Long Term Tattoo care

[DJDeepFried]

Here you go, ladies (and gents):

[heathenist]

Ryan Gosling in The Place Beyond the Pines somehow pulls off way oversized, inside-out, ratty t-shirts, and terrible, terrible tattoos.

[lasereast]

Laser treatments may darken or lighten skin pigment over and around the tattoo. Apply sunscreen before and after laser tattoo removal to minimize changes in your skin pigment.

[TaeTae]

Any of you guys use a scrub or exfoliate?

[Jnvlv]

So after you wash it everyday with dial soap and use non-scented generic lotion and it heals after about 2-3 weeks can you go back to normal body wash/soap and whatever lotion? Or do you wanna keep the same stuff but less frequent? And of course sun tan lotion all the time. Especially here in AZ where the sun is strong and out around 300 days a year

[deadsp0t]

Personally after 4 weeks all of mine have been completely healed and I've just went back to business as normal.

Since it's turned cold I haven't been using sun tan lotion, as all mine stay covered, but I do still use some aquafor a couple times a week. A buddy of mine was looking at mine and said they still looked about an hour old, but my oldest isn't much over a year.

[Jnvlv]

I almost feel like it's a lot of what YOU do but also a lot on how good the artists was-how deep they went, what type of equipment they used, type of ink, what colors (if any), shading, etc

[bongsau]

sunscreen is good defense...i was pretty overzealous during my early years living with tattoos. then i got a lot more ink, got lazy of lathering and tired of smelling like a god damn pina colada all the time. coverup, wear long sleeves if you are going to be out in the sunshine for long periods, don't stay exposed long enough to get a burn. i mean that is good sense whether you look like a colouring book or not. yknow that pesky thing they call skin cancer...

the gent who did my first tattoo told me that tattoos look the best ten years after they were made. they look worn, the look weathered, they have aged gracefully with you. the tattoos have mileage and your stories attached to make them alive. i looked up this tattooer 10 years later and stopped by his shop to show him that decade old first tattoo. and to tell him he was god damn right!

take care of your body and keep healthy. healthy skin will make the tattoo look better and keep it looking like a good tattoo. that is the best long-term tattoo care advice i've been given and that i can share.

[sighthound]

I totally agree @bongsau. Assuming the application and execution of the tattoo was good, the rest is just a reflection of the health of your skin, which is built upon a healthy body.

Obviously, the sun is the #1 killer of tattoos - but eating, drinking, and living right go a long way as well

[Gregor]

egular moisturisation

[Bertil Sverdrup]

I was on the same situation, I applied moisturizer every week just thinking it would make it age slower, but yeah it got old kind of fast, since it's in my back and it's hard to get... now I only use lots of sunscreen, 50+ sfp several times a day...

[temporarytattoo]

Just get an confirmation from your tattoo artist he will give you an good idea how to keep your tattoo for long term.

[tertia]

On 12/12/2013 at 10:03 PM, TaeTae said:

Any of you guys use a scrub or exfoliate?

I'm wondering about this too. I've heard exfoliating can help tattoos look brighter since you're essentially getting rid of some layers of dead skin that could never clouding it. Is there any truth to this?

I also posted a question about intense sports impacting the longevity of tattoos which I posted here: 

As far as sun protection goes, I've been an anti-UV zealot and sunphobe for years, long before ever getting tattooed. (Though I figured this made me a good candidate for tattoos since I knew keeping them out of the sun wouldn't be anything new.) Anyway, after many years of trial and error with different sunscreens and such, I find that I far and away prefer UV-protectant clothing to sun cream when possible. I really like a company called Coolibar. I have a couple jacket/wrap things that I can wear over any outfit and know that my arms are well protected without any sticky, smelly sunscreen. A+ for convenience, at least!

Does anyone know if physical blockers (like zinc oxide) are better over tattoos than chemical sunscreens (like avobenzone)? I prefer physical blockers in general because they're not absorbed into the skin but would definitely make tattoos look a little cloudy when applied. I'd be paranoid about the chemical products potentially causing discoloration or something since they are absorbed, though I can't imagine the effects of the sunscreen could ever be more damaging/discoloring than the sun itself!

[Colored Guy]

I use at least a SPF 40 when I'm outside in the sun especially at the beach all day. Someone gave me a SPF 100 to try, it was like something used on baby diaper rash. Obliterated the tattoo for sure and was next to impossible to wash off later.

I like going outside in the summer and my older tattoos took a beating, they all have been recolored and look good now. I have a SPF 50 and 70 I use and it holds up in the water, made by Neutrogena.

[Meekax0]

Sunblock for sure mine are so fadeddd


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[rdinak]

All of my ink is covered by  a short sleeve shirt..My artist recommends using a daily moisturiser to keep the skin fresh like some high maintenance woman's face...LOL. Take care of the canvas and the artwork will be fine.

Keep you ink out of the sun and avoid sunburn at all cost. Sun block is your friend.

Old tattoos are the easiest to cover or rework. After 20 years some new ink may be in order. My first tattoo is 20 years old. I am in the process of having it covered with a cool half sleeve. 

 

 

 

[Colored Guy]

Old tattoos can be touched up, or have something new blasted over it. I've done both.

One artist I know, she's almost an albino and never goes in the sun. Her stuff looks new, all of it.

[Gpots]

Keep it out of the sun, sunblock if it's exposed, moisturize everyday and exfoliate once a week.

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