All About White Ink Tattoos

This post was originally published at InkDoneRight on May 19, 2015.

Although some white ink tattoos look beautiful, it’s very difficult to pull them off well. This article is dedicated to informing you about what to expect from a white ink tattoo and how you can achieve optimal results. White ink tattoos require some extra care and planning, so read closely and see if you’re prepared for the risks and rewards associated with them!

White Ink Tattoos on Pale Skin

When white ink tattoos are done correctly, they look amazing. They are incredibly subtle, especially on lighter skin, and can take on many different forms. Small outlines of white ink can accent the tattoo more than black ink would, and it’s a good way to tattoo something that would normally be glowing. The white ink can be mixed with other inks to give a gleaming sheen, and it can also be toned down to show barely perceivable lines accenting the skin. Since white ink is less saturated and very light, it’s easier to see how the skin raises from a tattoo. This can be used to your advantage — the 3D shadows will make it pop more than a regular tattoo.

Experienced Artists Only

Unfortunately, there are drawbacks to using white ink. The color and effectiveness of white ink varies depending on brand and artist technique, so there’s no way of knowing what it will look like until after you receive it. Sometimes it will appear as pure white, but it can look grayed out, completely transparent, or so subtle that it’s hard to notice. Since there’s no way to tell what different inks will look like on your skin beforehand, it’s important to rely on your tattoo artist. Seek out an artist that has experience using white ink, and ask to see some of their samples. With their help, you should be able to tell what kind of result you will get ahead of time, and whether it’s something you actually want to pursue.

White Ink Tattoo Designs

If you do opt to get a white ink tattoo despite all the drawbacks, be sure to pick a good design. Small, abstract tattoos tend to look more like scars or mosquito bites than tattoos. The reason is pretty simple — white ink allows the actual scar that the tattoo leaves behind to show more easily, and then accents that. The design you pick will affect how good it looks. Smaller tattoos will be easier to recognize as tattoos, while larger tattoos are more likely to be recognized as a scar at first glance. However, even scars can be beautiful. Many people capitalize on this fact and get large, intricate sleeves that look like beautiful Lichtenberg figures on their skin. Large lace-like tattoos are also suited to this sort of display, but be aware that other people may not see them as beautiful as black or colored tattoos, simply because they resemble scars so closely.

Healing and Fading

After you get the tattoo, you can expect it to fade much more quickly than normal. How it fades is determined by the exact ink that was chosen for the job. Some inks fade away evenly, similar to a henna tattoo, and they leave behind a blank slate for you to work with again. The raised part of the tattoo will slowly fall as the tattoo heals more and more. Unfortunately, not all white inks fade as nicely. Other types of ink will appear gray or green as the components start to break down — which is the opposite of what you wanted! This is more likely to happen if you take poor care of your tattoo as it heals. When the tattoo is opened, it paves the way for contaminants to get into the skin, and those contaminants will show up as soon as the ink fades away. Planning ahead to take care of your skin helps prevent this, as well as keeping your tattoo clean both before and after it heals.

White Ink Tattoos under UV Light

Since we’re done talking about the negative, let’s talk about the advantages of white ink tattoos. There are a few neat tricks to them, and the best one is due to the fact that the tattoos are nearly invisible. If you end up getting a very subtle tattoo, there’s an easy and amazing way to make it pop — UV light! Your tattoo will glow under UV light, putting on quite a display if you ever find yourself out clubbing. It doesn’t absorb light or glow in the dark on its own, but it does look really fancy. Since white ink doesn’t stand out during the day at all, it can also lead to a pleasant surprise for friends you already know who haven’t quite noticed it yet.

Love Them!

White ink tattoos are tricky, but they can have some amazing advantages. I am personally a huge fan of them, since their subtle look makes the tattoo look like a natural marking rather than something you drew on your skin. They are tattoos that look like they’ve been with you since the day you were born! The whole part where they glow in the dark is just a bonus! Admittedly though, they have some huge drawbacks. You need an experienced artist and a bit of luck to get the exact look you were going for, and even then, you have to show some exceptional tattoo aftercare to make sure it stays looking good — or at least fades out gracefully. Even if things do go perfectly, you’ll be subject to people who jump to conclusions and assume they are scars or messed up tattoos. To be honest, people who think scars are automatically ugly aren’t worth associating with, so perhaps that’s not something you should worry about anyways.

These white ink tattoos are a subtle way to show off your beauty while keeping the color of your skin — whatever color you start with — looking natural. They are much lighter and fade more quickly than other types of tattoos, so if you think you’re going to get more in the future, you don’t have to worry about the white ink tattoo taking up space. Since they don’t pop out as much, they tend to look more professional than other types of tattoos. All-in-all, white ink tattoos are a beautiful way to accent the beauty that your mother gave you.

InkDoneRight

Originally published at www.inkdoneright.com on May 19, 2015.