Getting a tattoo is no small job. You present your body as a canvas to the tattoo artist, where he/she paints patterns and designs of your liking. But what if that canvas has stains on it? Will the artist still color it for you?
Let’s make it simple for you: what if you get a bruise on your intended location for a tattoo? Well, getting a tattoo over a bruise is not a good idea. The good condition of your tattoo location is equally important as your design and placement.
So, is it okay to sit for a tattoo over a bruised location? Let’s explain why it’s not good for you!
| Publisher | Alex Martin |
|---|---|
| Focus | Tattoo Over a Bruise (Myths and Facts) |
| Category | Tattoo placement considerations |
| Article Type | Informative Guides, Tips & Advice |
| Update Frequency | Monthly to reflect new insights and trends |
Is it Okay to Get a Tattoo Over a Bruise?
Getting a tattoo over a bruise is not a good idea, and there are several reasons to avoid it. First, it can be very complicated for the artist not to harm you and make a perfect tattoo.
Moreover, it will take way longer to heal the tattooed skin. You may not get your desired outcome out of the bruised skin tattoo. Most tattoo artists, despite their experience, will not agree to tattoo over bruised skin.
Let’s first discuss bruises a bit.
What is a Bruise?
Bruises are when your body encounters a trauma that damages the small blood vessels. The blood leaking from these vessels spreads to neighboring tissues, and hence the skin turns blue or colored.
The bruise can happen due to several reasons. Sometimes a mere scratch can also leave a bruise. The bruise is sometimes painful to touch if not always so it’s better to let it heal before getting inkwork. So that was about bruise now let’s discuss why you should not get a tattoo over bruised skin:
You can also check out this video before deciding to get a tattoo on the bruise:
1. Unbearable Pain
Tattooing over a bruise will make for worse pain. Regardless of your artist’s skills, the pain of tattooing will be extreme as the tissues under the skin are damaged. Piercing a needle thousands of times into the skin is painful, yet getting it over a bruised skin.
Moreover, the extent, location, and severity of the bruise will also decide how much it hurts. Sensitive body areas such as the armpit, neck, ankle, shin elbow pit, etc. are extremely sensitive skin areas.
If you get bruised on such a location entirely refrain from getting a tattoo as it will make things worse.
2. Bleeding can be Worse
When you get a tattoo you will see a little blood seeping in, but if you get a tattoo on a bruise this bleeding can be worse. Why? Because the small veins under the skin are already damaged and poking them with needles will undoubtedly make them bleed again.
You will see some blood on the inner layer of the skin as that area changes color. Remember that bruises do not bleed out unless you break the barrier(the topmost skin layer/epidermis).
Now during the tattooing process, the needle pierces the second layer (dermis) of the skin which means breaking through the epidermis. Therefore, you will see more blood pooling besides the tattoo in the bruised area. Although a minor bruise, can’t be a big trouble; a larger bruise, can be not good.
3. More Healing Time
Since a tattoo leaves an open wound if you get it on a bruise it will take a lot more time to heal properly. The first two weeks after getting a tattoo are important as during this time the topmost layer (epidermis) of the skin heals.
However, after this, the settling period or healing of the second layer takes 3-6 months to heal. No, let’s assume you get a tattoo on a bruise this healing time will be a lot more. So it’s better to wait a few days to heal the bruise.
Apart from this, the extended healing time means you have a greater risk of infections. And the last thing you want for a tattoo is an infection. So it’s better to not over-exhaust your body and get a tattoo on a clear canvas.
4. It is difficult to work for a Tattoo Artist
If your bruise is large or severe there are 99% chances that your tattoo artist will not do the needlework. Why? Because you might run into a tattoo blowout (where the ink spreads under the skin ruining the tattoo design).
Some of the reasons for tattoo artist’s refusals to work on bruise are that your tattoo will bleed a lot. Chances are that blood blocks the sight of work, ruining your design.
