After an initial tattoo appointment, most artists will advise you to return for a touch-up within the first year. The initial tattoo touch-up will check and correct any imperfections that were caused in the healing process, and it is usually included in your initial appointment as a complimentary service.
If you experience long healing times (more than two weeks) or noticeable shinny-ness on the healed tattoo it is very likely that you will need touch ups. Allow time for the skin to settle down to a more normal condition before having your touch ups (1-5 months, but no more than 6 months).
Most tattoo artists will touch up their work for free if it's needed and if it's not the result of your aftercare. Make sure to ask your artist about touch ups. Do wait 30 days before even considering a touch-up. Tattoos can look less-than-perfect while healing and need 30 days to be completely healed.
See a tattoo artist for touch-ups: Fine line tattoos will usually need to be touched up every few years to keep them looking fresh.
If you're returning to the same artist and shop, know that most professional studios will have a clear policy in place for this. Some studios allow free touch ups up until a certain point in time (a few months) while others charge a smaller hourly rate than the original sitting.
cost? The answer, of course, depends on the artist and the size of the tattoo. However, touch ups typically start at around $50 and can go up from there. So, if you're looking to keep your ink looking fresh, be prepared to spend a little extra cash.
Many reputable artists will guarantee their work and throw in a touch-up free of charge.
You should also avoid wearing clothing that may irritate the skin, as this can cause the ink to fade more quickly. Unfortunately, even with proper maintenance, fine line tattoos will still fade over time. Eventually, the lines will become less defined, and the tattoo will start to lose its vibrancy.
Aftercare & Aging
Fine line tattoos are applied with less ink. While the ink is still embedded in the second layer of skin, the single needle does not penetrate as deeply or deposit as much ink. As a result, it is common for fine line tattoos to fade with age.
A: Yes, fine line tattoos can fade over time, just like any other type of tattoo. However, there are several factors that can influence the rate and extent of fading, such as the location of the tattoo, the type of ink used, and how well the tattoo is cared for after it is done.
Touching up others work is part of that job. We often will tell the client to ask the original artist if they guarantee their work or not, but if the client is uncomfortable going to the original artist, or chooses not to for some reason, then we will do the touch up.
Don't worry, this is completely natural. It happens because the old skin, damaged during the tattooing process, forms a thin layer over your tattoo and masks its true appearance. In time this old skin will naturally exfoliate itself, revealing your tattoo underneath in all its vibrant glory.
Because you are spending more time with the artist, you may want to consider going up to 25 or 30 percent. Many artists will offer free touch-ups, in which case, you may want to consider tipping a minimum of 15 or 20 percent just for their time.
A patchy tattoo could be the result of bad technique; if the artist hasn't made sure the ink is deep enough to stay put. It could also be due to them not 'packing' the ink enough; certain ink colours, or areas of concentrated black, often need to be packed in quite a lot in order to create a solid area of colour.
Certain tattoo styles that use black and/or grey ink, such as Tribal tattoos, Greyscale tattoos, and American Traditional tattoos (as well as bold lettering or Zodiac tattoos) are known to age well. These different tattoo styles feature bold, detailed linework that is deeply injected into the skin.
Those gorgeous, sharp designs you see on Pinterest, Instagram, and TikTok are fresh fine line designs that will look different one day — but different doesn't always mean bad. “Your tattoo will get a bit lighter or slightly thicker depending on how your body heals it,” Kim says.
Everything from the color to the type of ink to what your skin is like factors into the lifespan of a tattoo. Generally, black ink takes the cake for lasting the longest. Black ink tends to outlast any other color because it is super pigmented.
Fine-line tattoos tend to age a little bit worse than other styles because the fine details fade easier over time. There is a reason “bold will hold” is a common saying in the tattoo world. Another culprit style for aging a little poorly over other styles are micro realism tattoos.
Even if your fine line tattoo fades after 10 years, the delicate lines will be easier and cheaper to fix, or re-work. Most artists will regularly re-work your tattoo for a fraction of the original price. Also, delicate tattoos are a lot easier to get covered up or removed.
Most tattoo artists are more than happy to touch up a tattoo that's too small or too big for your liking. They may even offer to do it for free. So next time you're in the market for a new tattoo, keep this in mind.
According to Forte, "It really varies from person to person, but typically it feels the same as when you first got the tattoo. That said, touch-ups usually take less time than the original design, so it's a shorter span of time to “feel the needle."' Mariah agrees: "It will only hurt as much as your regular 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.