the forum!

If You’re Sick, Reschedule

If you feel run down or under the weather in any way, it’s a good idea to reschedule your tattoo appointment.  When you are sick your natural immune system is not performing at it’s peak.  Adding the undue stress of a new tattoo to the list of things the immune system needs to deal with is not good for your general health or the healing of a new tattoo.

If you are feeling sick your best bet is to put your new tattoo on hold until your bug has completely subsided.

Don’t Get Tattooed If You’re Pregnant

Most tattoo shops will not tattoo you if they know you’re pregnant.  The reason for this isn’t that your body can’t take the tattoo but it will cause unneeded trauma to the unborn baby which could  easily cause complications.  A woman’s body also goes through many physical changes during and after pregnancy which could potentially affect the look of a new tattoo.

It’s Not Good To Be Drunk

Not only is it a bad idea to drink the day of your new tattoo, you’ll want to quit a few days before in order to assure that your blood is not thinned out.  Alchohol is a natural blood thinner and besides bleeding more, it will take your new tattoo longer to heal with a build up of alchohol in the body.

It’s also a good idea to avoid using asprin or pain relievers for a few days before your new tattoo, which also thins out the blood.

Load Up On Vitamin C

Vitamin C will not only make you healthier, it will also benifit your new tattoo. Vitamin C will give your body more energy allowing it to heal quickly.

If you don’t like orange juice, a muti-vitamin will do you good.

What Is An Infection?

To understand how to avoid an infection you must first understand what it is and how it works.

An infection is by definition, the detrimental colonization of a host organism by a foreign species. In an infection, the infecting organism seeks to utilize the host’s resources to multiply, usually at the expense of the host. The infecting organism, or pathogen, interferes with the normal functioning of the host and can lead to chronic wounds, gangrene, loss of an infected limb, and even death.

If that sounds like serious stuff, it’s because it is very serious. A small tattoo can lead to big problems if an infection develops.

How Does A Tattoo Get Infected?

Your skin provides a natural barrier from bacteria and viruses that live in our everyday environment. Once you break the surface of the skin you have created an easy way for a pathogen to enter the body. A fresh tattoo is an open wound. The infectious pathogen can either be introduced during or after the tattooing process.

Bacteria is everywhere around and any contact with a host surface could potentially cause an infection.

Is My Tattoo Infected?

An infection can produce many symptoms including increased pain, increasing redness, warmth greater than that of surrounding skin, red streaks coming from the tattoo site, pus or cloudy fluid coming from the tattoo area, a bad odor, swollen lymph nodes, and/or fever.

Minimize Your Risk Of Infection

One main cause of infection is the introduction of bacteria or virus during the tattoo process. This is often caused by improper sterilization of equipment or ignorance to general safe tattooing procedures.

Be sure you go to a reputable tattoo shop that not only uses hospital grade sterilization procedures and has a clean shop appearance. Chances are if the floor is dirty you don’t want to get your tattoo at that particular shop.

Another common cause of tattoo infection is the introduction of a pathogen after the tattooing process has been completed. You must follow all care instruction provided to you by your tattooist.

It is extremely important to keep your new tattoo from contact with any foreign surfaces which could potentially introduce infection. Also, be sure to clean your tattoo regularly with antibacterial soap and plain watter to minimize chances of infection.

I Think My Tattoo Is Infected

If you think your tattoo is infected run, don’t walk to your local physician. Infections are not something to play around with. Serious, potentially life threatening, complications can develop if you do not take care of an infected tattoo right away.

Now on to the questions.

Why does my tattoo have a dull look to it?
It could be that the tattoo ink was applied too deep and the excess skin is dulling your tattoo pigment. Sun damage will also cause a fading effect.

How long after I get a tattoo will it start to scab?
It could scab after a day or it may never scab. It depends on if you can keep it moist or not. Once a tattoo drys out and scabs appear there is no choice but to wait until they fall off naturally.

How long does it take for tattoos to heal completely?
The time it takes for a tattoo to heal can be different for everyone. Typically the older you are the longer it will take for your skin to regenerate. My tattoos usually appear to be healed completely in 4-6 weeks.

