While not likely, there is a possibility that a tattoo needle could go too far and puncture the hypodermis and rupture a vein. Tattoos typically do not puncture regular veins, but there is a higher risk of encountering more problems with spider veins. So, yes, you technically could try to tattoo over a spider vein.
If a vein is accidentally pierced, it might result in external or internal bleeding. Furthermore, diseased veins generally have a harder time healing. A tattoo puncture can be severe enough that it requires a visit to the vein clinic or emergency room, where the ruptured vessel can be sutured closed.
The bulging vein can distort the appearance of your tattoo in unexpected ways. Furthermore, the process of getting a tattoo involves applying pressure on the skin while deploying a needle at a high frequency. This may cause the vein to rupture, bleed into the surrounding tissue and lead to an infection.
If the needle is going too deep into the skin, it can cause more trauma and damage to the skin than necessary, which can lead to more pain and bleeding. Another sign that a tattoo is too deep is excessive scabbing and peeling during the healing process.
Tattoo artists have to be very careful with the depth they go to with the needle. Too shallow and ink will seep out. Too deep and the ink will disperse into surrounding areas. It's this dispersing that leads to ink looking smudged or blurry.
While superficial veins lie just below the skin's surface collecting blood from the upper layers of tissue, deep veins are located underneath muscle tissue in the legs. They do most of the heavy lifting, returning 90-95% of blood from the legs back to the heart, while superficial veins make up the other 10%.
Tattooing on varicose veins may distort the appearance of the tattoo. Also, the added pressure on the varicose vein during the tattooing process can likely cause the vein to rupture, bleed, swell, or even cause an infection in the leg. It is best to avoid any varicose veins when you are getting a tattoo.
Sometimes, though, the tip goes a bit further and pokes through the other side of your vein. As a result, some blood leaks out and pools under your skin (hematoma). This can cause mild, temporary discomfort. A blown vein usually isn't dangerous or a cause for concern.
Blown veins occur when a needle injures or irritates a vein, causing blood to leak into the surrounding area. In some cases, IV fluid or medication may also leak from the vein. Blown veins are usually not serious and will heal with treatment. A doctor or nurse may use pressure or ice to reduce any swelling.
To prevent a hematoma:
Make sure the needle fully penetrates the upper most wall of the vein. (Partial penetration may allow blood to leak into the soft tissue surrounding the vein by way of the needle bevel)
The Chance of Getting Nerve Damage is Extremely Small
Although unlikely, it is possible to get nerve damage, because the tattoo artist is injecting ink into your skin, and there is always room for error, no matter how small. It is an invasive procedure that deserves respect and should not be taken lightly.
When your veins are damaged, the valves don't work properly, causing blood to flow backward and pool in your legs. Damaged veins can cause swelling, pain, and unsightly legs. They can severely impact your quality of life and put you at greater risk for developing dangerous blood clots.
We'll be the first to admit it. It can be more difficult to see a person's veins when they have tattoos. The dark color of the tattoo tends to hide the veins, which can make them tougher to spot.
If you tattoo on varicose veins, it may distort the appearance of the tattoo. Also, the added pressure on the varicose vein during tattooing can likely cause the vein to rupture, bleed, swell, or even cause an infection in the leg. It's best to avoid any varicose veins when you are getting a tattoo.
Tattooing can be done on a patient with spider veins as long as their skin is healthy and undamaged. However, it isn't a safe way to conceal spider veins because it won't treat the venous disease, it might worsen the condition, and it makes the visible veins look worse.
Superficial veins are often visible under the skin and are typically thin and wispy. They carry blood from surrounding tissues to the deep veins. Deep veins are thicker than superficial veins and buried throughout the most inner parts of the body below the skin.
The inferior vena cava carries blood from the legs, feet, and organs in the abdomen and pelvis. The vena cava is the largest vein in the body.
The heart pumps oxygen-rich blood to the body's tissues through thicker-walled arteries; the veins return that blood to the heart. Veins located close to the surface of the skin are called superficial veins and the veins found in the muscles of the arms and legs are called deep veins.
Migliaccio says you should insert the needle into the skin at a 45 degree angle, as if you're sewing the ink into the surface of the skin, and not poke it in too far — less than an eighth of an inch deep.
The tattoo needle punctures your skin around 100 times per second, with the aim of depositing the ink in a region of 1.5 to 2 millimeters below the surface of the skin. The reason for this depth of penetration is to bypass the outer layer of the skin, or the epidermis. This part of the skin constantly renews itself.
Fresh tattoos will be swollen and not 'settled in' yet
If your tattoo is very new, it is likely that the lines feel raised and swollen simply because they are a bit swollen. Your new tattoo is an open wound, and the impact of the tattooing process will usually result in some swelling.