Tattoos: Taking Care Of Body Art

Thousands of years ago the ancient Egyptians decorated their bodies with tattoos. At that time, they were a symbol of religion, authority and spirituality. Today, people around the world get inked for a wide variety of reasons. We will tell you how a tattoo is done and how to take care of it properly.

1. The tattoo is inked into the dermis.2. The outermost layer of skin is renewed.3. The colour disappears from the epidermis.4. The colour in the dermis is left in the body permanently.

After the initial appointment, the tattoo artist will talk you through the healing process. The four points mentioned above are intended as a guide for the care of a fresh tattoo.

• Apply enough cream, and never allow the tattoo to dry• Do not scratch the tattooed area• Avoid dirt and sweat• No bathing or long showers• Wear loose clothing that doesn’t rub or leave lint• Avoid the sun and solariums

As is the case with fashion, tattoos are subject to certain trends. For a number of years the Dotwork Tattoo has been a popular style for shaded black and white motifs. The shadows are created by using individual points that are placed very close together. Symmetrical forms like mandalas and other creative patterns are popular motifs for dotwork designs.

Old school tattoos are often associated with classic tattoo art. Motifs such as flowers, swallows, anchors and mermaids are applied to the skin in a two-dimensional and simplified form. In keeping with its seafaring roots, this style features a lot of nautical designs. Tattoo artists put a new, more detailed and imaginary spin on current old school designs.

The geometric style is characterised by its clean, straightforward line work. It’s all in the name, since the tattoos always feature geometric shapes, either on their own or in combination with another design. Geometric designs are usually two-dimensional without shading. Line work and dotwork are often mixed.

Usually black, sketch tattoos look like someone transplanted a pencil drawing onto skin. The sketches are shaded using the hatching technique and cover almost any design from new to vintage-style motifs. Sketch tattoos go well with other styles, for instance geometric designs.

It’s not only fashion trends that are born in the fashion capitals of the world, permanent body art is rapidly on the rise too. When combined, tattoos and fashion create edgy and unique looks. Low-cut backs highlight a tattooed back whilst a tattooed thigh peeks through the slit in a skirt.