How Deep Does A Tattoo Go?
Just How Far Does The Needle Go? – Now that you know a little more about the machine and the needle, it’s time to discuss the third essential piece of the puzzle—your skin. The tattoo needle goes through 1/16th of an inch of skin. That might not sound like a lot of skin, but it is really going through five sublayers of the epidermis, the dermal layer, and also the top layer of the dermis.
- Among these layers is a collection of sweat glands, hair follicles, connective tissue, fat, and blood vessels;
- During a tattoo session, the needle passes through the epidermis and epidermal-dermal junction, opening a passage in the 2mm-thick dermis;
The dermis is ideal for a couple of reasons. It is far enough not to bleed out and isn’t exposed. Knowing this, the tip of the tattoo needle is minutely adjusted to ensure that it enters the skin to the correct depth. If you were to look at a tattoo needle in the machine, you will see that it sticks out no further than 2mm.
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How far down does a tattoo go?
– The tattoo needle punctures your skin around 100 times per second, with the aim of depositing the ink in a region of 1. 5 to 2 millimeters below the surface of the skin. The reason for this depth of penetration is to bypass the outer layer of the skin, or the epidermis.
This part of the skin constantly renews itself. Every day, thousands of epidermal cells are shed from your skin and replaced with new cells. Ink injected into the superficial skin layer would simply come off within 3 weeks.
In order to give the ink a permanent home in your body, the tattoo needle must travel through the epidermis into the deeper layer, or the dermis. Nerves and blood vessels are located here, which is why getting a tattoo hurts and your skin tends to bleed.
The bleeding is part of the skin’s natural defense against injury. The result is an influx of immune cells to the site of injury. Macrophages are specialized immune cells, whose job it is to engulf foreign particles and clear them from the tissue.
But this process is only partially successful when it comes to tattoo ink. Some macrophages loaded with ink particles remain in the dermis, while other pigment particles are taken up by the main dermal residents, which are called fibroblasts. Clumps of pigment particles have also been found to stick between the dense collagen fibers of the dermis.
Although every new tattoo will display some pigment loss, the majority of the ink will stay in the skin. A study in mice reported that 42 days after tattooing, 68 percent of the dye was still located at the injection site.
But where is the rest of the ink?.
Can a tattoo go too deep?
While, in a perfect world, there would be no tattoo problems—this is not the world we are living in. Things go wrong during the tattoo process (or the days that follow) every single day and unless we get the word out, clients will continue to get tattoos with noticeable complications. 
Blowouts Blowouts are any unfortunately common tattoo complication that occurs when the artist puts the ink too deep. If the ink is put in too deep it will spread out throughout the layers of the skin. Blowouts are most commonly noticed immediately after a tattoo is finished, however, some take a few weeks to show up. Typically, blowouts occur when a tattooer is inexperienced, but it can also happen if they are too heavy handed.
- However, whether it be the fault of the artist or the client, these mistakes are avoidable;
- Take a look below to learn the 9 most common tattoo complications and what you can do about your issue;
- Then, if you have experience with one of these tattoo problems, be sure to share your thoughts in the comments section on Facebook;
The only solution for fixing a blowout is with a coverup. However, if the blowout is small, it is possible for the artist to make a few minor adjustments in the tattoo. 
Keloids Keloiding, while mostly uncommon, can occur from a tattoo. Unlike a blowout, keloiding is completely depending on a person’s genetics. Some people, often people with darker skin, are prone to keloiding and should be cautious when getting a tattoo or piercing. It’s more common for keloiding to occur in piercings, but there are cases where it happens as a result of a tattoo. 
Bad Translations While we highly recommend researching your tattoo, especially if it is in a foreign language to you, not all artists and clients are careful with this. Google translate is not a reliable source for correct translations and in some writing systems, like kanji, it’s easy to make major mistakes. In order to prevent these mistakes, do your research and if possible, proof your tattoo with someone who if fluent in that language. 
White Ink Turning Yellow White ink, specifically tattoos that entirely consist of white ink, are still largely taboo in the tattoo industry. And here’s why. White ink is extremely prone to turning yellow, especially when exposed to sunlight. Just like your skin, tattoos change colors due to prolonged sun exposure. The best way to keep your white ink tattoo from yellowing is covering it up when it has the potential to be exposed to direct sunlight.
