The problems with White ink tattoos

Most week we get a lot of emails and enquiries asking if we do ‘white ink’ tattoos. So in this blog we hope to address some of the issues with white tattoos

At Union we like to know every tattoo that we do will look 100% when it is healed, we like to know the work we put out has longevity and that our customers will be happy with it. We cannot guarantee this with white tattoos so therefore we do not do them.

Unfortunately a lot of things you see on the Internet can be very misleading, we believe that white tattoos are one of these things. Many photos you see of white tattoos online are taken directly after the tattoo is finished, it looks great because its just be done and hasn’t settled into the skin. Which means the expectations you have are impossible to meet and very misled

White ink is not designed to outline with, it’s thick consistency and light pigment make it perfect for mixing and blending with other colours and for highlights. Ink companies make black ink specifically for lining with, it is a lot thinner than other inks. Because white ink is thicker in consistency it is a lot trickier to line with.

bad-white-ink-tattoo

Photo credit: Buzzfeed

White ink fades very quickly, the general rule is the lighter the pigment the quicker your body can break it down, white is the lightest coloured pigment you can get and the quickest to fade away.

White ink can discolor, over the years we have seen white tattoos that have gone yellow, green and grey.

The chemical composition of White ink is different to black ink, which means it spreads in the skin a lot more than black ink, which means delicate and detailed designs will  spread and look blurry.

While we appreciate the fact that it is your body to get tattooed and your money to spend, please respect the fact that our artists want to do a great job on your tattoo, white ink is just to much of a gamble for us.

so if you have done your research, understand the risks and realitys and still really want a white ink tattoo then we’re sure you’ll be able to find a decent artist in New Zealand who will do it for you. Otherwise there are plenty of other options we can discuss for subtle looking tattoo designs, just pop in for a consultation.