A Patch Tattoo That's Seen Better Days
The original design for this tattoo, and the tattoo itself, look really great in the before image below. Everything is crisp and vivid, and the colors just sort of pop. However, the tattoo hasn't aged as well as some of the others on this list, and we're not entirely sure why. The embroidery effect has completely vanished, and all of the colors look extremely faded out in the after photo.
The after image was only taken three years after the person first got the tattoo, but it also looks like they've had some other work done around it since then.
This Latin Quote Has Faded A Lot Over The Years
Usually, the simpler tattoos tend to hold up really well, but that hasn't been the case here. Granted, there are about 20 years between the before and after photos below. In the before photo, you can clearly make out the Latin phrase, "nosce te ipsum," which means "know thyself." However, it's much harder to make out in the photo on the right due to all the fading and blurring.
It's definitely time for a touch-up here. We also really like the font they originally used, but unfortunately, all of the details in the lettering have also been lost.
Before And After Photos Of Matching Tattoos
Usually, we'd say that it's a bad idea to get "couple" tattoos, but this couple did it in a really unique way. Instead of getting the other person's name, they got beautiful matching tattoos. It's not clear when the after photos were taken, but you can see that a lot of the original color has faded away. However, the lines all look like they're intact, so it wouldn't be hard to get some more color.
But the idea behind this is really cool and it definitely beats getting your partner's name tattooed on your body. Even if you separate, you're much less likely to regret something like this.
An Intricate Tattoo That's Blurred A Bit Over The Years
The tattoo in this photo is amazing in both the before and after photos. However, you can definitely tell that a lot of detail has been lost since this tattoo was first inked. Everything looks incredibly sharp and vivid in the before photo, while a lot of the lines look like they've been smudged in the photo on the right. The before and after photos were taken four years apart.
That said, the image itself still looks really great, and the blurriness actually works with the tattoo's theme, although we'd probably say that it's time to go and get a touch-up.
A 25 Year Gap Between Touch-Ups
Now, this is probably one of the most extreme examples of fading on this list. We don't have a photo of the tattoo when it was originally done, but we do know that this person waited 25 years to get it touched up and recolored. As you can see, it had faded a lot by then, and it almost looked as though it was about to disappear. The other photo shows the tattoo after an artist touched it up.
The difference is night and day, and it looks like the tattoo is brand new again. Just let the before photo be a warning of what could happen if a tattoo isn't properly cared for.
This Wolf Tattoo Still Needs Finishing
This geometric design of a wolf was actually never finished, according to the person who posted the photo. Despite that, it still looks nice, in our opinion. However, all of the delicate line works have faded over the years, taking away from some of the images. The lines in the after photo look a lot thicker and less precise than when the tattoo was first created three years earlier.
Maybe if they go and get this touched up, they can also get it finished, although we're not actually sure what is left to be done since they didn't say when they posted these images.
An Intricate Bamboo Tattoo
Unlike a lot of other tattoos on this list, the tattoo in this photo was done using bamboo. The bamboo works in a similar way to a tattoo gun, but the artform is more traditional and dates back centuries in Thailand. The tattoo itself was really well done, and it must've taken forever to create all those strands of hair. The after photo also doesn't look too bad, although we're not sure when it was taken.
It's also unclear if the minimal fading was due to the technique used or if the person just really made sure to protect the tattoo from the sun and elements.
A Tattoo With Some Character
Whatever the reason, this style of tattoo seems to really hold well when it comes to fading. These two images have around five years between them, and there has been some obvious fading in the image on the right. The tattoo hasn't lost any color, but what color is left definitely looks a lot less vibrant. Still, overall, the tattoo looks just fine. A lot of the fading was probably due to the sun.
That said, it wouldn't hurt to get a touch-up and restore some of the beautiful colors around the belly of the snake and on the knife in the middle of the tattoo.
A Tattoo That's Seen Better Days
The person who posted this image said they didn't have a picture from when they first got the tattoo, which is a real shame considering how much it's faded. It's so faded out that it's actually kind of hard to imagine what it must've looked like when it was still brand new. What we do know is that it's time for a visit to the tattoo parlor for some touch-ups.
We're sure that there was a lot of detail in the tattoo at one point, and it'd be nice to save and restore it so that the owner can once again enjoy their tattoo.
Bright And Beautiful Bird Tattoo
The person who got this tattoo really went all out with the color and it turned out looking great. The before image is obviously a bit brighter since it was taken when the tattoo was still fresh, but it really hasn't faded too much in the five years this person's had it. Some of the red coloring around the wings doesn't quite pop like it used to but it still looks really unique.
Luckily, all of the lines haven't really blurred, so if they did want to get it recolored, it'd look just as good as the day they first had it done.
