Blackout Tattoo With White Ink (Can You Use White Ink On A Blackout Tattoo?)

Getting a tattoo means getting body art that will stay on your skin for a lifetime. Unless you decide to get the tattoo removed, it is a pretty big deal and takes commitment to keep appreciating and loving the same tattoo for years to come. For some people, though this can be a bit difficult, especially if you’re the kind of person to quickly get bored with something; even if it’s on your body.

But, how does one spice up a tattoo without getting rid of it completely? One of the latest tricks people utilize is using white ink to freshen up a tattoo. This is especially popular on blackout tattoos, which can honestly become pretty boring over time.

So, if you’re interested in bringing some spice to your current blackout, or any tattoo, make sure to keep reading. In the following paragraphs, we’ll explore this white-on-black-ink trick and see whether it truly works. Let’s get started without any further ado!

Blackout Tattoo and White Ink – Explained + FAQs

Blackout Tattoo

Before we start, it is important to understand what blackout tattoos are and why people get them. So, let’s explore this topic briefly before tackling the actual article topic.

Now, as you may know (and already have one), blackout tattoos are getting increasingly popular. They are done in a way that a huge chunk of skin is covered completely in black ink. Sure enough, many tend to utilize the blackout artistry for cover-up reasons, but these tattoos are popular regardless of whether you’re covering something up or not.

It is no secret that blackout tattoos are difficult to execute. They are pretty time-consuming and can be pretty exhausting and painful. The tattoo artist needs to fill in a bigger chunk of your skin with black ink and to do so seamlessly, they also need to go over specific areas multiple times to ensure the pigment saturation is even across the tattoo. Even if the smallest skin area is not completely covered in ink, it will be visible and potentially ruin the solid black appearance.

Once the tattoo is done, it may take a bit longer to heal compared to a regular tattoo. Overall, the healing process is the same, as is the recommended aftercare routine.

We do have to point out that blackout tattoos can have some serious drawbacks. For example, they cover large skin areas completely, so it can be easy to miss any skin anomalies or skin cancer.

White Ink Over Blackout Tattoo

Now, we’ve come to the fun part of this article; the use of white ink on blackout tattoos. Using white ink over blackout tattoos is a fairly new trend in the tattoo industry. It is generally used on large-scale pieces to freshen up the ink or go for a tattoo design on a solid black area.

Now, let’s start with the notion of a pre-existing tattoo. In such cases applying white ink over the black tattoo will lead to the partial or complete lightening of the area. So, if your goal is to lighten out your blackout tattoo, you can do so by utilizing the white-out technique for complete or partial lightening. This is an excellent technique to use in case your blackout sleeve tattoo, for example, is no longer something you wanted. A little bit of white ink or a design done over the tattoo in white ink can turn your old tattoo into a new, unique tattoo.

Things To Consider When Getting White Ink On Blackout Tattoo

Now, if you’re looking to do the white-out technique over your blackout tattoo, you must consider the following things;

• White ink can only be applied on a fully healed blackout tattoo. You can not have a healing tattoo and undergo additional tattooing; you will not only endure immense pain but also end up promoting infection and inflammation of the tattoo. Moreover, no tattoo artist will tattoo over a healing tattoo whatsoever, but we feel the need to emphasize this since a lot of people think this is completely doable.
• You may not be able to find a tattoo artist who is specialized to do this quite easily. Since this is a relatively new technique, the majority of tattoo artists are still experimenting with it and trying to perfect the process. Make sure to extend your research regarding tattoo artists and be patient.
• Make sure to only work with a tattoo artist that has a lot of experience. Do not opt for just anyone; the tattoo artist needs to know how to do the white over black ink technique, otherwise, you’ll end up with terrible results.
• In order for the white ink to be just as pigmented as the black ink, the tattoo artist will need to go over the same design lines several times. It might take them even multiple sessions. This will result in higher pain levels than those you might have expected. So, bear in mind the pain and time it might take the tattoo artist to complete the white ink design, especially if you have lower pain tolerance.
• Bear in mind the cost of this endeavor as well. Because it is such a specific technique, not mastered by a lot of tattoo artists, you may have to pay for it much more than expected.

Blackout Tattoo and White Ink FAQs

How Do These Tattoos Age?

Traditional blackout tattoos are known for breaking and fading as one gets older and the skin structure changes. Of course, the severity of the breakage and fading depends on one’s taking care of the tattoo over time, as well as the way the tattoo has healed during the aftercare process.

Now, it is not yet known how white ink over blackout tattoos really behaves in regards to a long time period. What we can tell you is that you may require regular touch-ups, especially if your skin tone is darker. This will help the ink look fresh and bold as it did the first day. Make sure to take care of the tattoo by moisturizing it regularly and by protecting it from direct sunlight exposure. Sunscreen with high SPF is a must as well.

Are There Any Health Risks With These Tattoos?

As we mentioned, blackout tattoos can pose a risk to your health because they cover your natural skin completely. This means no skin abnormalities will be visible (that could indicate health issues), which in the long run can be a serious issue. Moreover, because there is so much black ink on the skin, one is at risk of more carcinogenic matter being released into the body.

Tattoo ink is rarely controlled and there is no knowing what exact ingredients are being used to create it. What we know so far is that black, as well as white ink, contain carcinogenic, toxic ingredients which in larger amounts can cause health issues. So, keep this in mind before you strike a final decision.

Are There Any Cool Design Ideas?

Yes; because this technique is getting increasingly popular, more and more people are posting images of their tattoos online for everyone to see. Here are some of our favorite white-on-blackout tattoo designs you can draw inspiration from;

Final Thoughts

Hopefully, we’ve managed to bring this topic closer to anyone interested out there. Blackout tattoos, whether done with white ink or not, are a pretty big deal. We want to advise you to give this idea a deep thought, especially because a lot of black ink on the skin can pose a health risk. Make sure to get your skin checked before getting a tattoo and talk to your dermatologist about blackout tattoos. We wish you good luck and happy tattooing!

Also Read:

• White Ink Tattoos On Dark Skin: 20+ Best Design Ideas
• White Ink Tattoos: 6 Pros And 4 Cons

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