Tattoo artists use needles to puncture skin injuries that cause an inflammatory reaction, prompting your immune system to dispatch special cells called macrophages to clean away ink particles from your skin. Most tattoo pigment remains within your skin and is trapped within macrophages or dermal cells called fibroblasts – this way, your tattoo will stay both attractive and healthy!
The Epidermis
Composed of stratified squamous epithelium cells, it is a physical barrier against water loss from your body and substances or organisms entering it. Over time, your epidermis’ cells change over time as new ones form to replace old ones. These new cells are known as keratinocytes (cur-at-in-o-sites) and produce protein keratin that includes hair, nails, and the outer layer of your skin. Your skin produces melanin, which is an essential safeguard against harmful UV rays and maintains body temperature by helping block out sunlight.
The Dermis
Once a tattoo needle enters your skin, it creates a wound that that the immune system attempts to treat by sending white blood cells known as macrophages into the area to devour any remaining ink particles and clear out any remaining foreign bodies. However, when macrophages fail to remove pigment from your dermis effectively, it remains visible through your skin as part of its healing process and becomes visible marks on it.
The Ink
tattoos consist of two main ingredients: pigment and carrier(s). Since the dye is usually powdery in texture, it must be combined with something that helps it penetrate your skin more easily – this could include liquid-based carriers like ethyl alcohol, rubbing alcohol, glycerin, or propylene glycol as carriers. Modern tattoo ink contains numerous lesser-known ingredients, including nanoparticles and other small components that may cause significant adverse reactions in your body (for instance, phototoxicity if exposed to UV light). One remarkable aspect of nanoparticles is their visibility under a microscope, due to their responsiveness to optical measurements of their surrounding environment. An AFM is the best way to test this since nanoparticles tend to have larger surface areas than similar molecules found in bulk materials; consequently, this could have significant ramifications on skin health.
The Healing Process
Once your skin has been tattooed, its healing process may take several weeks; therefore, you must keep up your aftercare regimen to ensure the new work of art stays vibrant and alive. Within 48 hours of being tattooed, your body will send white blood cells to clean out any foreign material that may cause infection and prevent future issues from arising. Your body will also release a pus-like substance composed of plasma and white blood cells to maintain clean conditions in the area and promote healthy scabbing. This is normal as your body attempts to shield the wound and block off infection-causing bacteria until its protective barrier regenerates around it. At this stage, your tattoo will likely become flaky and itchy; to keep it hydrated effectively and reduce any dryness or itching while still allowing your skin to exfoliate naturally, adopt an effective moisturizing routine to maintain hydration and help with exfoliation.
