Inkguard is a new skin care treatment aimed at the ever-growing number of people with tattoos who want to safeguard the appearanceof their cherished body art.

The product was launched in New York this week and targets the eternal problem of fading tattoo ink – a phenomenon that causes tattoos to blurand color to disappear.

This is because when a tattoo is made, ink pigments are trapped in skin cells to create the desired image. Subsequent exposure to ultraviolet light,environmental toxins and pollutants create free radicals which damage the the skin at the cellular level and degrade the tattoo ink.

In response, many tattoo addicts revert to having their body art ‘refreshed’ every few years, but for the many who have a real aversion to theneedle, the skin care lotion offers a more convenient and less uncomfortable solution.

Tattoo Inkguard contains UV screens and moisturisers that create a skin barrier to prevent the free radical damage, which the company claimsresults in brighter and more vibrant tattoos.

The treatment includes two products, the Tattoo Defender SPF 30+ and the Tattoo Enhancer Topical Antioxidant Treatment, which will each retail for approximately $19.99.