Why get a cover up?
There are a lot of reasons why you might be thinking about getting a cover-up tattoo. Here are some of the reasons we see the most at our studio:
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To hide scars or stretch marks, e.g. from self harm, surgery, weight loss
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To recolour or revamp older tattoos which have faded or dropped out with age
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To completely cover a tattoo you don't like any more or has lost/changed meaning
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To get a tattoo reworked because you don't like the original result
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To mentally put an end to a part of your life you struggled with
Solving these problems can make you feel a lot better about your appearance and boost your confidence! We will never critisise or laugh at you for your past decisions or ask invasive questions about your scars - we're here to help you move forward, not dwell on the past.
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Examples of types of cover-up​
Before - older but still very dark and large tribal tattoo
After - the client was flexible with what they wanted the new tattoo to include. This was mostly drawn freehand over the old tattoo and was complete after three sessions of tattooing
Before - Older, faded black and grey tattoo with the stencil for the new design placed over
After - the design the client asked for was very specific but was easier to impliment due to the lightness of the old tattoo. This was completed in one session
This is a screen shot from an AI generated video of an orange ink being used to tattoo around the eyes. The account who posted it claim that this procedure will "cover-up eye bags". They also claim that their clients "experience no pain". The skin around your eyes is incredibly thin and delicate, so not only would this hurt like hell, it's dangerous AND wouldn't even achieve the results they promise.
This is a photo of a real tattoo procedure where flesh coloured ink is used to "cover" an area of a fine line tattoo which has blurred or blown out, creating a grey, fuzz arund the lettering. The black script is then re-done with a smaller needle. Straight after the tattoo, this will look fine, as the ink sits on top of the old tattoo. Once it heals, you will be able to see the old tattoo (along with all of the blurred parts) still.
This is a photo of a tattoo procedure where flesh coloured ink is used to "cover" a black barbed wire band. Covering a dark pigment with a very light one will not work. Once this skin has healed, this tattoo will become visible again.
If you're not sure if something would work, if something can be covered, or have any other questions, please feel free to send us a message. We'll always try to advise you honestly and fairly, even if we're not the ones tattooing you.
If you’d like a free consultation to talk about ideas for covering any old tattoos, scars or stretch marks, get in touch. Remember, just because one tattoo artist has refused or said something negative to you, doesn’t mean we all will.
We promise to treat you with the respect and confidentiality that you deserve.
When can't you get a cover up?
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You may be told a cover-up is not possible, or that you need to have some laser removal done first. This really depends on the artist you ask - each Tattoo Artist has a different skill set and different types of tattoo they enjoy doing. It's important that you find someone who enjoys cover-up projects and has the skills to do them effectively.
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Be prepared to:
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Manage your expectations. It's, most likely, not possible for an artist to cover a tribal with a mandala, or a big colour piece with a delicate portrait. Scars (especially keloid scars) can still be visible after being tattooed and some areas of scarring may not hold ink at all.
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Have some laser tattoo removal sessions if the tattoo you want to cover is very big or dark. Laser can be painful and expensive.
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Be patient - we recommend waiting at least two years before getting scars covered due to healing times.
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Pay - cover-ups can often take multiple sessions and touch ups.
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​Be aware of:
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Scammers and AI - some cover-ups (and tattoos in general) are things are not physically possible, will look terrible once healed or won't last longer than six months. AI generated and photo edited tattoos are pretty much everywhere on the internet and it can be a minefield trying to work out what is real and what isn't. Here are some examples: