if we shed layers of our skin why doesnt a tattoo fade away?

Answer 1

http://people.howstuffworks.com/tattoo.htm

Answer 2

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Answer 3

Well Gary in fact tattoo's do fade in time. The needles piereces and take the ink deep into the subdermal tissue.

Because it is indelible it lasts for many years and is very hard to remove without leaving deep scar tissue. The body sheds skin and that layer even if sunburned is micro thin.

The body replaces its skin very slowly and it is thought that in a lifetime some of the skin your were born with is still with you much later in life.
What that means is that regenerated new skin at the base layer may take many years to become the outer layer.

If you were to find an old soldier or seaman in his 80's that had a tattoo you would see that many of their tattoos have faded and are almost indiscernable in comparison to what they were. Tattooists would try and tell you that it was the quality of inks but this is incorrect. The early tattooist ink in fact was a much better quality and had greater color depth than any of the newer inks.

Asian tattooos were well known for yellow and deep red and brilliant almost fluro greens that were carefully guarded from export to outside asia. All the best tattoos came from Thailand, Singapore and Vietnam.

Answer 4

there are 2 different layers of skin. the epidermis is the part you see. it sheds constantly. scratches and cuts speed this up. the dermis is underneath that layer and doesn't actually shed. it just slowly regenerates as needed. thats where tattoo ink is implanted. its stays prety consistent (if done right) for around 40 years.

Answer 5

the layer of skin that sheds is called the epidermis. The tattoo is put immediately below your dermis level of skin. Tattoos do fade if they are not taken care of (ie - you go in the sun all the time and don't put sunscreen on) but the dermis level doesn't shed away.

Answer 6

It does fade away over years. Depending on the amount of sun you get on your skin. The ink covers many, many layers of your skin but will lighten as the years go on.

Answer 7

My Tattoo Removal Method - http://RemoveTattoo.oruty.com/?oOxN

Answer 8

I'm not a dermatologist but I think it's because the ink goes so deep into the layers of skin. You'd probably see it even on the last layer if you could peel your skin back. I think people even get "poisoned" if you have too many tatoos, or within too short a period of time.

One of the young veterans here at work said that he now can not donate blood because of his tatoos.

Answer 9

ever get a tattoo? they use a needle which goes deep into you're layers of skin!

Answer 10

Because the ink is embedded deep into your skin, not just the outer layer.

Answer 11

Because we only shed the top layer of our skin and tattoo ink goes a bit further in.

http://wiki.bmezine.com/index.php/Dermis