Often people wonder – how do tattoos stay forever on their skin? Most people believe that it is because the ink goes so deep inside and gets stuck there. Well, this isn’t the real reason why do tattoos stay on the skin forever, though.
Here’s a scientific explanation to understand what happens when you get a tattoo and why the tattoos are permanent.
Why do Tattoos Stay Permanent
Take a look…
Basically, the tattoo ink doesn’t stain skin cells, as most people believe. The reason why tattoo ink stays in the skin permanently has to do with the immune system. When a tattoo needle punctures the skin through the epidermis, the outer layer of skin, the ink flows down the tattooing needle into the dermis, the inner layer of skin.
The continuous penetration of the needle into the skin causes a wound, which alerts the immune system. Our immune system then reacts to what it considers an attack by sending cells to the wound and start healing the skin. The white blood cells, known as macrophages, are sent to the area of the wound. The macrophages swallow the ink so as to take the foreign particle away from the wound. Skin cells called fibroblasts absorb what’s left of the ink. Most of the fibroblasts and macrophages end up stuck in the dermis, where they’re locked permanently, which is why tattoos stay on the skin forever.
Also, this fight never stops! Our body always keeps fighting foreign ink throughout life. This is why tattoos tend to fade over time. Apart from this, there are other reasons, such as sunlight, that affect our tattoos and make them blur gradually.
So, this is the reason why do tattoos stay on the skin forever.