- There is no real way to avoid getting a keloid from a tattoo, but we recommend consulting a tattooer if you’re prone to this type of scarring;
- Artists with experience working on keloid-prone skin may have different techniques for approaching a tattoo;
Whether it be through sunblock or clothing, this is the best solution for protecting your white tattoo. 
Crooked Ink There’s nothing worse than a nice tattoo that is crooked or unintentionally asymmetrical. Placement is a key component to tattooing and there’s no excuse for having a design that is noticeably off center. Sure, human bodies are never perfectly symmetrical to begin with, however, an artist should be able to make it work. In order to avoid a crooked tattoo, make sure you check over the stenciled design multiple times before the needle hits your skin. 
Misspelled Tattoos Like poorly translated tattoos, misspellings occur when text is not thoroughly proofed by multiple eyes. It is not the artist’s responsibility to ensure that your tattoo is spelled correctly, it is the job of the client to double, triple, and quadruple check their design. If you end up with a misspelled tattoo, go back to your artist and see if they can make adjustments to the design. 
Tattoo Infections Infections are an unfortunate side effect of improper aftercare and they can lead to serious health consequences. After getting a tattoo, your artist will give you a strict lists of dos and don’ts, and its important for clients to trust their professional expertise. But in general to avoid an infection, clients should stay away from bodies of water whether it be a pool or an ocean during the healing process.
- Additionally, the artist should place the stencil when you’re standing up right and your body is centered;
- In some cases, the problem can be easily mediated, however, with others a coverup is the only viable option;
If you have an infected tattoo, you need to seek medical attention immediately. There have been serious health consequences because of infected tattoos and some even result in death. 
Scarring Another common tattoo complication is scarring. Scarring occurs when the tattoo needle penetrates beyond the second layer of skin and comes in contact with the deeper, delicate layers. Artists who are heavy handed, inexperienced or straight up lazy are prone to scarring their clients. Tattoo scarring is largely unfixable and artists need to be extremely careful if they’re tasked with covering up a scarred tattoo. 
Fast Fading Last, but not least, fast fading is one of the most common complications that afflict tattoo clients. All tattoos will fade over time, however, an inexperienced artist or specific styles and locations are prone to rapid fading. If an artist does not go deep enough with their needles, the tattoo will likely fade quickly. However, certain areas of the body, such as the fingers or the palms of the hand will fade quicker no matter if the tattoo is put in properly.
Tattoos are essentially open wounds and an artist can make these scars worse by going over them with a machine. These locations have different skin than the rest of the body and on top of that, they are constantly manipulated through daily use.
There are ways to avoid fast fading, such as enlisting an experienced artist or seeking out a tattooer who specializes in tattooing difficult areas. However, if you have a faded tattoo that needs fixing, your options are to either continuously get the piece touched up or to cover the tattoo with something built to last.
Can a tattoo needle hit a vein?
– This type of tattoo isn’t entirely risk-free. But then, getting a tattoo always involves some level of risk, with an infection being the main cause for concern. The risk for an infection gets a little higher when it comes to tattoos on veins, according to Dr.
Stacey Chimento, a board certified dermatologist at Riverchase Dermatology in Bay Harbor Islands, Florida. “Tattoos involve applying pressure on your skin with a needle, which can rupture the vein, making it bleed into the surrounding tissue and cause an infection,” she says.
If you have varicose veins, Chimento goes on to explain, this could make things worse and result in veins that protrude even further. “Varicose veins struggle to heal due to their pre-existing damage. If pierced during the tattoo session, they could randomly bleed internally or externally, affecting surrounding organs,” she says.
- Another thing to keep in mind when considering a tattoo to cover varicose veins? How that tattoo could potentially impact any future treatment of the veins;
- “To treat the diseased veins, they need to be somewhat visible;
And if left untreated, the blood can leak into the leg tissue and cause hyperpigmentation. Although rare, infections and undiagnosed veins can cause a need for urgent care if left untreated,” Chimento says.
What layer of skin does a tattoo go to?
Ever wonder how tattoos stay in your skin? Let’s start with a quick biology lesson on skin. There’s 3 main layers in our skin : The Epidermis , the Dermis and the Subcutaneous. The Epidermis Layer is in charge of sensing our environment and acting as a barrier to keep infectious organisms out.
- The epidermis is constantly making new skin cells;
- This happens at the bottom of the epidermis;
- The skin cells travel up to the top layer and flake off, about a month after they form;
- The Dermis Layer is in charge of many bodily functions including growing hair, bringing blood to your skin, making sweat and also holds the nerves;
In our opinion, its most important feature, being home to your professional tattoo! The Subcutaneous Layer is primarily a fat tissue layer that hold your dermis to your muscles and bones. It’s role is to help control the regulation of temperature of the skin itself and of the body.
