Once you get a tattoo, your tattoo journey will last forever. A tattoo is a permanent body art that becomes literally a part of you. So, just like the rest of the body, you need to take care of it to keep it in good shape over the years.

Many think that once their tattoo is healed, they’re done with it. However, just like the skin, the tattoo changes due to external or internal factors as well. Maybe the tattoo will fade due to sun exposure, or it might lose pigment or shape due to skin conditions, or even just due to skin aging. Tattoos are susceptible to change and deterioration just like anything else in our bodies.

That is why one may need to touch up their tattoo(s) once or twice in the tattoo’s lifetime. But, how do you know that your tattoo really needs to be corrected and improved?

In the following paragraphs we’ll tackle the signs your tattoo requires some adjusting and touching-up, and other important aspects of tattoo touch-up every tattoo enthusiast should know.

Tattoo Touch-Up: When Is It Required?

Quick Overview

• The tattoo has lost the initial color and pigment
• Tattoo is placed in high-friction, stretch- and sweat-prone area
• The tattoo was infected
• The ink was placed too deep into the skin so it has spread out
• The tattoo is old

The Tattoo Is Fading

If you’ve noticed that you’re tattoo has lost its initial color, vividness, and brightness, chances are it has started to fade or has already faded significantly. This is generally a pretty straightforward sign that your tattoo needs a touch-up.

In a case of a faded tattoo, your tattoo artist will probably go in with the same ink pigment in the most affected tattoo areas, to brighten it up. This doesn’t mean they will do the whole tattoo again, just the most faded parts. Just a few touch-ups will bring your tattoo back to its initial vividness and brightness.