Why do tattoos fade?

Asked by: Antonio Jones, London

Tattoo needles deposit ink beneath the epidermis. This is deep enough that the ink won’t be immediately shed with the skin cells of the upper layers, but macrophage cells from your immune system will gradually absorb the ink and disperse it.

And the UV frequencies in sunlight are energetic enough to break down the ink molecules over time, so tattoos that are always exposed – such as on the fingers or face – fade quicker than those covered by clothing.

Read more:

• How much skin does a human shed in their life?
• Why do we have moles on our skin?

Subscribe to BBC Focus magazine for fascinating new Q&As every month and follow @sciencefocusQA on Twitter for your daily dose of fun science facts.