Thinking About Inking

Thinking About Inking

October 20th, 2010 @ 4:42 pm by Ms. Sloth
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When I was 18 (which, for reference, was almost 17 years ago), I got a really really really really really really really really really really really really REALLY stupid tattoo on my upper arm/shoulder area. Why? Because I was young and stupid. I wanted something different than the tribal armbands that were so big in the early/mid ’90s and ended up with something that I loved for a month, liked for a year, tolerated for another year, and regretted ever since.

I’m too embarrassed to even post a photo of it.

Since none of the cap-sleeve dresses that I tried on looked good on me, I’m going to have a strapless dress and the stupid tattoo is going to show. Now I have a few options I’ve been considering.

Option #1: Get the tattoo covered up with a better tattoo. I have a friend who is a tattoo artist and he’ll cut me a deal. I’ll probably get it covered up with some pretty flowers like these (the photos below are for artistic inspiration only, not placement):

Thinking About Inking : wedding beauty philadelphia Sloth sloth

Thinking About Inking : wedding beauty philadelphia Sholder sholder

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Pros:

It will look pretty instead of stupid.

Cons:

I’m afraid I’ll regret that one after a while just like I regret the one I have now.

Option #2: Spring for some laser tattoo removal. Get the damned thing blasted off of my body.

Pros:

The tattoo will be (I hope) gone.

Cons:

It’s more expensive than getting my friend to cover it up.
I’ll have to go back for many repeat sessions.
Apparently, it hurts more than the tattoo itself.
There is no guarantee that it will ever really go away.

What would you do if you were me? Do you know anyone who has gotten a tattoo removed, and what did they have to say about it?

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49 Responses to “Thinking About Inking”

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Member

ohheavenlyday (message) 2,400 posts, Buzzing bee

I know a woman who got the tattoo of a UNICORN she had on the back of her neck removed when she was getting married. It was expensive, took several treatments, and was super painful. When she was done with the laser removal, you could still faintly see some ink on her skin. Not enough to make out that it used to be a unicorn, but almost as though if you smudged ink on your skin and then it slowly faded off throughout the day. Sort of like that.

I do know there’s this tattoo coverup makeup you can get that my best friend’s sister used for her wedding to cover up a couple tattoos. You could never even tell they were there with that stuff!

10/20/10 @ 4:47 pm (reply)

Member

R.Elliott (message) 1,011 posts, Bumble bee

What about just investing in some good tattoo make-up cover up for the wedding?

10/20/10 @ 4:48 pm (reply)

Bee

Mrs. Star (message) 2,057 posts, Buzzing bee

Well, you probably want to think about this from a long-term perspective, since you don’t like your tattoo for daily wear either, but if you just want a temporary solution, they make some pretty kick-ass tattoo-covering stage makeup that actors use. It’s good stuff.

10/20/10 @ 4:50 pm (reply)

Bee

Mrs. Trail Mix (message) 6,328 posts, Bee Keeper

Can you just cover it up? I think it was Mrs Fro Yo who talked about covering up a tattoo on her back…And I admit, I’m very curious to see it now, haha!

10/20/10 @ 4:51 pm (reply)

Member

Nado (message) 58 posts, Worker bee

i think unless you really WANT a new tattoo of flowers or anything else, in the end you are probably better off to go for laser removal. otherwise, you might end up with a newer bigger (harder to remove) tattoo that you regret just as much. the laser removal will be painful and expensive, but better than being stuck with layered tattoos that you’re unhappy with! good luck

10/20/10 @ 4:52 pm (reply)

Bee

Mrs. Stripes (message) 1,063 posts, Bumble bee

I say go for the ink- but that’s just b/c I was dying to spring for a special tattoo pre-wedding and um, our wedding budget ate the money! Glad I have a big birthday coming up! Anyway I do LOVE the whole tattoo/wedding dress juxtaposition so I would lean that direction. I have known people who’ve had tattoos removed and been (mostly) pleased with the results. In the end they were left with a very very faint outline/scar type of thing. Not to noticeable unless pointed out really. One thing to keep in mind though is that it took a lot more sessions/treatments then they were initially told- so it definitely added up in terms of both time/money. Hope my absolute lack of real advice is somehow helpful.

10/20/10 @ 4:52 pm (reply)

Member

SouthernTulip (message) 452 posts, Helper bee

Hi! I’m so glad you posted about something like this! I agree that there are some really awesome products out there that can totally cover up a tattoo for your day.

But with you mentioning laser removal, I just wanted to throw it out there that while if you’re lucky it can remove all the color it can never remove the scars. The laser process itself leaves scars and obviously the tattoo did as well. So you end up with basically a shadow of your tattoo with scared skin - it kind of looks like an odd tan line in the shape of your tattoo. Now there may be exceptions out there, I’ve found most treatment places will say that it leaves marks like this.

-Good luck and you’ll have to let us know what you end up deciding to do

10/20/10 @ 4:54 pm (reply)

Bee

Miss Sloth (message) 3,184 posts, Sugar bee

@Mrs. Trail Mix: If and when I decide what to do about it, I’ll post a photo for all to see. Yikes.

@Mrs. Star: Good to know! Do you know what it’s called, by any chance?

10/20/10 @ 4:55 pm (reply)

Guest

Jacqueline

A good make-up artist can just cover it for you. Cheap and you’re not inking again and you can decide/save for the removal

10/20/10 @ 4:57 pm (reply)

10.

