The dispersal of the ink particles occurs over time as the cells which contain them either divide, or die and exit the body. "Skin type, age, size, exposure to the sunlight and the type of ink which is used all influence how a tattoo disperses with time," says Dr Eames.
Your tattoo might move around a bit during weight loss. If your skin gets a bit loose during your weight loss, your tattoo might shift. If you are losing weight while also toning or building muscle, then your tattoo might find itself sculpted to your body in a different way.
When tattoos are placed over a muscle, the tattoo may stretch if you subsequently increase the muscle mass in that area. Moderate muscle growth should not have any noticeable effect upon a tattoo. However, sudden or significant muscle growth may damage the design and ink of the tattoo.
In general, the least painful spots are those with the biggest fat content, fewest nerve endings, and thickest skin. The most painful spots to get tattooed are those with the least fat, most nerve endings, and thinnest skin. Bony areas such as ribs or hips or chest usually hurt a lot.
The least painful places for a woman to get a tattoo are areas with less nerve endings and thicker skin like the outside of your shoulders or the outside of your upper thighs.
Tattoos can stretch and change shape, especially when it comes to more intricate patterns. The brittleness of aging skin may cause stretch marks and damage tattoo design.
Body Parts that are Prone to Stretching and How it Affects Tattoos. Certain areas of the body are more prone to stretching than others. These areas include the stomach, chest, arms, and legs.
As noted above, when you get a tattoo, the body's immune system immediately bolsters itself to fight off infection, but research has found that this happens not just at the “injured” tattoo site but throughout the entire body, and the response has shown to be cumulative.
A Tattoo needle penetrates 5 layers of the epidermis
That may sound like a lot of skin, but in reality it is only 1/16th of an inch, about 1-2mm. That's pretty tiny. It goes through five layers of the epidermis, through the dermal layer, and into the topmost layer of the dermis.
Rash or bumps. Flaking. Scaly appearance. Purple or red nodules around the tattoo.
Traditional laser tattoo removal technology is prone to a phenomenon known as ghosting. This occurs when the tattoo removal process causes a faint outline of the original tattoo. This results in a “ghost” image of the tattoo. While the ink may be gone, the ghost image of the tattoo remains.
Over-moisturising can lead to inflamed tattoos and potentially infection. Excess moisture can clog your skin's pores which prevents it from breathing, something that's important for your skin to heal. This can lead to breakouts on the skin that can damage the tattoo.
Guess how tattoos stay there forever, even as your skin cells die and are replaced? French researchers say they have found the answer, and it's a little bit surprising. They found that immune system cells called macrophages eat the ink, and then pass it to their replacements when they die.
A tattoo that is poorly maintained can begin to experience some very slight fading after the first year. A tattoo that receives the appropriate care may not experience noticeable fading for many years – even a decade! The standard falls somewhere in the middle of that.
The most painful spots to get a tattoo are your ribs, spine, fingers, and shins. The least painful spots to get a tattoo are your forearms, stomach, and outer thighs.
Scratching pain.
Getting a tattoo is often compared to a cat repeatedly scratching you. Though it's not the most intense pain ever, it might make you wanna hiss – especially if your artist uses multiple needles, like when shading. This also tends to happen away from bony or ultra-sensitive areas.
"Numbing cream is typically considered safe to apply before tattoo treatments, especially in areas that are particularly sensitive," she says. "However, the numbing cream may or may not be effective depending on the type of ingredients used.