The size of this layer varies throughout the body and from person to person. A properly executed tattoo is done in the dermis skin layer. The needle must penetrate through the ever changing epidermis to allow the ink to settle in the dermis.
If ink is settled in the epidermis, much of the tattoo can begin to disappear within weeks of tattooing. However, going too deep and puncturing the subcutaneous layer can cause permanent scarring. It’s often common to see a bruising effect or “blow out” in the subcutaneous layer as the fat tissue in the subcutaneous layer doesn’t hold ink and it tends to spread out beneath the tattoo.
- Over several months, sometimes years, the ink that has “blown out” can sometimes fade as it get’s reabsorbed and eliminated through the bodies natural healing process;
- Because all bodies are different, and there’s no real way of understanding where that fatty tissue is on every person, it is always a small risk when getting tattooed;
However, choosing an experienced & professional artist will minimize your risk of “blow outs”. And of course, there’s always a way to finding a solution to minimize it’s appearance..
Does tattoo ink go into blood?
Research Continues into the Safety of Tattoos – As far as tattoo ink getting into your veins goes, the answer is that, yes, it happens. The process involves ink being injected into your dermis, which happens to contain many blood vessels. A skilled tattoo artist can keep the amount of ink getting into your veins to a minimum by injecting the ink at the correct depth.
Do tattoos affect your blood?
Know the risks – Tattoos breach the skin, which means that skin infections and other complications are possible, including:
- Allergic reactions. Tattoo dyes — especially red, green, yellow and blue dyes — can cause allergic skin reactions, such as an itchy rash at the tattoo site. This can occur even years after you get the tattoo.
- Skin infections. A skin infection is possible after tattooing.
- Other skin problems. Sometimes an area of inflammation called a granuloma can form around tattoo ink. Tattooing also can lead to keloids — raised areas caused by an overgrowth of scar tissue.
- Bloodborne diseases. If the equipment used to create your tattoo is contaminated with infected blood, you can contract various bloodborne diseases — including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), hepatitis B and hepatitis C.
- MRI complications. Rarely, tattoos or permanent makeup might cause swelling or burning in the affected areas during magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exams. In some cases, tattoo pigments can interfere with the quality of the image.
Medication or other treatment might be needed if you experience an allergic reaction to the tattoo ink or you develop an infection or other skin problem near a tattoo.
How far does the needle go in for a tattoo?
Just How Far Does The Needle Go? – Now that you know a little more about the machine and the needle, it’s time to discuss the third essential piece of the puzzle—your skin. The tattoo needle goes through 1/16th of an inch of skin. That might not sound like a lot of skin, but it is really going through five sublayers of the epidermis, the dermal layer, and also the top layer of the dermis.
Among these layers is a collection of sweat glands, hair follicles, connective tissue, fat, and blood vessels. During a tattoo session, the needle passes through the epidermis and epidermal-dermal junction, opening a passage in the 2mm-thick dermis.
The dermis is ideal for a couple of reasons. It is far enough not to bleed out and isn’t exposed. Knowing this, the tip of the tattoo needle is minutely adjusted to ensure that it enters the skin to the correct depth. If you were to look at a tattoo needle in the machine, you will see that it sticks out no further than 2mm.
Can you get a blood clot from a tattoo?
Published: 9:31 AM March 14, 2009 Updated: 8:24 PM October 10, 2020 A 35-year-old died from a blood clot in his lung just days after a new tattoo on his leg became infected, an inquest has heard. John Chillingworth, of Hillside Road West in Bungay, decided to get a new tattoo on his right calf last year and his girlfriend agreed to pay for it as a birthday present.
A 35-year-old died from a blood clot in his lung just days after a new tattoo on his leg became infected, an inquest has heard. John Chillingworth, of Hillside Road West in Bungay, decided to get a new tattoo on his right calf last year and his girlfriend agreed to pay for it as a birthday present.
An inquest in Lowestoft on Thursday heard that Mr Chillingworth, who was a qualified carpenter, went to Fine Line tattooing in Hungate Lane, Beccles, on November 4 last year to have the black outlines of his chosen tattoo done. When he got home to Bungay at about 3.