And since your tattoo will hurt a lot if the bruise is severe, it might be more challenging to stay steady during the needlework. Result? You will ruin the needlework. And since a bruise turns the skin to dark purple your tattoo artist might not see the stencil therefore they might not agree to tattoo over a bruise in the first place.
5. The Tattoo will Not Turn Out as You Expect it to be
At first, the tattoo artist mostly refused to do tattoos on bruises. But if your tattoo artist agrees, the results might not be good. Since bruises discolor the skin, there might be uneven ink distribution that can ruin your design.
And things get worse when your tattoo artist has to do the shadings. The bruise might not be a problem for a simple black-and-white tattoo, but for shading, it’s a nightmare. The precision that shading requires gets out of the question when you do it on a bruise.
Apart from this, colored tattoos are also impossible to do precisely. Since coloring a tattoo needs a clear canvas and when you have a bruise your tattoo artist can’t say for sure how vivid it will turn out. And since the bruise heals with time, the skin turns to its original color you can’t say for sure how it will turn out.
6. You Will Lose Money
What’s good in it if your tattoo doesn’t turn out as you imagined it? Since getting a tattoo on bruises might not evenly distribute color or end up with the wrong shade, you can’t get your desired results. So you will lose all your money on a spoiled tattoo. And even if you fix it up later, it will cost more than your estimated budget. So, it’s better to wait for the bruise to heal properly.
How Long Should You Wait to Get a Tattoo If You Have A Bruise?
It depends on the extent of your bruise. If you get a bruise a day or two before getting a tattoo, you have to let it completely heal. A bruise that is dark in color, big or fresh, might need more healing time.
Apart from this, if your bruise hurts upon touching, it is best to wait until it heals. And if your bruise is a bit old and now fading the tattoo artist might give you the green signal. But for the large or fresh bruises, it’s better to reschedule it.
What About a Light Bruise?
If your bruise is not severe, you can get a tattoo. However, it’s up to your tattoo artist whether he/she can do it with bruises or not. Apart from that, they can better gauge the bruise severity as what might seem light to you may not be light.
How to heal Your Bruise faster?
There are a few things that you can do to fasten the bruise healing. rescheduling your tattoo appointment will not be a good idea. So if you have a few days’ gap between the tattoo appointments, you should do the following to heal faster. There is this RICE method which is abbreviated to
- R-Rest–resting will make sure your body gets time to heal properly. You will see less swelling and pain if you rest well.
- I-ice–Make sure to apply the ice packs on the bruise. Why? Because it minimizes the inflammation.
- C-Compression–Compressing the bruise is also wise. You Can use any bandage to compress the bruise
- E-Elevation–Elevation means better blood flow to the bruise which results in faster healing.
You will heal faster with this method. Moreover, you can also apply home remedies for bruises, such as applying turmeric paste or massaging it gently.
What to Do After Getting a Tattoo on a Bruise?
Getting a tattoo on a bruise is not the same as getting it on clear skin. Therefore, you need to take care of it differently so it recovers fast.
- One of the things to do after a tattoo on a bruise is that you should use a healing ointment. Since you will have a little more bleeding, you will need a healing ointment for better recovery.
- Apart from this, you can also apply cold compresses. Any discomfort or pain will fade away by applying ice packs.
- Moreover, you should also use antibacterial soap to minimize infection chances. You can clean the tattoo twice a day to prevent infections.
- After cleaning, you should moisturize a tattoo as it will hasten the process.
- Make sure you examine your tattoo daily, as noticing any infection on the bruise will be difficult. If you have a fever or noticed raised skin, seek medical attention.
- Keep your body hydrated so that your tattoo heals instantly.
Conclusion
If you get a bruise right before your needlework, it is best not to do it. If rescheduling is not an option, you can talk to your tattoo artist about it. He/she can better guide you on whether you should get a tattoo or not. But mostly, tattoo artists don’t agree to work on bruises as the result dont come out good. The color and shading can be tricky, and you might not get what you want. So it is better to wait a bit than ruining the tattoo.
