Tattoos have fascinated people for centuries. The color under the skin is associated with mysteries. But what actually happens during tattooing? What is different about tattooed skin?
We found out what the special color for tattoos, the skin and the relationship between the two is all about. Skin researchers know exactly why the color stays in the skin and how a tattoo changes the skin. And, of course, they also know what care tattooed skin needs. Now we know too.
Color plus skin equals tattoo. What happens there?
Tattooing means that a special ink is injected under the skin using needles of different thicknesses. The tattoo needles can have very different shapes, and the color can be red, black, blue or green. But it always goes up to two millimeters deep into the skin. It goes as far as the dermis, which lies beneath the top layer of skin (epidermis). The dermis can store the color pigments for a long time.
The pigments that end up in the epidermis during tattooing are lost again. The epidermis is constantly renewing itself. After around three to four weeks, these superficial colors disappear again. This is known as fading and is a natural process. A little bit of color always ends up in the epidermis, that's normal. It has nothing to do with the skill of the tattoo artist.
So let's be clear: tattoo artists use special needles to apply tattoo ink to the dermis, where it is retained for the long term.
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What is the tattoo ink made of?
Indigenous cultures tattoo with a mixture of ash, charcoal and fat. They insert the ink under the skin with a needle made of bamboo or bone splinters. This is unthinkable in Europe, where tattoo inks are subject to strict regulations. Tattoo inks consist of solid, small pigments. These particles are so small that we cannot even recognize them. Only under high magnification does the ink reveal that it consists of liquid, solid particles. It is the pigment particles that give the tattoo its color. The liquid that holds them together consists of solvents and preservatives and initially has nothing to do with the color of your tattoo.
Do you suffer from allergies? Then you should pay attention to the ingredients of the tattoo ink. This is because some of the ingredients can trigger allergic reactions. Simply ask the tattoo artist which colors they use. You should also ask for a photo of the ingredients of the inks. The inks can generally be traced via a badge code, i.e. the manufacturer's production number.
So we can't say categorically what tattoo inks are made of. The exact ingredients and their ratio to each other vary depending on the manufacturer and item.
How does the tattoo color behave after it has been engraved?
Your tattoo is still fresh and you are wearing a plaster over it. Take a close look at the patch: It's colorful, isn't it? Some of the tattoo color is carried out by the wound fluid after the tattoo is applied. This is the color you see in the patch. The crust that forms on the tattooed skin can also be colored. Please don't panic - this is all perfectly normal. Tattoo artists know this and will engrave your tattoo taking these color losses into account.
But why does the body simply transport the color out? It's supposed to stay in the skin! The tattoo ink is a foreign body for your body. And foreign bodies have no place in wounds. That's why your body tries to remove or break down as much of the ink as possible. A fairly large proportion of the tattoo ink is transported into the lymphatic system during wound healing. Especially small particles (the pigments) and soluble parts of the ink end up there. Only the parts of the tattoo ink that are too large and cannot be transported remain in the dermis. This is the color that forms your tattoo.
Excursus skin: epidermis, dermis and subcutis
Some color does end up in the epidermis during tattooing. But the epidermis renews itself every three to four weeks. This is why color in the epidermis is quickly lost. New skin cells are constantly being created through cell division in the so-called basal cell layer. This is the boundary between the epidermis and dermis.
Beneath the epidermis lies the dermis. This layer of skin contains a system of collagens, proteoglycans and other fibers that make the skin tear-resistant and elastic. This firm network supports the dermis. Because this layer of skin is so firm, it reliably stores the larger pigments from the tattoo ink. But the dermis also has a strong blood supply and is permeated by lymphatic vessels. And the dermis also contains the immune cells that help heal the wound after the tattoo has been applied.
The subcutis is located under the dermis. The subcutis consists primarily of fat cells and connective tissue and does not usually come into contact with the tattoo ink. Now the question arises: how much pigment remains in the skin after the tattoo has healed? This varies from person to person. Up to 80 percent of the originally applied color can be broken down and removed. This happens because when the wound heals, some of it is washed out via the fluid and because the lymphatic system removes some of the pigment. However, UV rays also destroy some of the color pigments. Once healing is complete, the tattoo has not yet reached its final color.
Color perception and tattoos
Why do tattoo colors look different in the bottle than on tattooed skin? It depends on the light. If the light falls directly on the colors, they shine very brilliantly and sometimes appear rather weak. On tattooed skin, however, the light is filtered through the skin. The light only partially penetrates the skin. This is because your skin is pigmented and filters the light. This happens to protect your body - from harmful UV radiation, among other things.
The pigments in the tattoo also filter the light. If the light is absorbed across the entire spectral range, the tattoo looks black. If the pigments only filter part of the visible light, the impression of color is created. This can be blue, but it can also be any other color, from yellow to green and red. Tattoo care products ensure that the brilliance of the colors is maintained for a long time.
Tattooed skin is altered skin
There are still very few scientific studies on how tattooed skin changes. However, we know for sure that tattooed skin is different from "virgin" skin. Reports are certainly available: Tattooed people report greater sensitivity, greater sensitivity to light and sunshine. Tattooed skin is more prone to itching and is therefore more easily irritated.
You may have heard that tattooed skin can no longer sweat. This is nonsense. The sweat glands, like the pigments, are located in the dermis. But the pigments do not block the sweat glands. Large, dark tattoos heat up a lot in the sun. You should therefore protect your tattooed skin with skin care products and UV protection (SPF 50+).
Temporary and permanent tattoos
Airbrush and henna tattoos are not permanent, the color sits on the skin. Because the cells of the epidermis are renewed every three to four weeks, temporary tattoos disappear so quickly. This happens particularly quickly on the hands: Due to frequent washing, drying and contact with all sorts of things, the outer layer of skin renews itself particularly quickly here.
The difference between temporary and permanent tattoos therefore lies in the ink used and where the ink is located. With permanent tattoos, the color is injected into the dermis, i.e. the dermis under the epidermis. The dermis does not renew itself, the color pigments remain there.