30pm, he told his girlfriend that the tattoo was stinging a bit, which he could not remember happening when he had had tattoos done in the past. Two days later, he said his leg was hurting and was red and puffy.
Soon a scab started to form, the skin felt tight and he had trouble sleeping because of the pain. When he eventually went to see a doctor a week after having the tattoo, he was prescribed painkillers, antihistamine tablets and the wound on his leg was dressed.
Although the scab started to heal again, Mr Chillingworth eventually stopping going out for walks because his leg was painful. On November 14, his girlfriend found him lying unmoving on the sofa when she came home from work.
When paramedics arrived shortly afterwards, he was pronounced dead. A post mortem examination found that the cause of death was a blood clot in the lung from a deep vein thrombosis in his right calf. Suffolk coroner Peter Dean said that the tattooist had followed all the necessary hygiene procedures.
- He said that it was difficult to say whether the thrombosis was related to the infected tattoo, or to the fact that Mr Chillingworth had become less active because of the pain in his leg;
- He said: “Clearly what took place was a tragic complication following a tattoo;
” He recorded a narrative verdict of a pulmonary embolism following tattooing..
How many layers of skin does a tattoo penetrate?
So, “How far does the tattoo needle and ink go into the skin?” …. This question comes up quite often in conversations. It is hard to explain, unless you can see the breakdown of all the different layers. The above picture lays it out very clear and helps answer that question. The skin has a total of 3 layers: Epidermis (composed of 5 sub-layers), Dermis, and Subcutaneous tissue.
The tattoo needle and ink should penetrate into the Dermis layer. If the depth is too shallow, the tattoo ink will “bleed out”. This is due to the fact that the Epidermis layer is constantly growing outwards which would take any ink that was deposited into that layer with it.
If the depth is too deep it will cause unnecessary pain and run the risk of infection. The Dermis layer of skin is between 1mm and 2mm into the skin. The tattoo needles and machine are adjusted accordingly. Once the tattoo needles have been set and adjusted the tip of the needle should not be sticking out anymore than 2mm and no less than 1mm.
Is tattoo ink cancerous?
When it comes to cancer, black ink can be especially dangerous because it contains a very high level of benzo(a)pyrene. Benzo(a)pyrene is currently listed as a carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
Does Colour hurt more on a tattoo?
So, Do Color Tattoos Hurt More? – Generally speaking, ink color doesn’t determine the amount of pain you’ll feel. The color simply doesn’t have to do anything with the pain of the tattoo. As we mentioned, tattoo placement, your pain tolerance, and your tattooist’s technique are the main factors determining how painful the process will be.
- Sure, there was a time when colored ink used to have a thicker consistency than black ink;
- This was an issue since it took the tattooist longer to pack the colored ink, which in itself hurts;
- The longer you’re getting tattooed, the higher the skin damage and the more painful the process becomes;
Nowadays, all inks are of similar consistency, so there isn’t an issue there. Now, if your tattoo artist takes a long time to complete the tattoo, you’ll experience more pain as the process goes on. Also, if the tattoo artist uses a dull needle, chances are the process will hurt more.
Sharp, new needles tend to hurt less. Now, as the needle gets worn out, it remains sharp, but it dulls out a little bit. This small difference in needle sharpness can promote faster skin damage and of course, cause more pain.
If your tattooist uses white ink highlight , you can expect more pain. This is again not because of the needle or the ink color, but rather the pain is caused by the repetition of needle penetration in one place. In order for the white ink to fully show and become saturated, the tattooist needs to go over the same area several times.
- That is what causes skin damage and pain;
- Now, after all of the information, we do have to point out that there are people who swear that the coloring/shading of the tattoo hurts more than the linework or tattoo outline;
Pain is a subjective thing, so it can be hard to be exact with the answer to whether color tattoos hurt more than regular ones.
Are tattoos unhealthy?
Tattoos can potentially lead to a number of risks, including skin infections, allergic reactions, and scarring. Such risks may increase if you don’t see a licensed tattoo artist or if the wound itself heals improperly. Aside from these risks, do you have to worry about the potential of cancer from getting new ink? Read on to learn what the science says, and how you can best guard yourself against common side effects associated with tattooing.
Why does black tattoo turn green?
Why Do Tattoos Turn Green: The Short Answer – Credit: Instagram The ink of your tattoo doesn’t change over time, but it is slightly absorbed and expelled by your body. Black ink is made up of a variety of pigments which are removed by your body at different speeds. Green and blue pigments are some of the last to be absorbed. So, as some of your black ink starts to fade away, fewer pigments show through. That’s why very old tattoos turn green! By old, we mean really old.
