“Your tattoo will get a bit lighter or slightly thicker depending on how your body heals it,” Kim says. “Go with your artist's suggestion regarding placement, size, and detail.
Thicker lines, and more pressure applied during tattooing, can cause some scarring. It's nothing to be concerned about, but it can sometimes raise up, and this is generally caused by changes in body temperature or weather conditions, as well as general health.
It could be distorted from swelling, weeping and/or peeling skin. It could be intential, or some lines may in fact need to be fixed. When it's healed your artist should (usually) offer a free touch up. In the meantime you can always go so your artist and ask what he thinks.
Over time, the ink may spread or fade slightly, but a well-executed fine line tattoo can still look beautiful and retain its intricate details even after many years. It's important to follow proper aftercare instructions and to avoid excessive sun exposure to help preserve the longevity of the tattoo.
Your new tattoo will be red, irritated, swollen, warm-to-the-touch & possibly bruised; this is all NORMAL. This will normally last 1 to 3 days. If your tattoo is on an extremity, especially below the knee, you may experience more swelling than normal.
Sometimes older, healed tattoos become raised but don't itch. A tattoo can become raised for a number of reasons. The most common factors that can cause tattoo raising are allergies, tissue damage, certain weather conditions, poor healing and rough tattoo artist work.
Allergic reactions to red tattoo pigments happen most often. If you're having an allergic reaction to your tattoo, you might get a rash that's red, bumpy, or itchy. These symptoms can crop up in the days after you first get your tattoo or can appear months or years later.
The color of your ink will make your tattoo age a whole lot better. Darker colors, especially black, fade much less than brighter colors, especially red. Black and grayscale colors last usually longer than colored tattoos. This is especially the case with white hued tattoos.
However, there are also some risks associated with fine line tattoos. Because these tattoos are done with smaller needles, they can sometimes result in blowouts - this is when the ink spreads outside of the desired area, resulting in blurry or faded lines.
Fine line tattoos are said to fade more aggressively than regular tattoos, though both tattoo styles will fade with time, and may need touch-ups. The longevity of your tattoo in either style relies on the location of the tattoo, how well you care for your skin, and the excellence of the tattoo artist you choose.
Over-moisturising can lead to inflamed tattoos and potentially infection. Excess moisture can clog your skin's pores which prevents it from breathing, something that's important for your skin to heal. This can lead to breakouts on the skin that can damage the tattoo.
How Much are Touch-Ups? Many reputable artists will guarantee their work and throw in a touch-up free of charge. However, doing without proper aftercare can void your “warranty.” If you're neglecting your tattoo against your artist's recommendation, you'll likely have to shoulder the price of a touch-up yourself.
Signs of an Overworked Tattoo
A Change in Appearance - If the tattoo looks faded, pale, cloudy, blurry, or heavily distorted, this could be a sign of overworked skin. This may also appear as ink distortion and blurring. During a tattoo, ink needs to be deposited in your dermis so the pigment stays put.
Your skin will feel sore, and you may see clear fluid oozing from your new tattoo. As your skin heals, it can itch and flake. Scabs may form. All of this can be part of your normal healing process.
The most common cause of infection for a tattoo is too much ointment or keeping it covered with a patch. This can cause the tattoo scab to become "gooey" and if not addressed, you can easily end up with an infection.
When you loose weight and your skin changes, so does the clarity of your tattoo. Bold, straight lines might get a little less bold and straight. The color might also change depending on how your skin shrinks or moves.
Ink naturally spreads in the body over time, so a tattoo that's too small will likely blur together as the skin ages. Your artist should suggest the best size for the integrity of the tattoo.
Adverse tattoo reactions in MRIs seem to have a connection to the metal content in the tattoo's ink. Tattoo ink can include metals like cobalt and titanium dioxide that add pigment. Some of these metals contain ferrous materials, or materials related to iron, that may react to the magnets in an MRI.
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.
A closer look at the US data shows that 39% got their first tattoo between 15 and 19, and one in four went under the needle after they turned 30. A survey from Remember a Charity also found that 5% got their first tattoo after turning 60.
It's common for new tattoos to feel raised for no reason. Over time, it will heal, and the raised feeling will go away. In some cases, it can take weeks or even months for your skin to return to normal.
A tattoo can become raised for a number of reasons. The most common factors that can cause tattoo raising are allergies, tissue damage, certain weather conditions, poor healing and rough tattoo artist work.
Does acne damage the tattoo? In most cases, acne blemishes will not damage a tattoo. However, picking or popping a pimple will increase the risk of spreading harmful bacteria to nearby skin, which can lead to more pimples on an old tattoo or a skin infection in a new tattoo.