Why keep your tattoo wrapped?
Covering your tattoo in a plastic wrap will keep dirt off of your new, open wound. Always use an antiseptic petroleum jell like Bacitracin between the plastic wrap and the tattoo. Also remember to change the wrap at least twice a day. You should wash your new tattoo with plain soap and water once or twice a day as well.

Do nipple piercings heal completely?
Yes, nipple piercings will heal given enough time and proper care. It took my nipples roughly 14 months to heal completely. The time to heal can vary depending on how well you attend to your new piercing. If you beat it up, it will obviously take longer to heal.

How long should I wait before replacing my nipple piercing?
I am assuming this question was asked in reference to changing jewelry so that’s how I’m going to answer it. I would recommend not changing the jewlry in a fresh nipple piercing for at least 6 months or until the “crusties” stop appearing around the jewelry.

How deep to run needle to keep the tattoo best color?
Ideally, tattoo ink should be placed 1/37 of an inch below the surface of the skin.

Do tattoos look faded during healing process?
Tattoos can appear faded for several weeks after the inital process. The fading is usually caused by dead skin that has yet to peel. Don’t worry, and don’t peel off that dead skin or you run the risk of removing color. Your tattoo will look it’s best in 4-6 weeks.

How long must I keep my tattoo out of the sun?
Forever! The sun’s rays destroy tattoos just as easily as they fade the paint on your car. You must keep your tattoos out of the sun or covered with at least 30spf sunblock or risk fading and color changes. White will become yellow, red can turn brown, etc.

I wrote a post on this a while ago.
You can see the whole thing here

How to get the dead skin to fall off my tattoo?
Be patient. It will fall off all by itself in a few weeks. You risk permanent damage to your tattoo if you prematurely remove any dead skin or scabs.

If tattoo scabs fall off completely will ink return?
If you remove a scab or bump it against something and it takes the ink beneath the scab with it, certainly it will not return. This is why it is very important to diligently care for your tattoo for at least a week. If scabs do develop, whatever you do, don’t pick at them. They will fall 0ff when they are ready.

How long do tattoos take to start fading?
With proper care it could be 20 years before you notice any difference in your tattoo. Inevitably we get older and our body shapes and skin texture changes, as well as the natural breakdown of tattoo ink that your body performs. The sun also has a large effect on the longevity of your tattoo. You can always get a faded tattoo touched up by a qualified tattooist and bring it back to it’s original luster.

How Your Tattoo Heals

It is important to know what your tattoo does during the healing process in order to take proper care of it. The tattoo is an open wound and acts just as a brush burn does. The first couple of days (1-2) your tattoo will ooze fluid and, to some extent, lubricate itself. You must realize however that after about two days your tattoo will try to push all the moisture out of your skin. That means that your tattoo is easier to take care of in the first few days compared to the later healing process. It is extremely important to take care of your tattoo during the entire healing process for optimal tattoo quality.

How To Take Care Of Your Tattoos

For a tattoo to heal properly it must remain moist while your damaged skin regenerates. To achieve this you will need to use an over the counter lubricant such as Bacitracin. I do not recommend Vasoline as it has a tendency to fade tattoo ink, but it will work in a pinch. If your tattoo is on the top of your hand or your neck this can be easily maintained but many other locations will require some work to constantly keep moist.

I recommend that anyone with a fresh tattoo wraps it in plastic wrap for at least a week, applying the petroleum jelly between the skin and plastic wrap. This will not only keep the petroleum jelly from wiping off, it will also keep your clothes from being stained. The plastic wrap also acts as a second skin which will make the irritated skin feel better.

It is extremely important to keep the tattoo moist for an entire week. You will start to see peeling of dead skin after 3-4 days but your tattoo can scab even after the peeling process has begun.

If you follow the plastic wrap and Bacitracin regiment that I described above for an entire week, your tattoo will heal quickly without scabs. If your tattoo does dry out and scab, there is no way to remove the scabs. You will just have to wait for the scabs to fall off naturally. Scabs can take 3-4 weeks to fall off once established. If you remove a scab prematurely you run the risk of removing ink from your design which can only be fixed by retouching the tattoo.

