# Another Tattoo Question: Why Still Here? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 23, 2005, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-tattoo-question-why-still-here/313796 "2005-07-23T14:15:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![davmilasav](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@davmilasav](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davmilasav)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2005, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-tattoo-question-why-still-here/313796/1 "2005-07-23T14:15:19Z")
In high school our science teacher told us that all of our cells are replaced every 7 years.\* If this is true, why do I still have my tattoo? The continued presence of moles and birthmarks I understand because they are genetically coded to be there but I didn’t even get inked until I was 24. That was 12 years ago and the tatts are still here. What’s the Straight Dope? - Not all at once, gradually. Though a one-time “ZAP! You’re new!” would be cool. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2005, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-tattoo-question-why-still-here/313796/2 "2005-07-23T15:40:18Z")
Tattoo ink is placed between cell layers, not within cells. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2005, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-tattoo-question-why-still-here/313796/3 "2005-07-23T15:56:31Z")
But don’t those layers move up and slough off? ---
**Author:** ![Bob\_Scene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Bob\_Scene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bob_Scene)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2005, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-tattoo-question-why-still-here/313796/4 "2005-07-23T21:14:56Z")
> [@davmilasav](#): > > In high school our science teacher told us that all of our cells are replaced every 7 years. High school science teachers say the darnedest things. ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2005, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-tattoo-question-why-still-here/313796/5 "2005-07-23T21:33:08Z")
> [@Sage Rat](#): > > But don’t those layers move up and slough off? Epidermal cells slough off. Tattoos are made at the dermal level, past the basement membrane. [http://www.cockeyed.com/science/tattoo/tattoo.html](http://www.cockeyed.com/science/tattoo/tattoo.html) ---
**Author:** ![Muad\_Dib](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/35a633/32.png) [@Muad\_Dib](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muad_Dib)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2005, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-tattoo-question-why-still-here/313796/6 "2005-07-23T23:26:24Z")
I would like to know why tatoos, which can look so crisp and vibrant when first done, will fade and blur as time goes on. ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2005, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-tattoo-question-why-still-here/313796/7 "2005-07-23T23:36:52Z")
According to [this](http://www.ironbrush.com/info/faq/index.php), it is because of sun exposure. ---
**Author:** ![davmilasav](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@davmilasav](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davmilasav)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2005, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-tattoo-question-why-still-here/313796/8 "2005-07-24T01:10:44Z")
> [@Gfactor](#): > > Epidermal cells slough off. Tattoos are made at the dermal level, past the basement membrane. > > [http://www.cockeyed.com/science/tattoo/tattoo.html](http://www.cockeyed.com/science/tattoo/tattoo.html) Wow…and urk. I visit Cockeyed a lot but never saw that piece. Now I’m not sure if I’m glad I did. Some of those pix were just nasty. :eek: But the overall explanation made a lot of sense. Thanks for the link! ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2005, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-tattoo-question-why-still-here/313796/9 "2005-07-24T01:17:39Z")
> [@davmilasav](#): > > Wow…and urk. I visit Cockeyed a lot but never saw that piece. Now I’m not sure if I’m glad I did. Some of those pix were just nasty. :eek: But the overall explanation made a lot of sense. Thanks for the link! No problem. I have an autographed photo of Brooke.