Black remains safest. Blue and green inks with copper phthalocyanine pigments are safe too. Some parlous mix their own inks; it's generally safest to use branded inks that list their ingredients, says Dr Amit Karkhanis, laser and cosmetic physician.
Generally, black ink takes the cake for lasting the longest. Black ink tends to outlast any other color because it is super pigmented. Other darker colors like dark blue, dark green, gray, and dark purple will have a similar lifespan to black ink.
Black and gray: Black and gray inks are the boldest and most dense; thus, they are the most fade-resistant colors. These are suitable for any skin tone, especially with tan or black skin. With proper aftercare, black and gray colors last for up to 10 years or longer before requiring a retouch.
Tattoo fading is something that occurs naturally, even if you look after your ink using the most detailed of tattoo aftercare guidelines. Lighter and more vibrant colors, for example, yellows, greens, and pinks, typically fade faster than darker colors. Black and gray are the hardiest tattoo colors you can choose.
Colored tattoos, when repeatedly exposed to sunlight, tend to fade easily. This means that they will not age well and will need regular touch-ups to keep them looking sharp and fresh.
Don't worry, this is completely natural. It happens because the old skin, damaged during the tattooing process, forms a thin layer over your tattoo and masks its true appearance. In time this old skin will naturally exfoliate itself, revealing your tattoo underneath in all its vibrant glory.
Black and dark green are the easiest colors to remove; yellow, purple, turquoise and fluorescent dyes are hardest to fade.
Black tattoos are some of the most difficult to cover up. This is because black ink is very dense and has a large particle size. As a result, black tattoos tend to hold their pigment better than other colors.
Black & Grey vs Color Tattoos
Black and grey tattoos tend to last a bit longer than color. They will look more vibrant for a longer amount of time. This is especially true if the color tattoo is light or watercolor. White ink will fade the fastest.
The reds are perhaps the worst, because they also contain the highly toxic iron oxide and cadmium. * If you really want to get a permanent tattoo, stick with the basics. Black remains safest. Blue and green inks with copper phthalocyanine pigments are safe too.
Black and gray are the most common colors used in tattoos. They suit all skin tones, from light to dark.
Light/Fair Skin: White, or other light colors like pale blue, usually works well on people with fair skin. Medium Skin: Red, green, orange, and blues look great on tan or olive-toned skin. Dark Skin: The darkest colors on the color spectrum work best. Crimson, black, and dark blue look great on darker skin tones.
Red: Red pigment often causes the most skin reactions and is considered the most dangerous because it contains cadmium, mercury or iron oxide. Choose a red ink with naphthol instead.
They're removing pigments Blue 15:3 and Green 7, which will destroy most artists' palettes. These two pigments make up almost 70% of tattoo and permanent makeup inks. It'll affect blues and greens, reds, purples, and yellows as well as skin tones and components for a white tattoo.
No, tattoo ink does not poison your blood. Tattoo ink contains minimal amounts of metals and other toxins, and it's improbable that these substances will reach toxic levels in your bloodstream.
Choosing Color or Black and Gray Tattoos
Black and gray tattoos can create a more subtle, classic look. Black and gray tattoos rely on shading and contrast to create depth and detail, making them a popular choice for traditional designs such as portraits, fine-line tattoos, and tribal tattoos.
White Ink Tattoos
Tattoos using white ink will hurt more than other types of tattoos. This is down to the fact that for the tattoo to show on the skin, and it to be fully saturated, the tattoo artist will need to go over the same area again and again.
Colored tattoos usually cost more than tattoos with only black and grey ink. Colored inks cost more to buy and replace than black, therefore most artists will tack that on to the price of your tattoo. It also takes a lot longer for artists to change and mix colors while tattooing you.
Artists also praise Dynamic Triple Black for its true black healed results. As with Eternal Maxx Black, you can count on Dynamic Triple Black to heal as darkly as possible without any greenish hues or undesirable undertones. This ink is a reliable option for those seeking a black tattoo ink that doesn't turn green.
Tattoos breach the skin, which means that skin infections and other complications are possible, including: Allergic reactions. Tattoo dyes — especially red, green, yellow and blue dyes — can cause allergic skin reactions, such as an itchy rash at the tattoo site. This can occur even years after you get the tattoo.
By day six or seven, scabs should start to cover and thicken on the freshly tattooed area. During this week of your healing journey, the skin will be flaky and may start feeling a bit itchy. This is completely normal as the dry skin is getting ready to exfoliate itself away as the top layer of the skin heals.
"[The longest-lasting tattoos are] on flatter, less abused areas of the body like the flat of the forearm, upper arms, shoulders, back, and thighs," tattoo artist Toby Gehrlich tells Bustle. "These areas can usually withstand the test of time."
Nearly half (46%) of young people older than 18 have tattoos, and the older they get, the more likely they are to have them. In fact, the young people most likely to be tatted now are Millennial parents, 62% of whom tell YPulse they have tattoos.