What Is A White Tattoo?
What are white ink tattoos? – Unlike traditional tattoos which are usually done with a black outline and filled in with multiple colours or gradients of black for shading, white ink tattoos are done entirely in white. This creates a much more delicate overall look.
Due to the fact that white ink is so much more subtle than coloured inks, white ink tattoos tend to work best with line work rather than shading, though there are instances of shaded white tattoos. White ink tattoos are notoriously difficult to apply correctly and require an extremely experienced artist who has practised in this particular medium.
This is due to several factors such as the fact that it is much harder to see the white ink when applying it to the skin unless you have a well-trained eye.
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What is the purpose of a white ink tattoo?
‘White ink is used to change the tone of other colors,’ says Farris. ‘It’s not meant to be used as a standalone tattoo color. ‘ Not only do white ink tattoos fade faster than black ink tattoos, but their look can change dramatically as they do.
How long do white tattoos last?
How Long Do White Ink Tattoos Last? – Tattoo artists in our network have informed us that white ink tattoos fade or change in appearance much faster than tattoos created with black or colorful ink. At times, they take on a particular tint as they age.
Some experts say these changes can occur in as few as 45 to 60 days. Why do these changes sometimes occur? The melanin (pigment) in the epidermis layer of the skin covers the dermis layer, which contains the tattoo ink.
In other words, the melanin acts as a lens through which you’re seeing the tattoo ink. With pale skin, the ink may therefore appear whiter, while with darker skin, the increased melanin may make the ink look discolored or faded. It may take on the same hue as the skin or even a different hue based on the skin’s undertones.
Why you shouldn’t get a white ink tattoo?
White ink has a thicker consistency. The thicker consistency makes it harder for artists to achieve clean lines that stay crisp after healing. It can also cause a raised appearance, causing the scarred look. White ink tattoos fade much quicker than other tattoos but also tend to blur faster because of this reason.
How painful is a white tattoo?
When it comes the most uncomfortable stages of a tattoo, white highlights are one of the most painful parts of the process without fail. But what is it about white highlights that make them so unbearable? Is it the color itself? Are some colors more painful than others? Well, its time we answered this question and put the white highlights debate to bed. 
In tattooing, white highlights are used to add contrast to a tattoo. They’re generally added at the very end of the process and most artists would advise using white ink sparingly throughout the tattoo. This is because white ink doesn’t show up on the skin very easily and white ink is prone to fading yellow or can be corrupted by neighboring ink colors. 
Despite the risks surrounding white ink, most artists enjoy using them to make the tattoo “pop. ” However, the physical process of getting them put in can be down right unbearable for the client to endure. 
White highlights are more painful than other parts of the tattoo process because white ink requires several passes to be saturated. Unlike black, white has a difficult time showing up and an artist may need to be more heavy handed when applying the highlights. 
Additionally, when an artist is putting in the highlights, this area of skin has already endured however many hours of lining, shading and color saturation. Therefore, passing the needle over a fresh tattoo is exponentially more painful than over non-tattooed skin. 
And yet, while white highlights can be excruciating, everyone will agree that if done correctly, they can take a tattoo from good to great. What do you think about this information on tattooing white highlights? Do you believe that the highlights are the worst part of the tattoo? Or is there another part of the process that supersedes adding the whites? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section on Facebook..
Do white tattoos turn yellow?
Lost in Translation When a language is foreign to you, you have to instill a lot of trust in your artist. (Even well-known singer, Ariana Grande was burned by an incorrect symbol tattoo). Google translate is obviously on hand but not even that is always 100 percent reliable so take the time to do your research. 
Can you translate this tattoo? Comment below! 2. Seeing Yellow White ink tattoos are becoming more popular but keep in mind white ink is prone to turning yellow, especially when exposed to sunlight too soon and prolonged sun exposure without any skin protection can cause a color change over time (it also depends on the inks). Sunblock is your best friend! 
Tattoo by: Kyra Bak 1. The Fade Forward Fast fading is one of the most common complications for tattoo clients. This is why it’s crucial to keep your tattoo hydrated and use protective products to keep your tattoo fresh. 
Cover photo by Yannic Läderach.
What color tattoos last the longest?
Best Tattoo Colors that Last the Longest – Below is a quick guide to tattoo colors, ranked from the color that lasts the longest to the one that fades the quickest.
