HOW TATTOOS WORK
Shannon Warren, vikingtrailtattoo@gmail.com

Tattoos, whether applied with ancient sharpened bone needles, or state of the art pre-packaged sterile needles all follow the same basis of staying inside your skin. 

Skin is composed of 3 main layers, first being the Epidermis, followed by the Dermis, and finally the subcutaneous layer. 

The epidermis is our main shield to the cruel  world out there and it is an amazing part of our most underestimated organ.  Epidermis can regenerate itself upon being injured.  It can stretch or retract as we gain or lose weight.  Epidermis itself has several layers, the outside layer being the oldest, and new continuously regenerating layers underneath.  Amongst these layers a substance called melanin is produced.  Melanin is what determines if you have white, black, medium, or whatever color skin.  A lack of melanin being produced is known as albinism.  Some people like myself have melanin formed in patches which are freckles (I don’t so much hate them, I just hate that they show themselves 10 times as much with sun exposure).   If you have a slight cut only penetrating this layer, it heals without any lasting marks because of its great repair ability.  One last note about epidermis is that this is where suntan’s are held.  Good thing that we burn ourselves in the layer that regenerates.

The Dermis is where all the goodies are kept.  Here is where your tattoo sits, along with nerve endings (This should answer the question all newbies have, “Does it hurt?”), blood vessels, sweat glands, hair roots, and more not interesting stuff.  This layer like the epidermis will also stretch and retract(most of the time) back to it’s original form.  The dermis however does not regenerate if damaged, good thing too or your tattoo would only last until the layer regenerated.  The fact that it does not regenerate has a plus side, and a negative side.  The plus side being simply that it enables us to get tattoos, the negative fact is that deep cuts and damage to this layer will like tattoos, be there forever (forever is used loosely here, because over time, tattoo pigments will eventually migrate into the surrounding area, resulting in the need for tattoo touch-ups).   Now, when you see some of these “old” guys with tattoos that look like they were put in with sewing needles,  its probably because they were put in with sewing needles. 

The first tattoo I done on myself was done with a homemade machine using a sharpened guitar string for a needle, small remote control motor, and 2-AA batteries for power.  I know, I was young and stupid, but it came out pretty good for a homemade machine.   It came out good enough, that I knew from then on, my dermis was never going to be the same again.  Now, getting back to the topic of your tattoo pigments(ink) migrating through your skin over time,  fear not your tattoos will never resemble the mess you see on some guys/gals skin.  Myself and most artists alike will used state of the art machines, accompanied with sharp needles producing a sharp tattoo design which may never need a touch-up, dependant on how particular you are.  If you want your colors to stay super bright, you better be applying sun block (minimum SPF 45) to your art or you can be sure it will fade slightly just like any colored object on this earth.

Now under these two amazing layers sits the subcutaneous layer where our skin meets fats, meets muscle, etc.   Damage to this layer like the dermis will not regenerate, so scars are there forever.  Occasionally, a person being tattooed will jump, or move in one way or another.  Worst case scenario, a small portion of ink ends up in this layer and the resulting in a blurred spot.  If the client is steady, I will be too.  This layer is not where we want your tattoo to sit.  Ok, enough about this whole skin thing for today, besides, I’m starting to get carpal tunnel syndrome from the typing on this laptop keyboard.