Cover Up Tattoos

Covering Up an Existing Tattoo:

It’s important to understand that you must be flexible with your ideas and understand the limitations of cover ups on solid, dark tattoos. Generally speaking cover ups aren’t possible if your tattoo has minimal empty space around it (like on the inside wrist, or surrounded by other tattoos; including if it’s already a cover up of a tattoo). There needs to be space free around your current tattoo to allow for areas of contrast and make it ‘less obvious’ that it’s a cover up. Unless you want a blastover, your decision.

It may be that I recommend laser tattoo removal. My former colleague Sarah is a laser wizard; you can check out her Instagram here. Sarah provides complimentary consultations to discuss your options for fading. She can give you specific information regarding how many sessions you may need and pricing quotes.

If your tattoo is already light in colour, aged, small in size and in an open area it may be a good candidate for a cover up. Lighter colours are of course easier to cover, black ink can only cover black. Small Stick & poke’s are usually easy to cover in my experience. I will give personalised recommendations once I have photos of your tattoo- If I don’t think it’s going to work out I will tell you!

Touch ups are also usually expected for cover ups; after around 1 month I will ask for healed photos and follow up again in 6 months. One free touch up is included in the price of your tattoo. As the new tattoo settles the old pigment may continue to ‘push through’ and become visible- Just because a cover up looks perfect when it’s fresh doesn’t necessarily mean that old tattoo is gone forever! Sorry!

Scar Cover Ups:

I have done many scar cover ups, varying from fine old scars to thick raised large areas- including burns and skin grafts. I’m always happy to do scar cover ups if I think it can be executed safely and effectively. Generally speaking my restrictions regarding “tattoos I do not do” (see list here) do not apply to scar cover ups- If you want a small script tattoo or a symbol to cover up your scarring, and It will work as a coverup, I will do it for you.

I will ask for photos of the scars to determine if it’s safe to cover. I will not share the photos with anyone. I can arrange to meet in person for this if it would be easier for you.

Scarring needs to be healed- generally speaking the older the better. The skin needs to be stable, if the scar is fresh (not an open wound, but healed over and very shiny for example) the tattoo may not heal optimally. You may find that as the scar continues to heal and fade, it fades the tattoo along with it. I cannot tattoo over any open wounds; including if there are new wounds in the neighbouring area to the new tattoo due to infection risks.
The closest that your scarring texture and tone is to your regular skin texture and tone, the less obvious it will be that it’s a cover up. If your skin has areas of dense scar tissue the pigment will not absorb the same as other areas. Watercolour or sketch style tattoos are usually a good option for this- since they have areas of light/dark/contrasting colours anyway.

I will give recommendations for what I think is possible and safe for your scar cover up. If I believe the pigmentation of your scarring is not coverable; we can still most likely do a new tattoo around it- more of a distraction from the scar than a true cover.

I will provide you with Aftercare instructions and Saniderm- I find that this helps for clients who may be concerned about potentially accessing and disrupting the new tattoo.

Out of respect for my clients I have not specified in the images below which tattoos are covering an old tattoo and which are covering scarring.
All clients are always given the option for me to not post/photograph their old/new tattoos.