“Tattoos can't be too small or too detailed due to the elasticity of the skin not being as great as it once was,” Hunter explains. Because mature skin is delicate and more prone to bruising and color bleeding, thicker lines will typically be the most forgiving for your skin and will likely allow it to heal the best.
Tattooing older skin means working with a softer, less elastic material that's far more prone to bruising. Choose a design that will work with you — and your skin: Fragile skin also means that the kind of intricate designs younger people get are far more difficult to do on seniors.
Whether you're 40, 60, or 80 (kudos!) getting your first tattoo later in life can be a great way to celebrate your life, so don't hesitate any longer.
Tattoos can stretch and change shape, especially when it comes to more intricate patterns. The brittleness of aging skin may cause stretch marks and damage tattoo design.
As skin matures, its surface layer, the dermis, begins to thin. Moreover, aging skin is slower to heal. These two factors, lessened elasticity and slower healing, can potentially complicate the tattooing process.
Thin lines, shading, small words, and small tattoos all fade much more quickly. Some like the effects age has on their tattoo. However, that tattoo will likely blur together if it's got too much detail. Bolder lines, thicker lines, and larger designs will better stand the test of time.
If you have a medical problem such as heart disease, allergies, diabetes, skin problems like eczema or psoriasis, a weak immune system, or a bleeding problem, talk to your doctor before getting a tattoo. Also, if you get keloids (an overgrowth of scar tissue) you probably should not get a tattoo.
Age is just a number many people believe, and there's no age limit to say when you're too old to get a tattoo. Many people are still getting tattoos into their 70's and 80's without any issues.
List of States and their Regulations of Tattooing Minors. Nationally, the minimum age requirement in the United States is 18. That means anyone who is 18 or older can be tattooed without parental consent.
And rest assured, beauty has no age limit and your tattoo will look just as good on you now as it would have a decade or more ago.
It is illegal for anyone to give someone under 18 years old a tattoo. This law applies to tattoo artists as well as everyone else.
According to Myrna Armstrong, a professor from Texas Tech who studies tattoos, older saggy skin becomes a benefit. She says that “If you already have saggy skin, you don't have to worry about the tattoo sagging.” Older people are also less prone to getting impulsive tattoos that they later regret.
This statistic shows the results of a Statista survey conducted in the United States in 2019 on tattoos. During the survey, the respondents were asked at what age they got their first tattoo. Some 40 percent of the respondents said they were 18 years of age or younger when they got their first tattoo.
There are several different types of blood related disorders or conditions. Some of them cause excessive bleeding or issues with clotting, which is not ideal for tattooing. Those with blood disorders may be turned away by shops due to the risks and issues posed by being tattooed.
Know the risks
Tattoos breach the skin, which means that skin infections and other complications are possible, including: Allergic reactions. Tattoo dyes — especially red, green, yellow and blue dyes — can cause allergic skin reactions, such as an itchy rash at the tattoo site.
Shoulders and Calves:
These areas are great in that they avoid many of the problems with aging like stretching and wrinkles. If you get pregnant, your shoulder tattoo will be just fine. These are other locations that are generally easy to cover from the sun and others, but can also be shown off nicely.
Lighter inks like yellows, reds, oranges, whites, and any pastel tones tend to fade a bit more quickly than darker inks. Some white inks and pastel inks have trouble lasting longer than five years. Watercolor tattoos also tend to fade faster as the ink is lightly colored and very fine.
Chuck became the most tattooed senior citizen (male) in 2016, and his record still stands today. A whopping 97.5% of his body was covered in inkings. He also holds the record for most skulls tattooed on the body (male) with 376.
Drink a lot of water during the week; avoid alcohol for at least 24 hours before getting tattooed. Please do not shave the area; we will do it for you at your appointment. Avoid aspirin or blood thinning medication at least 24 hours before your tattoo; ibuprofen, acetaminophen, & other NSAID pain relievers are OK.