A Classic Wisdom Tooth Tattoo
This tattoo definitely reminds us of a style that you'd expect to see on a sailor. It's just got a really classic look, even if the image itself is a bit wacky. It shows a wisdom tooth with the word "wise" underneath. The after photo was taken 10 years down the line, and the tattoo has held up remarkably well, especially the red coloring and the shading on the tooth.
However nearly all of the yellow is gone from the tattoo, but it's still a lot better looking than some of the other tattoos on this list that faded much more in a shorter amount of time.
A Unique Tattoo That Ages Gracefully
Sometimes, the imagery of a tattoo lends itself well to being able to age gracefully. Take this tattoo as an example. While the tattoo definitely looks crisper and sharp in the before image, it still looks incredible, even after having faded a bit. That's because the image of a rainy, dark street already looks like it should be a bit blurry because of all the rain and shadow used.
We also just really like this tattoo. It's unique, and the red just sort of pops out and looks quite beautiful. The imagery of one person extending to their umbrella to help someone else is also really nice.
A Nearly 30 Year Old Rose Tattoo
This is one of the older tattoos on this list, and while there is quite a bit of fading, it's really not that bad. The person who posted the image said they were only 15 years old when they had this tattoo done. The image below was taken 29 years later, and while the rose is in need of some new color, it's actually kind of amazing that it even still has color.
You can even still see some of the black ink that was used to outline. Hopefully, they'll go and have it touched up one day to preserve it and the memories it represents.
Half A Century Old And Still Doing Well
This is a prime example of how a tattoo can fade elegantly. The person who posted the image below said the tattoo was originally inked all the way back in 1966. However, you'd never be able to tell because of its simplicity and timeless design. There's some fading, but it actually looks like it's supposed to be that way because of the vintage look and feel of the tattoo.
This might be one of the most elegantly aged tattoos on this list, and it'll probably never need any touch-ups if it's made this long without losing any of its character.
A Very Detailed Fine Line Flower And Snakes
We love the design of this tattoo and it looked absolutely gorgeous when it was first created. The details are tiny, but they extend right down to the scales of the two snakes wrapping around the flower. If you look closely, you can also make out tiny thorns on the branch. Unfortunately, a lot of the details are lost in the after photo, which was only taken a year later.
Still, the tattoo itself looks really great, and hopefully, they'll be able to find someone to touch it up because it'd be a shame to have to cover or get rid of it.
There's Only A Slight Fade With Tattoo
The detail in the image on the left, from when the tattoo was first done, is really incredible. The second photo was taken around four years later, and you can tell that it faded a bit over those four years, but it still looks great. All of the lines are still exact, and the only real difference we can spot is the darkness of the ink. That and the addition in the background.
It looks like they went back in and had a beam of light and some crosses added to frame the whole image out, which was a really good addition.
Something Went Wrong With This Tattoo
We aren't sure exactly what happened with this tattoo, but we do know that it shouldn't have faded as much as it has in only two years. The original image, which is actually quite stunning, has lost a lot of its character in the after photo. The dreamy lines in the clouds and in the field aren't even really there anymore. Perhaps this person exposed their tattoo to a lot of sun right after getting it.
Whatever the reason for all the fading, it'd definitely be worth going back in and having the tattoo reworked a bit because the original was a piece of art.
Safety First When It Comes To This Tattoo
We've seen quite a few skull tattoos that have faded or lost all of their color over the years, but this one still looks good years later. These two photos have six years between them, and as you can see, there has only been a little bit of fading, mainly around the shadowing on the front of the skull. The black in the helmet also isn't as dark as it once was.
But besides that, it still looks good. Whoever created the tattoo did a great job, and it's also probably been well taken care of during those six years.
Another Really Well Done Tattoo
While there are a lot of tattoos on this list that have aged well, this might be the best one when it comes to fading. There's really not much fading at all in the after image, even after 10 years. We think that might just be due to the tattoo artist using a very intense red, but whatever the reason, it seems to have worked. This tattoo looks like it's almost brand new.
It was probably a combination of the artist really knowing their stuff and this person putting in the effort to take care of their tattoo on a near-daily basis.
This Flower Tattoo Hasn't Faded Too Bad
As far as fading goes, this tattoo of a collection of flowers still looks really good. It's not as sharp as it was when it was still new, but it also hasn't lost a whole lot of detail. The after photo was taken around four and a half years after the tattoo was first inked, according to the person who uploaded the photo, and most of the detail is still there.
We doubt that they'll need to go in for a touch-up anytime soon if it still looks this good so many years later, unless, of course, they just want to make it look a bit sharper.
