Tattoo Cover ups, What to do?
We’ve all been there—what once felt like a meaningful tattoo may not stand the test of time. Whether it's an ex’s name, a poorly executed design, or just a tattoo that no longer aligns with who you are, tattoo cover-ups offer a second chance at ink redemption. We get many requests asking us to rework a tattoo or to cover it up completely, so we thought it would be a good idea to share with you some information that may help when deciding to cover a tattoo, or may help you understand what information we need to cover or rework a tattoo.
Why you may want to get a tattoo covered up/ reworked.
There are endless reasons someone might want a cover-up, some of the primary reasons being:
A design that didn’t age well. Sometimes tattoos don’t quite heal how we would like or age as we would expect.
Wanting a fresh start. Tattoos can be a reminder of the past, which, for the majority of the time, is a lovely thing. However, there may be tattoos that need covering in order to move on from a certain period of time in a person's life.
A design that didn’t turn out how you wanted. It can be deflating when a design doesn't turn out as imagined, and maybe a cover-up or rework can help you fall in love with your tattoo again.
Simply outgrowing the original concept. As time goes on we grow, and what we once loved at 18 years old, may not be something we are as in love with later in life.
Whatever the reason, a cover-up doesn’t have to be a compromise—it can be a creative upgrade.
What information do we need to know if a cover-up is possible?
There are som key bits of information we need before we can advise on a cover-up.
What does the tattoo look like? You can feel free to drop by and see us so we can look at the tattoo in person, or if you can send us a good quality image of the tattoo. This is so we can judge the size/darkness of the tattoo.
Do you want the tattoo reworked or covered? These are two very different things, so it is important to be clear. Some people may just want to add to a current tattoo or bring it back to life, and some people may want the tattoo completely gone.
What do you want to cover it with? It is best when thinking of a cover-up to be open-minded, as we may need to adapt ideas based on what you currently have. If the tattoo is dark, it will need to be covered with something darker than the original piece, or it may require some laser tattoo removal beforehand.
How does a tattoo cover-up work?
Cover-ups aren't about completely erasing the past—they're about cleverly working with it. Some common techniques include:
Using darker colors: Black, dark blues, and deep reds help hide older lines.
Layering and blending: Shading is used to mask and reshape old tattoos.
Reworking the design: Integrating parts of the original into something entirely new.
What do you need to be aware of before going ahead with a cover-up?
The cover-up may need more than one session. Cover-ups are not a straightforward process and some tattoos cover better than others. Once the cover-up is healed, you may still see remnants of the old tattoo, in which case you will need multiple sessions to disguise the tattoo more.
The old tattoo may never be completely covered. This is part of the reason we sometimes recommend laser tattoo removal, as it will lighten the old tattoo and give us a better canvas to work with, giving us a better chance of never seeing that old tattoo again.
Cover-ups can be more painful. Tattooed skin is a lot more delicate than fresh skin, so it may be more sensitive/painful when being tattooed over again.
To go ahead with the cover-up, feel free to email us secretsocietytattoo1@gmail.com, and we will do our best to make you fall in love with your skin all over again.