How Fast Do Finger Tattoos Fade – Fading Ink

In most cases, finger tattoos will end up fadeing within the first six to eight months.

You’ve just gotten your first finger tattoo, and it is the perfect addition to your body art, right?

Well, now you are probably wondering about how to properly care for your new finger tattoo, how to prevent it from fading too fast, and just how fast they do fade.

If you have had tattoos before, then you might find that finger tattoos are just like normal tattoos in many ways.

Here is everything that you need to know about caring for your tattoo and just how fast finger tattoos really do fade.

Healing

Any and every tattoo goes through a healing process. It’s kind of a nasty process too. The healing process can take up to six weeks total from the time your artist bandages you until you’re fully healed.

Your skin begins to start looking normal within a two to four week period as well. Since your tattoo is permanent, you just need to be patient with the healing time. Part of the healing process is actually caring for your tattoo properly.

Aftercare

Your tattoo artist should help you with care of your new finger tattoo, but just in case you either forget or still have questions there are a few things you can do to ensure that your tattoo is cared for properly so it can heal quickly and in the right way.

You should always keep your new tattoo clean and moist. After washing with a gentle, scent free soap, you should apply a tattoo wax or unscented lotion to keep the tattoo area from drying out. A good aftercare kit like this one from Tattoo Goo will contain all the soaps and salves you need.

During the early stages of your tattoo, you should keep it covered and protected from dust, dirt, sweat, or grime.

Though plastic wrap is used on the first day of your tattoo, it is not usually used for smaller tattoos like finger tattoos. Instead, bandages may be used to keep the tattoo site protected. The bandages will be taped with a masking tape, or you can choose a paper tape if you have allergies to adhesives. When you get home on your first day, you should wait at least 5 hours before removing your bandaging. As long as you remove the bandaging before 24 hours, then you are good to go.

When you remove your bandaging for the first time, you will want to wash your new tattoo with hot water, the hotter, the better actually. Use a mild soap and your hands to loosen the coagulated blood, but you should never use a sponge or washcloth. Wash the spot thoroughly, and pat the area dry with a towel or soft cloth. The thing to avoid is scrubbing and old, dirty towels.

You should then use a safe tattoo ointment like Tattoo Goo or Hustle Butter. Unscented and mild lotions are great for a few weeks after your tattoos start healing to keep it from getting dry.

Fading

Tattoo ink takes to different areas of the body differently. Your fingers are one such place that doesn’t hold tattoo ink as well as other parts of the body. Our hands are one of the most active places on the body. The washing of hands, little fat in the skin, and the constant movement are all factors that play a part in the fading of finger tattoos.

If you wear jewelry, the rubbing of the metal against your tattoo can make it fade faster. The bad news is, there is no definite answer to the question of how fast finger tattoos fade, but there are a few ways that you can help prevent faster fading of your finger tattoo.

Prevention

If you are trying to prevent your finger tattoo from fading too quickly, there are a few things you can do. First, keep your hands clean. Since hands tend to get dirty easily, the best way to keep your finger tattoo from fading is to clean them.

However, instead of using abrasive soaps, use gentle or mild soaps to prevent the ink from fading. Unscented and undyed moisturizers such as Aquaphor are also great for moisturizing dry skin on your hands.

Sometimes, well most times, your finger tattoos are going to fade and need touch ups. In fact, the best way to keep your finger tattoo in good condition is to get it touched up regularly. These kinds of tattoos require a bit of upkeep. This will ensure that your tattoo always looks great, and you can resolve any issues with the ink taking or not.

Conclusion

Getting tattoos is exciting and fun. Getting interesting tattoos, like finger tattoos, is even more exciting since they are unique. However, taking care of finger tattoos is not always easy.

The upkeep is difficult, yes, and they will fade, but finger tattoos are a great way to show off your unique style, create something interesting, and add to your already impressive body art.