Whenever a needle hits the skin, the ink on the needle disperses across the surface of the skin, the needle penetrates and when it retracts out of the skin, in creates a vacuum that sucks the ink into the hole that when left behind from the needle.

       As soon as the tattoo needle punctures the skin and ink is deposited, the body’s immune system springs into action to try and repair the skin. It perceives the ink as a threat and sends macrophages to the area to try to contain it.

        Unfortunately for the macrophages (and fortunately for tattoo lovers), the ink particles are way too big for them to absorb and destroy. So, they end up absorbing the ink and keeping them permanently in the dermis.   

        However, over time and with frequent sun exposure, the ink particles will get broken down into smaller particles. This allows the body to get rid of the pigment where it gets carried away by the bloodstream, into the lymph nodes, and eventually, gets eliminated as waste. This is why tattoos fade as years go by.

        A professionally executed tattoo is done in the dermis skin layer. If ink is settled in the epidermis, much of the tattoo can begin to disappear within weeks of tattooing. However, going too deep and puncturing the subcutaneous layer can cause permanent scarring. It’s common to see a bruising effect or “blow out” in the subcutaneous layer as the fat tissue in the subcutaneous layer doesn’t hold ink and it tends to spread out beneath the tattoo. Over several months, sometimes years, the ink that has “blown out” can sometimes fade as it gets reabsorbed and eliminated through the body’s natural healing process.