Why does permanent makeup fade and body tattoos don’t?
First of all, permanent cosmetics are a form of cosmetic tattooing and should be thought of as being “permanent”, the same as one thinks about traditional tattoos on the body. Traditional body tattoos do fade, however, generally at a slower rate due to several different factors. For instance, body art is generally covered up with clothing most of the year and is not excessively exposed to the UV rays which fade cosmetic tattoos on the face. Also, the skin on the body is much denser as compared to facial skin, which is much thinner and again, influencing the degree of color retention. Listed are some other factors which cause permanent makeup to fade: body chemistry; cellular turnover – rejuvenation, etc.; anti-aging products applied directly over the permanent makeup; choice of color applied (i.e., lighter colors will fade quicker than darker colors); and exposure to sunlight (hence the suggestion of wearing an SPF over your permanent makeup); and also, the technician’s choice of pigme
