Tattoos are permanent, but that doesn’t mean they’ll stay looking good forever. Every tattoo fades, but how much it does depend on how much you protect it, your lifestyle, and where on the body it’s located. Some locations, unfortunately, fade faster than others, so if you want your tattoo to stay looking fresh and avoid going in for retouches, avoid these 5 spots.
Hands
Your hands are used every single day, for almost everything. They take a lot of wear, which unfortunately means your tattoo will too. Not only are your hands exposed to the sun a lot, the skin on there also doesn’t take ink well which leads to blurring and fading. Little finger tats may be trendy, but they won’t stay Instagramable forever.
Feet
Like hands, feet take a lot of wear too. Ink here is more susceptible to fading because of constantly rubbing from socks and shoes. Barefoot would help, but then your feet would be exposed to sunlight which also causes fading so no matter what expect your foot tat to fade more quickly than other places.
Elbows
Not only do elbow tattoos hurt, but they also fade pretty easily. Outer elbow tattoos especially. The skin there is constantly being bent and rubbed up against, plus it’s usually exposed to the elements.
Arms
Arms generally get more sunlight than other parts of the body. Most people expose their arms during the warmer months, but this sun exposure and UV rays lead to fading. Inner arms aren’t any better because they’re constantly being rubbed up against your body or clothing.
Face
Although face tattoos are a little taboo still, the rising popularity of cosmetic tattoos (such as eyebrow microblading) means more people are getting inked there. Just know that your face gets a lot of sun exposure, which causes fading. If you have a face tattoo, permanent or semi-permanent, use a face moisturizer with some SPF in it to limit fading.
Places That Fade The Least
The good news is that not every spot on the body fades as much or as quickly. Of course, it all depends on what areas of the body get exposed to the elements and rubbed up against the most, but these areas generally fade less.
· Inner Forearm
· Upper Chest
· Back of Neck
· Lower Back
Conclusion
Fading is something that will happen to every tattoo, no matter how well you take care of it. How much it fades though depends on your body, your lifestyle, how much sunlight it gets, and where on the body it is located. You can decrease fading by keeping the tattoo moisturized, protected from the sun (by clothing and sunscreen), and avoid tight clothing that would rub against it.
At the end of the day though, don’t stress too much about fading. Tattoo artists can always go in and add more ink to freshen it up later on. Take care of yourself and enjoy your tattoo! If you want to learn more feel free to contact us or book an appointment.
