Fixing or Replacing Old Tattoos with Cover-Ups

An old tattoo need never stay the same forever. Laser tattoo removal, careful fading, or a tattoo cover can often help you to transform faded colors, outdated designs, uneven lines, or tattoos that no longer fit your style.

But making a safe change to an existing tattoo is more than just putting new ink over the top of an existing design. As laser treatments and tattooing are both skin-based procedures, it is important to keep things in order, especially when it comes to the timing, the expertise of the professional, and the proper aftercare.

What is the Process of Laser Tattoo Removal?

Laser Tattoo Removal involves the use of concentrated light energy to fragment tattoo ink into smaller pieces. These particles can then be eliminated slowly by the body’s immune system.

Some colors of pigment are easier to tattoo, and different wavelengths are used for different colors of tattoo. Some darker pigments may react differently than shades of black, and the depth of the tattoo, the type of tattoo ink, your skin color, age of the tattoo, and its location may affect the outcome.

If the tattoo is gone after the first laser removal treatment, it is rare. Usually more than one session is needed, and there are periods of healing in between.

Before a cover-up, its aim is usually not to get rid of it entirely. Rather, a specialist might suggest lightening specific areas so that a new design will be able to cover the leftover pigment.

Importance of Cover-up Tattoos

Attempting to cover a dark or saturated tattoo with lighter shades can cause unpredictable results. The original pigment may show through the new design, particularly as the skin heals.

Laser fading can provide a tattoo artist with more flexibility.

When, for instance, an artist can produce a more effective cover-up, he might:

• Significant black areas have been adequately brightened.
• The outlines of older pieces are not as striking.
• Unwanted colors have faded.
• There’s more room for negative space.
• The artist is more likely to be able to design the new tattoo.

Sometimes a partial-removal strategy will need less than complete removal.

Cover-Up Later, Laser First!

One of the most common is tattooing just after the laser treatment.

Laser therapy is an intentional injury of the skin. During healing, there may be redness, swelling, blistering, crusting, or temporary pigment change.

If tattoo ink is applied to non-healed skin, it may pose more problems and affect the healing process.

Rather, give it a chance to heal and then add more tattoo trauma.

Healing time may vary from person to person and from treatment to treatment and should be determined by the tattoo artist and laser treatment facility. One popular solution is to wait a few weeks after the laser treatment and assess the area before the tattoo is applied. Persistent blisters, scabs, redness, and/or tenderness or pigment changes indicate that the skin is not ready.

Selecting Specialists Who Are Able to Cooperate

It can take two professionals talking to each other to make a successful transformation:

• Laser specialist: Decides the amount of pigment that can be safely removed or faded and what treatment methods are suitable.
• Artist: Assesses the current tattoo and figures out the extent to which it needs to be faded in order to make a successful tattoo cover-up.

Ideally, these people ought to have a clear understanding of the goals of the other.

Before beginning, demonstrate to the laser specialist the tattoo you would like to undergo. In the same way, talk to the tattoo artist before starting laser therapy about the cover-up that you plan for your tattoo.

This will avoid unneeded sessions.

Questions to Ask

Prior to treatment, check with the laser provider:

1. Which Laser Technology is best for my tattoo?
2. What types of colors might cause a challenge to remove?
3. How many sessions do you think you’ll need?
4. What type of healing reactions can I anticipate?
5. How many days do I have to wait before I can get tattooed there?

It is best to ask the tattoo artist:

1. Is it possible to cover the current tattoo without laser fading?
2. What sections are in need of lightening?
3. What would be the value of any fading that would make the design better?
4. Will the new tattoo need to be heavier?
5. Will there be any existing scar tissue or skin texture that will impact the result?

Healing Between Laser Sessions

Patience is required with laser tattoo removal as the skin and immune system must regenerate and break down pigment to remove the tattoo.

Treating too often won’t allow the skin to sufficiently recover.

Follow your laser specialist’s aftercare directions. Depending on the treatment, recommendations may be to keep the area clean, avoid unnecessary irritation, protect healing skin from the sun, and refrain from picking or scratching scabs.

Recently treated skin may be more susceptible to discoloration, so it is especially important to protect it from the sun.

Getting Ready for Your New Tattoo

After you have left the tattoo sufficiently faded and the skin has healed, your tattoo artist ought to inspect the skin.

Look for:

• Fully intact skin
• No open wounds
• No signs of blisters or scabbing
• No abnormal increase in swelling or pain
• No symptoms of infection.
• No significant irritation

If the skin is still abnormal in appearance and/or feel, do not tattoo and seek the advice of the proper professionals.

Make Your Cover-Up Travel More Safe

1. Design the final product prior to laser treatment.
2. Hire professional laser and tattoo artists.
3. Don’t rush the healing period.
4. When considering whether to move on to partial fading, ask yourself if that is sufficient.
5. Do not scratch or rub treated skin.
6. Keep healing skin out of too much sunlight.
7. Inform both specialists of previous treatments and reactions of the skin.
8. Not all tattoo inks are equal and react to the laser in the same manner.
9. Don’t think in terms of a typical recovery period, but rather according to the person’s individual needs.

Before planning the cover-up, be sure to check if there is any scar tissue.

Tattoo Scars: What About Them?

Raised or scars areas are sometimes seen on older tattoos, especially those that are done aggressively or multiple times. The existing scar tissue may not be completely removed from the body with laser treatment.

Sometimes, a great cover up artist will be able to add in some uneven texture to the design, but when it comes to tattooing scarred skin, there is some further consideration that has to be taken. The artist needs to evaluate the area instead of treating it as if it were regular skin.

Laser Removal or Direct Cover-Up?

Not all unwanted tattoos need laser treatment.

If a tattoo artist can combine all these elements—larger design, darker color, strategic shading, and composition—he may be able to produce a successful cover-up. But the designs will be restricted if the tattoo is very saturated.

Laser fading is more useful when the original tattoo is too dark, too detailed, or too prominent to be replaced by the tattoo design that is desired.

Complete removal should not be the automatic choice, as it is based on the existing tattoo and the final artwork.

The safest way is to let the laser specialist and tattoo artist discuss the course of treatment, the desired result, and adapt the work plan to the patient’s skin reaction. Thanks to time, the expertise of a professional, and proper post-treatment care, even an old tattoo can be transformed.

FAQ

1. Can laser removal help prepare an old tattoo for cover-up?

Yes. Laser treatments can lighten existing work, making it easier to conceal under a new piece. Complete removal is not always necessary to allow the new tattoo to be seen clearly if some parts are lighter than others.

2. How long should we wait between laser treatment and cover-up?

Wait until the treated area has fully healed before you get your new tattoo, since the time required for healing might vary depending on the laser procedure used. Your laser surgeon and tattoo artist will be able to advise you on how much time should elapse before tattooing the treated area.

3. Can every tattoo be covered without laser treatment?

Not necessarily. It depends on the tattoo and the extent to which it has been lightened. Some tattoos can be concealed by using darker ink, heavier shading, or larger patterns. However, very dark tattoos might limit the options available to your tattoo artist, who will have to lighten them in some places.