Im not quite sure how tattoos work, but i would think, even though the ink is driven fairly deep into the skin, the bottom-most layer of flesh with ink in it would eventually reach the surface (since we ARE constantly shedding dead skin cells). so what causes a tattoo to be so permanent that that doesn't happen?
2007-04-09 14:13:24 · 6 answers · asked by fear of the dark 5 in Beauty & Style ➔ Skin & Body ➔ Tattoos
There are multiple layers of skin. When you get a tattoo, the ink is punched through the skin to a layer deep enough that it never sheds.
2007-04-09 14:23:19 · answer #1 · answered by missspacecase 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
You're right that we do constantly shed skin cells, but it doesn't work in the way you're picturing, with the skin growing constantly outwards like nails or hair. Instead there are several distinct layers to the skin. Tattooing involves driving ink below the parts of the skin that are shed and replenished, down into the layers that aren't affected by this process.
Hope this makes sense!
2007-04-10 05:28:37 · answer #2 · answered by Marzipan 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The ink goes through several layers of skin. Only the top layer of skin sheds. Tattoos can only be removed with MANY laser treatments. Each treatment targets a layer of skin.
2007-04-09 23:10:01 · answer #3 · answered by LawandOrder 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Tattoo inks go into the skin because they are in a liquid form with a 'carrier', that after being tattooed into the dermis - the non-shedding layer of skin - the carrier is absorbed and the pigment particles remaim in place in the skin.
They are not absorbed by the "garbage crew" macrophage system - they just hang around there pretty much forever, even if the intensity of the color can fade, those pigment "molecules" are still there.
2007-04-09 21:31:20 · answer #4 · answered by tatt_bratt 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
our skin is 7 layers. the epidermis is the outter layer of the skin, and the dermis is the second layer. we shed dead skin cells from the epidermis, not from the dermis, and the tattoo is ink is depositted on the dermis, so when we do shed the skin, the layer where the ink is is not affected. idk if i made myself clear lol.
2007-04-09 21:23:39 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
well, one the ink gets in your body, it gets trapped in you skin, and you cant get it out but flicking it, but you can get it removed, its about as painfull as putting it on, but a LOT more blood
2007-04-09 21:46:21 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