I'm thinking about getting an ankle tattoo, and heard it's better to place it above the bony joint, since the skin moves there more the tattoo will blur more quickly and will need more touching up. Well, it just occured to me - does the same hold true for my shoulder blade tattoo? That bone moves around a lot too!
posted by:
|
-
Re: Will my shoulder blade tat blur more quickly?
Sat, April 12, 2008 - 5:25 AMIt's just my opinion...you should probably ask an artist to confirm...but the skin doesn't move as much at your shoulder blade as it would on an ankle, or inner arm, leg joint...
So I think you'd be safe!
Gia -
-
Re: Will my shoulder blade tat blur more quickly?
Sat, April 12, 2008 - 8:40 AMi've had my ankles tattooed forever & they look fine. to *me* areas where a tattoo is likely to fade faster, degrade more is arms/hands due to sun exporsure etc & you're torso if you have babies.
-
-
Re: Will my shoulder blade tat blur more quickly?
Sat, April 12, 2008 - 9:43 AMAll tattoos fade with time, we continually shed skin. So, think about which areas are constantly rubbed, bumped, enclosed (feet all winter here), etc. Most of mine are still in good shape, shade due to sunscreen religiously. My entire back was done the winter of '00 / '01. My ankle, which is dark colors was done Dec. '00 and looks good too. -
-
Re: Will my shoulder blade tat blur more quickly?
Sat, April 12, 2008 - 9:48 AMMy ankle ink also looks fine and please forgive me, I realize now that it sounded as though I was saying that ankle ink would be obliterated quickly...that's not the case.
With regard to what you said about shedding skin...
I had a long time to talk to my artist yesterday while he was poking away and he explained that the dermis, the upper part of our skin is what sheds...the ink is BELOW the dermis, so it has nothing to do with the life of your ink...
Gia -
-
Re: Will my shoulder blade tat blur more quickly?
Sat, April 12, 2008 - 6:38 PMThanks for sending me on a fact mission! I got my info from the woman I apprenticed under. It's the epidermis that sheds, tattoos are in the stable dermis layer. Learn something new every day. -
-
Re: Will my shoulder blade tat blur more quickly?
Mon, April 14, 2008 - 10:18 AMYeah I was really interested in the whole concept of where the ink lays...tattoos are so different now than back in the Sailor 'Jerry-or-whoever' day...the shading and nuiances...but I know that the machines haven't changed much...so I started my own fact finding mission!
What my artist said specifically was that the ink is laid in the layer below the epidermis, but above the dermis...he said that if the ink is put in the dermis itself, it tends to SPLAT out...blur...so it's the area inbetween...if you learn more...I would LOVE to read a post on what you've found!!!
Gia -
-
Re: Will my shoulder blade tat blur more quickly?
Mon, April 14, 2008 - 11:37 AMOhhh, that makes sense then, why people say the ink will bleed/blur if the artist goes too hard/deep?
-
Re: Will my shoulder blade tat blur more quickly?
Mon, April 14, 2008 - 2:20 PMOkay, so if it's in the dermis layer, then it will eventually shed away over many, many, many years. BUT if it's in the dermis layer, the ink is supposed to spread and bleed. I'm going for just below the dermis, which is only 3mm on the eyelids, but not deep in the dermis. LOL kinda like life, some place in between. -
-
Re: Will my shoulder blade tat blur more quickly?
Mon, April 14, 2008 - 2:21 PM*slaps forehead* that should read just below the epidermis, which sheds and is only 3mm on the eyelids. Guess I'm not to good at multi tasking. (printing things for hubby and trying to post)
-
-
-
-
-
-
Re: Will my shoulder blade tat blur more quickly?
Sat, April 12, 2008 - 10:03 AMThanks guys! My shoulder tat would look really bad if it blurred too much - I think that natural ink spread will be okay, and with fading, I'd be able to touch it up - but i have lot sof lines close together, was worried I'd end up with a big meaningless blob on my shoulder by the age of 50. Also I rarely, if ever, expose my shoulder to the sun.
I think my ankle tat I will definitely keep above the joint though - I just love for everything to stay looking pretty! And I got my tax refund, so I'm off to get it done, maybe next week:-) -
-
Re: Will my shoulder blade tat blur more quickly?
Sat, April 12, 2008 - 11:08 AMi have 20 year old tattood that don't look like blobs.
-
-
Re: Will my shoulder blade tat blur more quickly?
Sat, April 12, 2008 - 10:18 AMMy shoulder tats are both about 15 years old, and neither one has been touched up. They're a bit faded, but not really blurry. I think you'll be fine. -
-
Re: Will my shoulder blade tat blur more quickly?
Sat, April 12, 2008 - 2:04 PMMy shoulder, conchshell, is about four years old, and still as sharp as the first day.
-
-
Re: Will my shoulder blade tat blur more quickly?
Tue, April 15, 2008 - 9:54 PMMy shoulder and my ankle tattoos are almost 15 years old and I have had very little issue. I did have a little white touch up at 8 years on one, but don't find them very blurred.
I have heard the skin that is in and around some joints is actually built different (less layers?? Or texture??). I know when I had work on my foot two spots felt different when being tattooed to the point my artist even pointed it out. Those spots have lost a lot of ink in the first sessions (one we decided to leave because it fit the look the other will need to be touched up). My friend had the same experience with her hand. But don't know what to say about the science of that. -
-
Re: Will my shoulder blade tat blur more quickly?
Thu, April 17, 2008 - 2:16 PMOhh, I spy anatomy-speak! Wee! This may be tmi or boring, but I think its interesting if you like knowing about how tattoos relate to our skin.
We covered the skin last quarter in school. You are right about tattoos being placed between the dermis and the epidermis. The epidermis is the layer that sheds, and it has 5 zones of layered cells (7 on the palms and feet) Without getting too in debt, the deepest layer (stratum basale) is the layer that regenerates constantly and the reproduced cells are pushed up by new cells. As they progress and age they are categorized into the 5 separate layers untill they are sloughed off at the surface. This is why the tattoo must be placed beneath the stratum basale(bottom or deepest layer), because other wise they would slough off.
The demis in is unique from the epidermis in that it has a rich blood supply. You know you've hit this layer if you bleed with a scrape. Because of the blood supply tattoos placed in this layer(i.e. too deep) are prone to 'blow outs', because the blood can absorb the ink and spread it out
So, theres why they need to aim between these 2 layers. They are anchored together with tissue called the 'basement membrane' which is the ideal spot for tattoo application, no blood supply and no regenerating cells. Tattoos are really amazing when you think about all our bodies can do to screw them up. -
-
Re: Will my shoulder blade tat blur more quickly?
Thu, April 17, 2008 - 3:45 PMWay cool info! Thanks!
-
Re: Will my shoulder blade tat blur more quickly?
Fri, April 18, 2008 - 2:46 AMThanks for the info, that is very interesting!
-
-
