Permanent Cosmetic Tattoos: Their Durability and Aftercare

It’s been advertised as permanent, and many beauty salons have guaranteed that these inks will remain on your skin forever. Cosmetic tattoos are more popular than ever and with more and more people getting them, wouldn’t you like to know how long they actually remain “permanent”? Well, you weren’t lied to – permanent cosmetic tattoos will always stay on your skin. However, the colour will fade and become less precise over time. If you ever do wish to go back to plain old makeup, there are also laser tattoo removal procedures to erase them. Considering having permanent cosmetic tattoos done? If so, here’s all that you need to know:

Colour Changes in Cosmetic Tattoos

When it’s fresh and new, your tattoo will look really dark – darker than you would like it to be. After a while, when your skin has finished healing, the colour of the cosmetic tattoo will have lightened. Expect scabs to appear around the skin but make sure you don’t pick them as this can result in scarring and ruin the tattoo. As the tattoo is exposed to the environment, it will slowly fade. Prolonged exposure to the sun or seawater will speed up this process further. Just like a regular tattoo, cosmetic tattoos inject dye pigments into your skin, which is what makes them permanent. The rate of fading will vary between individuals, their interaction with the climate, and how they care for their skin. 

Taking Care of Your Cosmetic Tattoo

If you want your cosmetic tattoo to look nicer for longer, you have to take care of it. By reducing its exposure to harsh sunlight, water, and chemicals, it will fade slower. When you go outside, wear SPF to reduce the impact of the sun’s damaging UV rays. A minimum SPF of 45 is recommended. Apply vaseline over the tattoo to keep the skin moisturized and put on a little bit extra when you go swimming. This will protect it from the chemicals used in swimming pools and the salts in seawater. Use natural products when washing your face and avoid scrubbing the tattooed areas. 

Be Careful When Changing Brands or Medication

If you switch to a new beauty product, keep an eye out for it fading your tattoo faster. Some products will contain chemicals that damage your cosmetic tattoo. Such products should be avoided. Certain medications also speed up your skin’s regeneration. This fades the tattoo more quickly as well. If you are concerned about this, then speak to your doctor and discuss the possibility of trying an alternative medication.

Get Your Tattoo Redone

You may want to change the colour of your cosmetic tattoo, alter the shape, or get it enhanced. These are possible, and you can book an appointment with the beauty salon. Lighter shades will fade faster, and you will need a touch up to correct this. 

How Often Should You Get a Tattoo Touch Up?

As mentioned, the rate a cosmetic tattoo fades depends on a number of factors. How often you should get touch-ups generally depends on your tattoo colour. Lighter shades like a blonde should be redone every ten months to one year. Brown makeup colours will need to be touched up yearly, and darker colours like black can be redone every one or two years.

Looking for a cosmetic tattoo artist on the Gold Coast? We’re here to help! Get in touch with us today to book a free consultation.