How Long Do Finger Tattoos Last? Tips to Make It Last Longer

The average longevity of most finger tattoos is 8 months to a couple of years depending on how you care and where you place it. You can make your finger tattoo last longer in these ways:

• Placing on the top of the fingers and between the fingers. 
• Choosing a simple tattoo design with black ink. 
• Moisturizing and hydrating tattoo regularly. 
• Cleaning and properly taking care of the tattoo.
• Touching up the tattoo from time to time. 

Learn how long finger tattoos will last and how you can increase their longevity.

Key Takeaways 

• Finger tattoos tend to fade more quickly than tattoos in other areas of the body. This is because they are exposed to harsh environments and are frequently moved. 
• There are a few things you can do to make your finger tattoo last longer. Such as choosing a simple design, moisturizing your fingers regularly, and keeping your tattoo clean and protected. 
• Touch-ups may be necessary to maintain the appearance of the finger tattoo over time.

How Long Do Finger Tattoos Last?

Finger tattoos are well known for their short life span. They fade quicker than tattoos on other body parts and won’t last for a lifetime.

The average life span of finger tattoos is usually 8 months, but they can last for a couple of years if you give proper care to new tattoos and frequent touch-ups. Once they start to fade, they will lose their color and initial intensity or appearance.

Why Finger Tattoos Don’t Last Longer?

If we compare finger tattoos to tattoos in other areas of the body, we will find that finger tattoos fade more quickly. This fading may be because our hands face more water and sun exposure than other body parts.

Temperature plays a significant role in fading your finger tattoos. For example, your hands become dry and cold in winter, affecting your tattoo and blurring it.

Similarly, in summer, your hands face direct exposure to UV rays. You may apply sunscreen on your hands, but it’s tough to maintain it for long hours.

Now consider how continuously you use your hands and fingers for different works. This constant activity of hands and fingers leads to more frequent regeneration and shedding of the skin than the rest of the body and contributes a lot to your tattoo fading.

What Should Be Done To Make A Finger Tattoo Last Longer?

Here are 5 ways to increase a finger tattoo’s longevity:

Proper Placement 

Place the tattoo on your finger where it doesn’t crinkle or fold for regular work like on top of the finger or in between. If you place your tattoo where it has to fold or crinkle then the tattoo will be patchy and won’t last long. 

Even though on top of the hand may hurt the most, it will last the longest. On the other hand, a tattoo on the bottom of the finger doesn’t last longer because of its thick skin.

Placing the tattoo on the sides of the finger is also not a good idea because it has too much movement and rubbing. Also, avoid the knuckle region as it is wrinkly so it will distort the tattoo. 

Proper Tattoo Design Selection

One thing that directly impacts your finger tattoo is your selected tattoo design. The skin of fingers is not smooth compared to other body parts.

Therefore making a complex tattoo design on your fingers is difficult. It’s challenging to work with a tattoo machine on the skin of your fingers.

However, the best rotary tattoo machines are capable of doing such small and complex tasks. So try to avoid an intricate design.

Rather, try to choose a simple style for your finger tattoo that remains vivid for a long time. Select a basic style, such as letters or line art, that lasts longer on the skin of fingers.

Keeping the Fingers Moisturized and Hydrated

Skin hydration and moisturizing are essential to make your tattoo last longer. Keeping your hands and fingers moisturized will help prevent your tattoo from dryness and shedding.

Water exposure to hands makes them dry; therefore, you should always use a good quality moisturizer or tattoo lotion.

You can try to use coconut oil for moisturizing. The coconut oil is cheap, natural, and free from chemicals, and it helps make your tattoo heal faster.

However, excessive use of moisturizer can reduce your tattoo healing. So try to use a moisturizer in a balanced way.

Keeping It Clean And Protected

You have to start caring and maintaining your tattoo from day 1 to properly heal your tattoo. So, you have to keep your tattoo clean and dry. You have to avoid using water for at least a week to let it heal. To clean your tattoo you can use mild and fragrance-free soap. 

Product name	Feature
Tattoo Goo Deep Cleansing Soap	Contains olive oil Fragrance-free Alcohol-free
H2Ocean Blue Green Foam Soap	Great for new tattoos Alcohol and dye-free Fragrance-free

To keep your tattoo protected from sunlight, water, and moisture, you can get hand gloves. Even though it could be inconvenient, it is only for a week. This will help protect the tattoo from the harsh environment and heal it properly. 

Touching Up Your Finger Tattoo

Tattoo touch-ups are necessary to maintain your tattoo’s excellent shape. The number of touch-ups depends on their design. Simple finger tattoos require fewer touch-ups.

Complex tattoos make the fading faster. So, it requires more touch-ups. Therefore it is always suggested to choose simple finger tattoo designs.

Here are tips for getting a finger tattoo

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

Which Is Better For A Finger Tattoo: Black Or Colored Ink?

If you want a long-lasting tattoo and don’t want to touch it up from time to time then you should opt for a black tattoo. However, colored tattoos will give you a unique look and design. But they fade faster than the black ones. So, in terms of longevity, black tattoos are better.

What Do I Need To Know Before Getting A Finger Tattoo?

Finger tattoos hurt the most as they are near your bone. Also, finger tattoos will fade faster than tattoos in other places of the body and get easily blurry. So, they require frequent touch-ups. 

How Much Would A Finger Tattoo Cost?

A finger tattoo usually costs $50 for a simple design and goes up to $300 for a complex structure. It depends on the tattoo design.

Closing Words

Finger tattoos look pretty and attractive but can hurt and are difficult to heal and handle. However, finger tattoos don’t long because of too much exposure, movement, and friction. 

So finger tattoos are unsuitable if you are not committed to high maintenance. Without touch-ups, they will fade very quickly. So it’s essential to take proper aftercare of your finger tattoos to make them last longer.