One of the biggest challenges to keeping a tattoo pristine is keeping it out of the sun. Color tattoos are especially sensitive to the suns rays. With only one solid tan white tattoo ink can turn into antique yellow, never to return to its original luster.

If you insist on tanning your tattoos you should stick to black and grey pieces as they will be less likely to fade.

So you don’t believe me? Well here’s the proof. The two tattoo pics in this post illustrate the importance of proper tattoo care long after the healing process has finished. This is my left quarter-sleeve. The first picture shows the original color of the swirly design in the center. As you can see it is very white. Had I not tanned it, it would have remained the gleaming white you see in the picture. Well I tanned it almost to a crisp. My white swirly turned a dingy yellow and stayed that color long after my tan had faded. It looked pretty bad and after several months I had my tattooist go over it again and add the blue accents you see in the second photo. The yellows in the second picture are actually white ink that has been damaged by the sun. You can also see that the other colors in the tattoo have a dull appearance compared to the first picture.

So now to the issue of how to avoid the sun. Keeping a tattoo out of the sun is incredibly important and can be a pain at times but it is absolutely necessary. This doesn’t mean that you need to black out your windows and move into your basement, but you will need to stock up on some sunblock. Make sure you get sunblock and not tanning lotion! Make sure you use a lotion rated at least SPF30. I use children’s sunblock that is rated SPF60 which is a bit extreme but keeps me from applying it multiple times a day.

Be sure to cover your entire tattoo with sunblock because it only takes one tan to damage a tattoo forever. If you cant use sunblock you better wear sleeves or another appropriate garment to avoid sun damage. Proper care will result in a stunning tattoo that will look just as brilliant for years to come.

I have been working on a quarter-sleeve and my latest session was only two weeks ago. I am very happy with the results but due to my stupidity I may need to have this gone over again.

I took care to keep my new tattoo moist and wrapped it with plastic wrap religiously for four days. At dawn on the fifth day I went into the shower and noticed that all my color areas were starting to peel. This is usually a sign that the new layer of skin has generated and it is safe to let the tattoo dry. So I washed the tattoo and removed a bunch of dead skin. When I got out of the shower I towel dried the tattoo. At this point I stopped moistening the tattoo, which was a huge mistake!

After two days of not moistening the tattoo I started to notice that some areas had not peeled. Upon closer inspection I realized this was not skin but scabs over much of the black ink areas. I guess they were drilled a bit deeper or thicker possibly. It is now two weeks after my tattoo and the scabs are still hanging on.

There is no way take off scabs without ruining your tattoo. Do not ever try and remove scabs, they must fall off on their own. Be careful not to bump the scabs either as this can remove color.

Next time I get tattooed I will be taking care of it and keeping it moist for a solid week. I should really start t0 follow my own advise.

What you need to realize is that your skin will try to push out moisture the first day or two, but after that it starts to dry out. It is in the third or fourth day that most damage will occur to your tattoos. After five or six days your body should have produced a new layer of skin over the tattoo and you will start to see peeling of the dead top layer of skin.

It is extremely important to keep your tattoo moist during the first five days of healing and I would recommend, for comfort, that you continue for a full week. Once you let the tattoo dry out you will get scabs and scabs will damage your tattoo easily if removed prematurely or even bumped against something. By keeping the tattoo moist your body will not be able to produce scabs over the affected area. If you keep your tattoo moist for an entire week you will avoid scabbing and have a much better looking tattoo.

There are a variety of products that can be used to keep a tattoo moist. The most common are petroleum based gels like Vasoline. I use Bacatracin which is a petroleum based first aid ointment that prevents infection. I find that Bacatracin keeps the skin a bit more soft and moist than plain Vasoline. Be sure to only use unscented products with any open wound.

I also wrap my tattoo’s in clear plastic wrap for an entire week. This acts like a second skin, covering the tattooed area, preventing irritation, trapping moisture in the skin, and resist dirt to the wound. This process of wrapping my tattoos is another reason I use Bacatracin to prevent infection even further. It is extremely important to change your entire wrap and wash the tattoo with soap and water at least twice a day. Using plastic wrap will also save your clothes from being destroyed by leaky tattoo ink and that pesky gel that stains whatever it touches.