Paulo SáWhen you lose weight, what happens to your tattoos? Surprisingly, tattoos don’t always stay put. In fact, they can often shrink and fade when you lose weight. This is because tattoos are essentially a series of punctures in your skin that inject ink into the dermis. As you lose weight, the layer of fat below the skin decreases, which causes the tattoos to become less visible.
The good news is that tattoos can be fixed or even removed if necessary. There are a number of ways to fix tattoos, including laser surgery, dermabrasion, and tattooing over the old one.
If you are considering getting a tattoo and/or losing weight in the future, read on for more information about what to expect.
PS.: We got some tips for you down in the article, don’t miss them!
How Does Weight Loss Affect Tattoos?
When tattoo ink penetrates into the lower layers of skin, it causes inflammation and infection. The quality and appearance of the skin at the time of the tattoo will impact its condition afterward. There are numerous reasons why a tattoo’s shape might become distorted, and rapid weight loss is one of them.
The skin is your body’s largest organ. It stretches and shrinks as needed, but a tattoo is not as flexible. Lines may no longer line up as they did previously. The tattoo’s position might differ somewhat depending on the region.
We love Electric Linda take on it, so you might watch it to get a better sense of how tattoos after weight loss are affected.
Tattoos before and after weight loss
Looking to the pictures you may have a sense of how weight loss affects tattoos and you can see it really varies from person to person. You can also see that most tattoos will not be completely ruined by weight loss and in some cases, tattoos may even look better after weight loss! The key is working with a qualified artist who can help you make any necessary touch-ups down the road.
How to Reduce Tattoo Distortion After Weight Loss
Considering losing a lot of weight? If you don’t have any tattoos yet, it might be best to wait until after you’ve done so to get them inked.
When you already have tattoos and are planning on shedding pounds, there are some things you can do to reduce the effects:
- Get tattoos in places that don’t fluctuate much in size. (The stomach, upper arms, and thighs fluctuate a lot, so it’s a NO.)
- Choose tattoos that are more geometric or have clean lines. (These will distort the least.)
- Get tattoos from an experienced tattoo artist who does line work well.
- Make sure you’re at a healthy weight before getting inked — not too skinny and not too chubby. (This will help minimize distortions later on.)
- Staying hydrated will improve the quality of the skin, resulting in fewer changes to the tattoo.
- Keep your skin moisturized with a good tattoo moisturizer to prevent stretch marks.
- Smaller tattoos are less likely to distort or shrink, though, they can also lose their detail — nothing that a touch-up wouldn’t solve.
My Tattoo Has Changed After Weight Loss. What Should I Do?
If your tattoo has changed after weight loss, there’s no need to panic. In most cases, the changes are minor and can be easily fixed with a touch-up from your tattoo artist. If you’re not happy with the way your tattoo looks, talk to your artist about getting it revised. They should be able to make the necessary adjustments to restore your tattoo to its original glory.
In rare cases, tattoos can be completely removed after weight loss. This usually happens when someone loses a significant amount of weight and their skin has been stretched beyond the point of no return. If your tattoo is in danger of being removed, talk to your tattoo artist or a dermatologist about getting it removed.
Are tattoo artists concerned about your weight?
The short answer is no. Most tattoo artists don’t care about your weight, as long as you’re happy with your tattoos. In fact, many tattoo artists are body positive and will gladly work on people of all shapes and sizes. So if you’re worried about what your tattoo artist thinks of your weight, don’t be! They’re probably more concerned with the quality of your tattoos than anything else.
However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Some tattoo artists may be reluctant to work on people who are obese, as they may be concerned about the health risks associated with obesity. Additionally, some tattoo artists may charge higher prices for tattoos on people who are overweight, as they may require more time and effort to complete the tattoos.
Final conclusion
So, if you’re thinking about losing weight, it’s likely not going to be a problem for your tattoos. They’ll probably be just fine. However, if you are obese, you may want to consult with your tattoo artist before getting inked to ensure that they’re comfortable working with you and that you understand any health risks involved.
Visit your tattoo artist for a touch-up and their expert opinion if you already have a tattoo and have observed changes in your artwork due to weight loss or gain for any cause. You may even choose a redesigned version of your original artwork that better reflects this time of your life.
Did this article help you? Share it with your friends to help them too! lose weight, they may be wondering what will happen to their tattoos. Will they sag? Stretch? fade away?
Paulo Sá