An Eagle Tattoo With A Bit Of Fading
This tattoo of an eagle and feather is pretty simple, but it still manages to be elegant. It also doesn't belong to the person who uploaded the photo. Apparently, it belongs to their father, who's had it for around nine years. Considering the age of the tattoo, it doesn't look all that bad in the photo on the right. However, it still probably needs to be touched up.
You can tell that it's faded quite a bit in that time, especially around the head of the eagle itself, which is the most important part of the tattoo.
This Flower Tattoo Still Looks Great Years Later
The after image here is probably one of the best on this list, but there are only two years separating each image. Still, the tattoo itself looks like it's been well taken care of, and we love the flower and insect imagery they used. The only thing we can see that looks a bit off is the bee on her finger, which has faded a lot more than the rest of the tattoo.
We're not sure why that is, but it could have something to do with exposure to the sun, or maybe the ink simply didn't hold that well on the finger.
An Image Of A Queen Bee
The before and after photos below were snapped a little over 12 years apart from one another. And while the tattoo of the queen bee on the left looks a bit more fresh and vivid, the tattoo has aged really well considering the amount of time that's gone by. Some of the lines that make up the bee's wings and crown look a bit distorted, but besides that, the rest looks great.
It's also just a really unique tattoo and one that's worth getting touched up. Some of the fading might be due to the positioning since your forearms tend to get a lot of sun.
This Tattoo Of A Bird Has Aged Really Well
This is probably one of the more elegantly aged tattoos on this list. You're not able to tell from just looking at these two images side by side, but they were taken nine years apart. The tattoo looks remarkable to be so old, especially considering it has a lot of color. The only big change is that a lot of the red and pink coloring has faded out, but that'd be easy to replace.
Other than that, all of the blue has held up really well, as have the lines and the detail in the bird's wing. This tattoo has definitely been well taken care of.
Jiji The Cat
If you're a fan of Studio Ghibli, then you're probably familiar with this cat. It's name is Jiji the cat. It's unclear when these two photos were taken since the person who uploaded the image didn't say, but in the after photo, the tattoo looks almost as good as the day it was first inked. All of the shading and lines are still there, and the entire image still looks really sharp.
The only difference we can notice is that some of the white ink that was used in the whiskers and teeth has faded out, but that'd be easy and quick to recolor.
This Sunny Tattoo Doesn't Look Too Bad For Its Age
Sometimes, simple designs age the best, and this is certainly one of those times. The tattoo shows a couple of trees standing on a hilltop, with a beaming sun overhead and a flower surrounding some waves below. While the original image does look a lot crisper than the image on the right, the after photo was taken around seven years after the person first got the tattoo, which is a pretty long time.
A bit of fading is to be expected, and while the after photo does look somewhat blurry compared to the original image, everything still looks really good, and you can easily make out the entire image.
The Canadian Maple Leaf
This image should be instantly recognizable, whether or not you're familiar with Canadian culture. The tattoo shows the national symbol of Canada, along with some words from the country's national anthem. There's also a beautiful view of the forest inside the maple leaf. These two photos were taken around four years apart, and the tattoo has held up really well in that time, only fading and blurring slightly throughout the years.
The biggest issue we see here is that the striping around the leaf has started to fade, but besides that and the words blurring a bit, it still looks great.
A Tattoo Of A Fabulous Hat That Hasn't Aged
You'd never know it, but these two photos were taken 10 years apart. Someone decided to get a tattoo of a really colorful hat, complete with feathers and a ribbon. The hat itself still looks gorgeous 10 years after the tattoo was created. The coloring has only changed slightly, if at all, and the lines still look crisp. There's only slight blurring around the rim of the hat, but it's barely noticeable.
Unfortunately, the person who uploaded the photos didn't detail how they took care of their tattoo throughout the decade, but whatever they're doing, it clearly works, and they should stick with it.
This Unique Blackberry Tattoo Is Faded, But Still Looks Great
We're pretty used to seeing tattoos that depict flowers or trees, but this might be the first-ever tattoo we've seen of a blackberry plant. When it was first inked, the blackberries themselves had a slight shine to them that made it look like they were being hit by sunlight. However, the after photo, which was taken around five years later, shows that the tattoo has faded a bit over time.
The main issue is that all of the intricate lines now appear really blurry, but that might just be because the tattoo has seen a lot of sun in those five years.
The Cute Pug In These Photos Looks Brand New
If you're a fan of dogs, then you're going to love this one. It's a tattoo of a cute pug wearing a pair of glasses. Believe it or not, the after photo was taken a decade later. Despite the tattoo being 10 years old, it still looks like it was created last week. The only difference we can make out is that the yellow in the glasses has faded a bit.