It takes decades of time for old ink to turn green. Furthermore, many modern tattoo inks are designed to not fade or turn green like this at all. To learn more about how ink changes over time and what you can do to keep your tattoo looking fresh, keep reading our guide below.
Also Read: Tattoo Chemistry: What is Tattoo Ink Made From?.
How do I know if my tattoo artist went too deep?
Are tattoos addicting?
– Tattoos have increased in popularity in recent years, and they’ve become a fairly accepted form of personal expression. If you know someone with several tattoos , you may have heard them mention their “tattoo addiction” or talk about how they can’t wait to get another tattoo.
- Maybe you feel the same way about your ink;
- It’s not uncommon to hear a love of tattoos referred to as an addiction;
- Many people believe tattoos can be addictive;
- (There’s even a television series called “My Tattoo Addiction;
“) But tattoos aren’t addictive, according to the clinical definition of addiction. The American Psychiatric Association defines addiction as a pattern of substance use or behavior that’s not easily controlled and can become compulsive over time. You might pursue this substance or activity regardless of the problems it might cause and have trouble thinking about or doing anything else.
- This description generally doesn’t apply to tattoos;
- Having a lot of tattoos, planning multiple tattoos, or knowing you want more tattoos doesn’t mean you have an addiction;
- Many different reasons, some of them psychological, could drive your desire for multiple tattoos, but addiction probably isn’t one of them;
Let’s look more closely at the factors that could be contributing to your desire for more ink.
How far is a tattoo far?
References [ edit ] –
- ^ “MTV’s How Far Is Tattoo Far?: Everything To Know”. metro. us. Retrieved 2018-10-30.
- ^ Ossad, Jordana. “This Woman Is Going Tattoo Far to Prove She’s the HBIC”. MTV. Retrieved September 26, 2019.
- ^ Blanton, Kayla. “Snooki’s New Reality Show About Getting Tattoos Might Be Wilder Than ‘Jersey Shore’ “. Bustle. Retrieved 2018-10-30.
- ^ Ossad, Jordana. “Aimee And Nilsa Are Putting Their Floribama Friendship To The Test”. MTV. Retrieved 2018-10-30.
- ^ Ossad, Jordana. “Cara Maria and Paulie Just Had a Relationship Breakthrough (Thanks to Some Tattoos)”. MTV. Retrieved 2018-11-24.
- ^ Debler, Lance. “A Teen Mom Duo is Getting Inked on How Far is Tattoo Far?”. MTV. Retrieved April 27, 2019.
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- ^ Jump up to: a b Welch, Alex (October 19, 2018). “Thursday cable ratings: MLB playoffs and NBA lead, ‘The First 48’ holds steady”. TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on October 20, 2018. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
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- ^ Jump up to: a b c d Metcalf, Mitch (May 24, 2019). “UPDATED: SHOWBUZZDAILY’s Top 150 Thursday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 5. 23. 2019”. Showbuzzdaily. Archived from the original on May 24, 2019. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
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Is a 3 hour tattoo session long?
Session Length – Another determining factor in how long a tattoo will take is session length. Longer sessions can mean fewer visits to complete a tattoo. With an expected 3 weeks between sessions, this can mean a huge difference in how long your tattoo takes.
That being said, it is not necessarily the best idea to book a long session right out of the gate. If you are getting your first tattoo, 3-5 hours is probably as long as you should go. Everybody has a different pain tolerance for tattoos, and on your first visit, you won’t know how long you can handle.
After the first session, you may decide you are able to handle longer tattoo sessions. If not, that’s okay. Your tattoo may take a little longer to complete. But it is more important to get it right, have it heal, and end up with a tattoo you love. The longest tattoo session ever was 52 hours and 56 minutes.
How big is a 2 hour tattoo?
2 Hour Tattoo Size At first glance, this roughly 6-7 inch tattoo (by our estimates) is quite detailed and looks like it would take hours to complete.
How big is a 5 inch tattoo?
Tattoo Size Chart
| Size | Hours | Best Placement |
|---|---|---|
| 2-3 inches | 2-5 | Ankle, calf, wrist, upper arm |
| 3-4 inches | 4-5 | Lower arm, neck, chest |
| 4-5 inches | 5-8 | Thigh, lower back, shoulders |
| 5-7 inches | 8-11 | Upper back, half-sleeves |
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