Guest

Kate

I’d go for the laser removal. Flowers that big, while beautiful, you may have serious regrets over later. Don’t kill me for saying this, (sorry everyone!) but whenever I see a massive tattoo like that on anyone 50 plus, I just think it looks awful…

10/20/10 @ 5:02 pm (reply)

11.

Guest

IntheSameExactPosition

I feel your pain! I have the same exact problem down to the position of the tattoo and the search for a cap sleeved dress. I’m leaning towards just walking down the aisle tattoo blazing!

10/20/10 @ 5:03 pm (reply)

12.

Member

vanillabean (message) 125 posts, Blushing bee

i actually have a tattoo on my lower back — another silly teenage mistake that i hate… at the time i guess i thought i had to have the words “carpe diem” on my body as a reminder — instead of just in my head… i just chalk it up to a part of who i was and more naive/carefree things i did — but it won’t show in my dress… knowing my thoughts on my own tattoo i would not get a bigger one to cover it up — but that’s me. I’d love to get it removed one day, but then is that erasing something about the young, free spirited, more “fly by the seat of my pants” me? maybe that’s too deep. lol. If you hate the tattoo, can you cover it up or get it removed? it’s your decision in the end — but personally i would opt for not getting another… good luck!

10/20/10 @ 5:04 pm (reply)

13.

Member

kaitybird (message) 66 posts, Worker bee

i would just get some good coverup.

10/20/10 @ 5:06 pm (reply)

14.

Member

Violet Violet (message) 985 posts, Busy bee

It’s worth going to talk to a professional, bc clearly it’s something that really bothers you. A lot of brides have cosmetic procedures before they walk down the aisle. But personally, I would go the route of cover up makeup for the wedding, and looking into removal for the future.

10/20/10 @ 5:07 pm (reply)

15.

Member

lovelii (message) 189 posts, Blushing bee

miss sloth, I know that kat von d did some type of advertising for a tattoo cover up that they used on her, and if you know her - she is covered in ink from head to toe.. this stuff looks great. I think you could find it at sephora, try looking for it online or hit up the mall. also - if you really hate the tattoo but dont wanna bother with the laser treatment, maybe you should try some of the ink removal creams. usually the older the tattoo is, the easier it is for it to fade. maybe you can find someone who’s used a product that worked for them =) good luck !!

10/20/10 @ 5:10 pm (reply)

16.

Guest

Jennifer

Kat Von D, famed tattoo artist from LA Ink, has a line of makeup at Sephora. She has a tattoo cover up as part of her line. Its a bit pricey but they used it on her, I’m not sure if everyone is familiar with her or not but she is COVERED in tattoos, and it covered them up flawlessly. I would make sure it won’t rub off on your dress or anyone else’s clothes for that matter. That’s if you wanted or needed a quick fix.
I personally would cover it up with something else, but that is just me. I have several tattoos that you will be able to see in my wedding dress and I plan on displaying them. Grandma might not like it but it is who I am.

10/20/10 @ 5:12 pm (reply)

17.

Member

DoxieDoll (message) 164 posts, Blushing bee

If you’re obsessed and loving the new tattoo design- then I’d go for it!

I have a couple of visible tattoo’s (on my wrists) and although I’ve never had a reason to cover them, I did try it with Amazing Concealer (that’s the name of it!) with some setting powder. Worked like a charm on my black script tattoo’s if that’s an option you’d like to take! I don’t know how large your tattoo is, though. That much make-up might be more obvious and might rub off.

I’d hold off on the laser removal, though. Most of the times, I’ve noticed, it doesn’t work as well and people end up covering the lasered/scarred skin anyway (with a tattoo!)

10/20/10 @ 5:12 pm (reply)

18.

Member

kitzy (message) 4,224 posts, Honey bee

dermablend is a good cover, but you have to buy a couple of shades to get the coloring right for your skin. it’s a lot of trial and error. if you’re using a makeup artist, airbrush is the best cover i’ve seen.

removal is extremely painful and extremely disgusting (everything blisters up and basically oozes for a few days). but, if you hate the tattoo, it might be worth the money.

10/20/10 @ 5:13 pm (reply)

19.

Hostess

chelseamorning (message) 2,252 posts, Buzzing bee

For your wedding day, cover-up may serve you just fine. For the long term, I would get the tattoo removed. The cons of Option 1 can never fully be anticipated and will always lead you back to Option 2, whereas the cons of Option 2 are all totally resolvable: You can save the money, withstand the pain, spend the time, and deal with a little smudge that might be left over. If you can regret a tattoo once, you can regret it again. You should get a new tattoo only if you want that tattoo for itself, not just because you want to cover up something else that’s ugly. You hate it, so get rid of it.

10/20/10 @ 5:14 pm (reply)

20.

Member

TMW (message) 3 posts, Wannabee

Haven’t read many of the other posts but have to recommend MAC cover up. I have a pretty huge tattoo that starts on my foot and goes half way up my calf (but on the outside). Don’t get me wrong I love it but it isn’t great at wedding etc. Having been a bridesmaid a few times recently I ordered some cover up from MAC. It’s for use on birthmarks, tattoos etc and is fab! Need to buy a good combo of three colours to blend them in, and go darker and lighter as needed. Practice the technique of dabbing it on and blending the edges where the make up is to blend with your skin. You honetly would never have known it was there. Was sceptical at first but can’t say enough good things. Do watch out for guests if hugging them etc as it willsmudge on them, and do remember to remove it at night or bedsheets get very messy- I learnt the hard way! Good luckwith whatever you decide.

10/20/10 @ 5:15 pm (reply)

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