- Black and gray: Black and gray inks are the boldest and most dense; thus, they are the most fade-resistant colors. These are suitable for any skin tone, especially with tan or black skin. With proper aftercare, black and gray colors last for up to 10 years or longer before requiring a retouch.
- Dark blue: Like black ink, dark blue tattoo colors are suitable for dark skin. They have long-wearing pigments and can also last for up to 10 years.
- Red, orange, yellow, and purple: These tattoo colors fade faster on light skin and are more crucial to working with sensitive and freckled skin. They generally last for about eight years or longer before requiring a retouch.
- Pastel colors and white are the lightest tattoo colors; thus, they fade the quickest among all colors. They generally last for about five to eight years before fading. Moreover, pastel and white ink colors may look like scars if not done correctly.
- ‘Glow-in-the-dark’: UV tattoos are trendy since they appear fluorescent with UV light. However, they do not last as long as the other tattoo colors. Most tattoo artists say that glow-in-the-dark tattoos can last for three to five years before starting to fade.
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Can you remove a white tattoo?
Our board-certified plastic surgeon, licensed medical aestheticians , and other staff are passionate about all things aesthetic, and we love watching new trends take their course. Tattoos overall have been a mainstay for decades, but there’s one curious trend we’re keeping our eye on: white ink tattoos.
White ink itself is nothing new, but in the past, it’s primarily been mixed with other colors to make them lighter. Over the past few years, though, more and more people are being drawn to tattoos with entirely white ink.
We can’t blame them – the subtlety and the unique look are both classy and trendy. But there’s a serious catch (at least for now), and it involves the tattoo removal process. 
Why it’s Difficult to Remove White Tattoos First, you need to understand the basics of how laser tattoo removal works. Thinking back to your elementary school science classes, you probably learned that colors are formed when some types of light are absorbed and others are reflected. For example, an object will look red because it only absorbs select types of light. Black looks dark because it absorbs all types of light.
- In laser tattoo removal, we target certain colors of ink by using the type of light that they can absorb;
- When the ink absorbs the light, it breaks up the ink particles so your body can remove them naturally and safely;
Here’s the problem, though: white reflects all types of light. Because it doesn’t absorb light as easily as other ink colors, it can be very difficult to treat white ink. This is also true for light colors that may involve some white (like a light blue that was made by mixing dark blue and white ink).
The white ink acts as a shield, making it more difficult to treat and remove the other color as well. Every tattoo takes a different number of treatments to remove, and our laser specialists will be able to offer more information at your free laser tattoo removal consultation , but white tattoos do typically take longer because of the light absorption.
There’s also another potential issue with white ink. You may have heard that white ink can get darker from laser tattoo removal, and it’s true. This is because white tattoo ink often contains titanium oxide and/or zinc, both of which can darken with exposure to light.
- This may make it take many more sessions to remove your tattoo;
- This is a lot of information, but the bottom line is this: while every patient and every tattoo responds to laser tattoo removal slightly differently, white tattoos are more difficult to predict;
They can often be faded significantly, but they might not be able to be removed entirely. In other words, it’s not impossible to remove a white tattoo, but it can be more difficult and require many more treatment sessions. The moral of the story is to “think before you ink.
- ” It’s a good rule for any tattoo, but especially for white ink;
- White tattoos can be beautiful pieces of artistry, and we’re strong believers in the benefits of loving your appearance – just make sure you know the extra hurdles they can put up if you decide to get it removed in the future;
For answers to more questions about laser tattoo removal and our dozens of other nonsurgical cosmetic treatments, follow Laser Lights on Facebook , Twitter, and Google+..
What does the Bible say about tattoos?
Tattoos have been around for millennia. People got them at least five thousand years ago. Today they’re common everywhere from Maori communities in New Zealand to office parks in Ohio. But in the ancient Middle East, the writers of the Hebrew Bible forbade tattooing.
- Per Leviticus 19:28, “You shall not make gashes in your flesh for the dead, or incise any marks on yourselves;
- ” Historically, scholars have often understood this as a warning against pagan practices of mourning;
But language scholar John Huehnergard and ancient-Israel expert Harold Liebowitz argue that tattooing was understood differently in ancient times. Huehnergard and Liebowitz note that the appearance of the ban on incisions—or tattoos—comes right after words clearly related to mourning, perhaps confirming the original theory.
