Healed and Aged Tattoos

Tattoos are deposited into the second layer of our skin (the dermis). As they heal and as the body turns an open wound into regular skin once more, it will form a new top layer of skin (epidermis) over the tattoo. That layer becomes a "filter" that we see the tattoo through, and as it contains our melanin, settled tattoos will never quite look as vibrant or dark as a fresh tattoo.

I find it's important to show healed and aged work so that clients can make informed decisions about what they prefer not only for their tattoo today, but in the long run. Opinions on what looks best settled vary just as much as taste does, and many people even prefer settled and aged looks on tattoos! Hopefully this collection shows enough of a variety to add more data points to each person's set of information on how tattoos look over time. 

Enjoy!