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You might like everything that glows in the dark, or you might just like having a secret. No matter why you want a UV tattoo, or a tattoo with ink that only shows up under a black light, there are a few things you should know before getting one.
Black lights, also called ultraviolet (UV) lights, are common in places like nightclubs and raves. UV-reactive ink is used to make black light tattoos. This ink is almost invisible in the daylight, but it glows under ultraviolet light.
In a survey of people from their early teens to mid-20s, 78% regret at least one of their tattoos. And 19% of those who have two tattoos regret both of them. So having blacklight tattoos that only show up under certain lighting might be the one for you.
Pearl Lemon Tattoos has compiled everything you need to know about getting an invisible UV tattoo.
And if you have already made up your mind about having one? Hit us up for an appointment.
Invisible UV tattoos, also known as black light tattoos, are made with bright, colored UV ink that is hard to see during the day. On the other hand, these tattoos don’t quite live up to their names: When you turn off the lights, they won’t just glow. Glow-in-the-dark tattoos usually need a blacklight, which gives off UVA light, to make them light up.
These tattoos can only be seen when you shine a black light on them. Since most of us don’t go to raves or put black lights all over our rooms anymore, we probably won’t see the tattoo light up very often. For a typical blacklight tattoo, the artist must be careful not to mix normal, darker pigments too close to the zinc sulfide because that could make the zinc sulfide less likely to “glow.”
Compared to many other tattooing styles, this one is pretty new. It became popular in the 1990s when the neon trend took off. When the style was first made, artists used both traditional pigments and an ink solution with phosphorus.
But this method was considered dangerous because phosphorus is a carcinogen that causes several skin problems. Now, because the chemical is so dangerous, artists tend to stay away from ink that contains it.
Glow-in-the-dark tattoos are now thought to be just as safe as regular tattoos because tattoo artists no longer use phosphorus-based ink to make them glow. Glow-in-the-dark tattoos are now made with ink that reacts to UV light instead of chemically dangerous pigments.
Black light tattoos haven’t been around long enough to know if they have any serious risks or long-term effects. Does this mean that you should never get a black light tattoo? No, not always. It just means that UV ink isn’t used as often as other types of ink, so you should ensure the tattoo artist and shop you visit are safe and reputable. Do your homework before you decide anything.
There may be a higher chance of harmful side effects with UV tattoos than with traditional tattoos. As you already know, UV body art is not made with regular tattoo ink. Some of the adverse effects of UV paint include:
There are side effects and problems with any tattoo:
If, after reading all the information above, you decide you still want an invisible UV ink tattoo, Pearl Lemon Tattoos is here for you.
Whatever tattoo design, we’ll surely get you one of those dope-looking invisible tattoos. Whether you want invisible ink or even traditional ink, we’ll ensure you get it.
Contact us now!
If you choose an artist who uses pigments that react to UV light, your glow-in-the-dark tattoo will last just as long as any other tattoo. Still, like other conventional tattoos, UV tattoo paint will fade over time, but it will never be gone for good.
It's important to remember that if you ever want to cover up your glow-in-the-dark tattoo, the coloured ink you put on top may not look as bright as you thought, and the glow-in-the-dark properties of the original tattoo will no longer work.
Glow-in-the-dark tattoos are permanent, but "like regular tattoos, they fade and need to be touched up over time. The tattoo will fade faster and look less bright under blacklight if exposed more to the sun."
Due to the brighter pigments, you might need more touch-ups than a standard black or deeper colour-based design. UV-reactive inks can even change colours if they get too much sun. For example, blue ink can turn yellow or brown if it gets too much sun. Aside from this problem with the colours, glow-in-the-dark tattoos are permanent and heal the same way regular tattoos do.
Take care of your glow-in-the-dark tattoo the same way you would a regular one. Make sure to clean it well with water and fragrance-free soap, and then put a thin layer of Aquaphor or a treatment made just for tattoos.
Listen to your artist and their advice on how to take care of your art. See a doctor if you think you have an infection. Once the tattoo is completely healed, you should put sunscreen on it every day to keep the sun from hurting it.
To care for glow-in-the-dark tattoos, you should use the same skin creams you would for any other type of tattoo. Aftercare for a regular tattoo could mean:
The price of glow-in-the-dark tattoos should be about the same as the price of regular tattoos, but it depends on the artist or studio. "Usually, tattoo artists charge by the hour, no matter what design they do. If the material used for the black light tattoo costs more than standard inks, they may pass that cost on to the customer, though," he says.
Black light tattoos take longer to make than regular ones, so they cost more. In the end, it's mostly up to the individual artist.
Pearl Lemon Tattoos
East Corydon, London
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