- And yet, looking at what’s known about death rituals in ancient Mesopotamia, Syria, Israel, and Egypt, they find no references to marking the skin as a sign of mourning;
- They also note that there are other examples in Leviticus and Exodus where two halves of a verse address different issues;
So that could be the case here, too. What tattoos were apparently often used for in ancient Mesopotamia was marking enslaved people (and, in Egypt, as decorations for women of all social classes). Egyptian captives were branded with the name of a god, marking them as belongings of the priests or pharaoh.
- But devotees might also be branded with the name of the god they worshiped;
- Huehnergard and Liebowitz suggest that, given the key role of the escape from Egyptian bondage in ancient Jewish law, the Torah originally banned tattooing because it was “the symbol of servitude;
” Interestingly, though, they write that there’s one other apparent reference to tattooing in the Hebrew Bible. Isaiah 44:5 describes the children of Jacob committing themselves to God: “One shall say, ‘I am the LORD’s’… Another shall mark his arm ‘of the LORD.
‘” Here a tattoo appears to be allowable as a sign of submission, not to a human master but to God. Ancient rabbinic debates produced a variety of different theories about the meaning of the prohibition on tattooing.
Some authorities believed that tattoos were only disallowed if they had certain messages, such as the name of God, the phrase “I am the Lord,” or the name of a pagan deity. Talmudic law developed around 200 CE says that a tattoo is only disallowed if it is done “for the purpose of idolatry”—but not if it’s intended to mark a person’s enslaved status.
Can you touch up a white tattoo?
How to Get a White Ink Tattoo That Turns Out Well – So what steps can you take to get a white ink tattoo that turns out well? For the most part, getting a white ink tattoo that works out well all depends on your personal preferences. Do you like the look of scarified designs? Are you comfortable with a more discreet tattoo? If yes, then you shouldn’t be too concerned. But you can also ensure that you find an artist who has solid experience doing white ink tattoos. Usually, they’ll have a portfolio which you can look through, to see the end results of their work.
If you’re unsure about whether you’d like a white ink tattoo in the long run, you can always start out with small designs. And if you’re feeling a little too skeptical about it, but you still want a tattoo, you can always opt for the traditional pigments.
Either way, white ink tattoos have their bonuses and drawbacks, and now that you’re familiar with both, you can make an informed decision! If you know more interesting facts about white ink tattoos, let us know about them in the comment section below..
Why do white ink tattoos look raised?
Are white ink tattoos always raised? – If you’ve taken a close look at many white ink tattoos, you may have noticed that the skin always looks slightly raised. The fact is, most tattoos are usually slightly raised. This is due to the fact that tattoos create a thin layer of scar tissue that appears more pronounced on some people than it does on others.
While white ink tattoos are not usually any more raised than other colours, it’s easier to see the raised skin in a white ink tattoo. This is especially noticeable on white tattoos which have faded, leaving just the scar tissue behind in the shape on the initial tattoo.
Some people enjoy the raised look of white tattoos, while others consider it a con of white ink in general.
Does white ink hurt more than black?
Tattoo Myth : White tattoo ink hurts more. It is a common misconception that white ink or lighter colored tattoo inks are more painful. This is untrue, lighter colors are generally put in at the end when the tattoo is being completed and the skin is most sensitive at this point.
Why do color tattoos hurt more?
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.
What style of tattoo hurts the most?
Neck and spine – Neck and spine tattoos are known to be among the most painful tattoos because the neck and spine are very sensitive areas.
What is the most painful spot to get a tattoo?
- Tattoo pain will vary depending on your age, sex, and pain threshold.
- The most painful spots to get a tattoo are your ribs, spine, fingers, and shins.
- The least painful spots to get a tattoo are your forearms, stomach, and outer thighs.
Getting a tattoo involves an ink-filled needle repeatedly puncturing your skin. Consequently, it’s not unusual to wonder how much pain you should expect when considering a tattoo. As it turns out, pain is a highly subjective experience , and how much discomfort you feel while getting tattoed can depend on a couple of factors including your biological sex, pain tolerance, and most importantly – the area of your body getting tattooed.
Why does it tickle when I get a tattoo?
When a tattoo needle pierces skin above bone, nerves in your bones may pick up the vibrating sensation, especially if the needle is moving at a very high speed. This causes vibrating pain. Vibrating pain isn’t usually intense, but it doesn’t exactly tickle either.
