The ink is permanent, but you can’t stop time. Weight loss tends to change the way your tattoo looks and feels on your body. The good news is that there are ways to make it work for you!
We’ll talk about how tattoos change after weight loss, as well as some tips from tattoo artists on what you can do to help them stay vibrant and beautiful
What is a Tattoo?
Tattoos are permanent marks or designs made on the skin. Tattooing is often done with a machine, which inserts ink into the skin via needles. A tattoo can be any design ranging from simple patterns to detailed pictures and even words written in foreign languages!
Also, tattoos can be any shape or size. Tattoo designs can be a simple line drawing of something, like lines on the beach converging at the horizon to create an image in your head of being surrounded by water while looking out over it. Or they can have more detailed images with lots of colors.
What Type of Ink is Used for Tattoos?
Ink is a dye mixture that is injected into the skin with an instrument called a tattoo machine. The ink colors are usually black, brown, or red as these dyes are most effective for tattoos.
There are other colors available but they often fade quickly and can be more difficult to work with. White ink is the most common exception, as it doesn’t show up on light skin very well.
It is also worth distinguishing what the ink is made of. Some tattoo inks are made of metals, such as mercury and lead, which can cause health problems if they seep into the bloodstream.
Because of this, vegan ink is becoming a more popular option with tattoo artists. This ink is made from organic pigments that are approved by the FDA and EU standards and require little tattoo aftercare.
How Weight Loss Affects Tattoos
Tattoo ink is in the dermis of your skin. That means that when you lose weight, it can affect how a tattoo looks.
If you lose a significant amount of weight, your skin will become thinner and the tattoo may start to stretch out. This is more common in areas where there is a lot of loose skin, like the stomach or thighs.
The size of the tattoo can affect how much it will change after weight loss. Smaller tattoo designs are more easily altered than larger ones, especially if you have lost a large amount of weight and need to lose even more weight for optimal health.
Also, skin type and skin color can play a role in how tattoos change after weight loss and whether you need extra tattoo aftercare or not. Darker skin tones tend to absorb more ink than lighter-skinned people, so tattoos may be less visible on people with darker skin.
How Weight Gain Affects Tattoos
Weight gain also can affect tattoos. Tattoos are essentially permanent, so what happens to your tattoo when you gain weight should be taken into account before getting inked.
During the healing process after having a new tattoo applied, that tattooed skin area can expand and contract as it heals; this will cause some degree of distortion of the tattoo artwork. This distortion is more likely to occur when someone gains a significant amount of weight after getting a tattoo since that added bulk will put pressure on the healing skin and may cause the ink to spread.
For example, if a woman with a tattoo on her stomach or hips gets larger during her pregnancy, that tattoo will become stretched out and distorted.
How to Minimize Tattoo Distortion after Weight Fluctuation?
After weight loss, you may be left with a tattoo that does not look exactly as it did before. This is due to the stretching and distortion of your skin that can occur when you lose a significant amount of weight. While there is no way to completely avoid this, there are ways to minimize the change in your tattoo.
- Keep your skin moisturized after weight loss;
- Avoid sun exposure to prevent damage and fading of the tattoo ink;
- Consider using a sunblock specifically for tattoos to protect your ink from the sun’s rays;
- Have any touch-ups in your tattoo aftercare done by a professional tattoo artist who is familiar with correcting the changes that can occur after weight loss;
- Maintain your healthy diet and exercise regimen to prevent future changes in the shape of your body.
The Best Places for a Tattoo so that It doesn’t Stretch
The best place for a tattoo so that it doesn’t stretch is the upper arm. This is because the skin on the upper arm is thick and will not stretch as much as other areas of the body.
Another good place to get a tattoo is in the lower back. This area of skin will also not stretch as much if you lose weight. Also, the lower back is a popular place for tattoos because it is easily hidden if needed.
The areas of the body that are most likely to stretch are the stomach, breasts, and thighs. If you have a tattoo in one of these areas and lose weight, the tattoo will likely become distorted.
Conclusion
As you can see, weight loss or gain has an impact on tattoos in various ways. However, many other factors affect the final tattoo design and appearance after weight loss. These include your skin type (especially when it comes to color), how much fat is left around or within the tattooed area, etc.
In most cases, tattoo designs will change somewhat after significant weight loss. However, they typically won’t look completely different than they did before – unless a lot of excess skin is removed or there is a great deal of loose skin remaining in which case you will need to apply some tattoo aftercare. If you’re considering weight loss surgery, wait until you are fully healed to get a tattoo design.
