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Tattoo FAQ 18: Can you cover up a black line with a lighter color?
Original question from our visitor:
I had a tattoo that went wrong on my forearm it was meant to look like black outlines of flames but just looks naff. Is it possible to tattoo over black ink with coloured ink? It’s faded a tiny bit to a greyish/blue colour were I tried having it removed with laser but that didn’t work.
Answer:
It is hard to say without seeing the tattoo, but here are some general hints. Please mind that ONLY a professional tattooist will be able to make the call on this, and only face to face.
First of all: If the laser removal did not work correctly, chances are that the original tattoo was done by somebody who went in too deep. The ink of a tattoo is supposed to be in the second layer of skin (the Dermis), which is covered by the transparent first layer (the Epidermis), so the ink actually "shines through".
The second layer is also where a laser removes the ink, but if the ink is in the third layer (the Hypodermis), a laser can't reach without major damage.
If you had a tattoo that went into the Hypodermis and a laser removal was unsuccessful it is also likely that your second layer of skin is too traumatized to be able to hold ink anymore, so even if the original was a light color, it could not be done.
In general, if the original tattoo was done professional and the ink is where it is supposed to be, it is possible to cover up a black line with a lighter color. Having said that: you will never be able to cover it completely if you cover with a lighter color and it will always be visible as kind of a shadow, but if you choose the right design for the cover up, the old lines can usually be incorporated in the new design so they are not drawing any attention and even look like they were supposed to be there. I have even seen cover-ups of some work with pretty big black areas and the black served as a shadow in the new (color) work. Below is a good example (found this on http://www.tattoos.co.nz)
Another "general truth" is that it is easier to cover up if the old lines have faded already over a few years.
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