There might also be a bit of blurring around the eyes and mouth, but you have to look really hard to notice it. Other than that, it's held up really well.
A Ghostly Plant
There are a couple of tattoos on this list that actually look really cool, even with some slight fading, and this is definitely one of them. We're not sure what kind of plant this is, but its delicate appearance works well with the slight fading shown in the afterimage. In the second image, it's almost like the plant is surrounded or slightly covered up by fog. It just works really well.
Actually, we kind of prefer the after image, but that's not to say it didn't also look incredible when this person first got the tattoo. The fading just makes it look a bit dreamy.
A Whimsical Rabbit Tattoo
The designs and colors here are pretty unique. We're in love with every aspect of this tattoo, from the specific flower designs to the shape of the rabbit. It took someone with quite the imagination to think of a tattoo as unique as this. Unfortunately, some of the vibrant colors have faded in the after photo, which was taken two years later. However, it still looks really great, and it wouldn't take much time to touch up the colors.
Mainly, the gold trim around the rabbit and the flowers is missing, which is probably why it looks so much less vivid in the the photo on the right.
A 4-Year-Old Rose Tattoo
Normally, tattoos of flowers don't look super great after they've suffered from fading, but this tattoo is an exception. You can see in the photo of the tattoo, which was still new, that the tattoo artist used a bit of white ink in the petals. Some four years later and that ink has blurred a bit, but it still looks really stunning, and it's created an effect all its own.
While we'd probably just leave the roses as they are, the leaves themselves could use some fresh ink just around the outline to bring back some of the detail.
Album Art As A Tattoo
This tattoo has a lot going for it. Originally designed as album art, it's colorful, and it might be one of the only thigh tattoos on this list. The after image was taken five years from the time the tattoo was originally inked. There's definitely been a bit of fading, but it also doesn't look like it'd be too hard to touch up. The colors are basically just a bit lighter.
The lines have held up well and if the tattoo artist needs a photo for reference, they can just refer to the original album artwork to try and recreate the tattoo.
A Menacing Mask That Hasn't Aged
It's really kind oh hard to notice any kind of differences in the before and after photos below. The second image was taken 10 years after this person got the tattoo but most people wouldn't be able to tell. Of course, the colors really pop in the original photo, but even after 10 years, there is still plenty of colors left, and none of them have really disappeared, as far as we can tell.
Some of the lines around the mask's teeth have smudged just a bit, but you really have to look closely to spot any sort of differences. The tattoo artist did a phenomenal job.
This Tattoo Gives Campfire Vibes
This tattoo looked really great when it was first done. Not only is it unique, but we're guessing that it reflects a pretty big passion of the wearer. You can almost taste the marshmallow in the image. The photo on the right was taken a year after they got the tattoo, and there's been a bit of fading, but it's kind of hard to tell how much due to the lighting.
The flame has recently lost a bit of its color, but that's probably to be expected, considering how deep of an orange they used. The sky in the background image also looks a lot lighter.
A Wise Frog With A Fishbowl
We'd love to meet whoever thought up the idea for this tattoo. It's super unique, but the most surprising thing about it might just be that the photo on the right was taken 10 years after the person first got it. Of course, a lot of the color looks lighter than when it was first inked, but it still looks really good for its age, and all of the original character is there.
Some of the yellow highlights have been lost, but it wouldn't be too hard for a tattoo artist to touch them up and restore them a bit.
This Tiny Elephant Still Has Charm
There are a lot of adorable tattoos on this list, but this might be one of the best. This cute little elephant is still charming, even five years after it was first inked. However, there is one noticeable difference between the two images shown below. The bright white ink surrounding some of the designs has faded away, which is really a shame because it just made everything pop out a bit more.
With a little work from a tattoo artist, it would look as good as new, although even without the white ink, it looks incredible, and we bet the person who has it is pretty proud.
Six Years Later And Still No Real Fading Here
Okay, so this tattoo is a really simple design, so there were probably never going to be any major changes over time. However, you do expect to see some fading after six years, especially when it comes to dark ink. Yet, it looks like it was gotten last month. There's some minor fading towards the top but you really have to look closely in order to actually spot it.
There's also some fading towards the top of the center flame, but that just looks like it was meant to be that way. This person must've really taken care of this tattoo.
This Hummingbird Tattoo Has Gotten Cuter With Age
This is another example of how a tattoo can age well. When the bird and surrounding flowers were first inked, they definitely had a lot of pop and color to them. And while some of that has since faded in the image on the right, it's still just as charming. In fact, the white ink makes the whole thing sort of look like it's supposed to appear a bit faded.
Honestly, both touching it up and restoring some color or just leaving it alone and letting it fade a bit more would probably look okay when it came to this tattoo.