How to Deal with a Tattoo Blowout?

A beautifully inked tattoo can complement your overall personality and a small mistake can make the whole design appear ugly and unappealing. There may be many reasons you may have an unattractive design and one of them is a blowout. So this term is interesting to discuss and deserves to be elaborated on blowouts in tattoos. We shall discuss everything in detail that concerns tattoo spread, its side effects and preventive measures. Here we go…

What Is Tattoo Blowout?

It is a side effect that results in a blurry and smudged tattoo. This usually happens when your tattoo artist injects ink too deep into the skin and can cause the ink to spread out and blur the edges of a design. Its examples include a smudged, uneven, distorted tattoo that appears very different from the original art.

Wondering what causes tattoo blowouts?

Read the upcoming section to know the causes of it in detail. Here we go…

How Does Tattoo Blowout Occur?

More often it happens when tattoo artists inject ink too deep into the skin or when ink spreads beneath the surface of the skin. This creates a blurred or smudged appearance around the edges of the design. Aside from that, several other reasons can lead to this issue including:

• Penetrating Needle Deep into The Skin: If the tattoo artist inserts the needle too deep into the skin reaching the subcutaneous fat layer, a ink diffusion occurs. Because of this, the ink spreads out causing a “blowout” effect.
• Incorrect Needle Angle: Another reason is tattooing at the wrong angle. Doing so pushes ink sideways into unintended areas. It leads to blurry or uneven design.
• Excessive Pressure: Applying excessive pressure when using the tattoo machine can also lead to a blowout effect. This is because it forces ink to move beyond the intended area causing a blurred effect at the edges of the design.
• Movement During Tattooing: You will be surprised to know that even a small shift in the angle can cause an ink spread. Yes, that is the reason your tattoo artist asks you to sit still when getting a tattoo. Sudden movement or shift may cause the needle to go deeper or at an unintended angle which increases the chances of blowouts.
• Thin or Delicate Skin: Body parts where the skin is usually thin such as fingers, ankle, wrist, etc, are more prone to this issue.
• Poorly Executed Aftercare: Poor aftercare such as applying too much pressure on the tattoo during healing can cause the ink to spread into surrounding tissues, leading to a blowout effect.

Potential Side Effects of Tattoo Blowout

They are not harmful to your physical health and do not cause tattoo infection or any other kind of problem. Overall, they do not impact your physical health and they lead to emotional concerns. Some of the potential side effects are as follows:

• Distorted Tattoo: As you know, blowouts adversely affect the edges of the design, leading to a distorted tattoo pattern.
• Unappealing Tattoo Pattern: Since the ink spreads beyond the intended area in the. It leads to blurred or smudged tattoo patterns which look unappealing.
• Reduced Clarity and Detail: Blurred and smudged lines and patterns reduce clarity and detail resulting in messy tattoo art.
• Emotional Hurt: As said earlier, blowouts do not affect your physical health, but they impact your emotional well being. Yes, that is true. We all know that getting a tattoo is painful. One has to go through a lot of pain to get a tattoo. Many people get tattoos that are deeply connected to them. In such a situation an uneven or unappealing design causes emotional pain to the wearer. This leads to feelings of regret frustration and dissatisfaction for the person who experienced the Ink leakage.
• Changed Design: It impacts the design so badly that it makes it look very different from the original tattoo.
• Limited Options: These can be fixed but in some cases they cannot be fixed completely. Yes, severe blowouts are very difficult to fix. Even if there is a slight possibility it will increase your cost significantly.
• Prolonged Healing: In some cases, blowouts can even lead to extended healing times due to excess pressure applied during tattooing.
• Increased Costs: Yes, tattoo blotching simply increases your overall cost. This is because you will have to opt for a tattoo touch up or go for a cover up design to get rid of a blowout. Some people even prefer getting laser removal treatments. Whatever route you take all of these are pretty expensive endeavours.

Let us now take a look at fixes of Tattoo distortion. Here we go…

How to Fix Tattoo Blowout?

Unfortunately, it is very difficult to fix. Once they occur, there is nothing you can do to undo it. There are some ways you can correct your unappealing design to a certain extent. However, it is worth noting that you may not be able to get the design that you chose in the first place. Some of the ways you can fix it include:

1. Tattoo Touch Up

It is a way of correcting a blurry or smudged tattoo design. However, it is important to find a new and professional tattoo artist for a tattoo touch up..

2. Tattoo Cover Up

It is an ideal way to fix a small sized tattoo. It is because with mild tattoo spread you always have the chance to add elements and make it look better. But again, finding an experienced and professional tattooist is important for tattoo cover up as well. Choose a tattoo designer who can work with the fuzzy and over blown lines to simply clean up the ink.

NOTE: Whatever route you take, make sure to wait until your original design is fully healed. This is because correcting an unhealed tattoo can lead to more problems, such as infection, swelling, etc. Also, opt for a large tattoo so that covering up the original design becomes easier and it bends well with the existing design.

Tattoo Removal Treatment

Lastly, you can opt for a tattoo removal treatment. This will allow you to completely get rid of your smudged design. Among various tattoo removal techniques, laser tattoo removal is pretty popular. You can choose to eliminate the blurred part only, as laser techniques can be used to specifically target the blown out parts of a tattoo. After a few sessions (sessions depend on the size and degree of blowout), you will be able to have the crisp design you originally wanted.

Aside from these, some tattoo craftsman even opt for some fixes with white ink. However, it depends on the degree of the blowout the size of the tattoo and the colour of the tattoo ink. For instance, if you have your tiny white tattoo blown out you can opt for this fix to get rid of the blowout.

Read the next section to learn how to prevent it. Here we go…

How to Prevent Tattoo Blowout?

It cannot be prevented completely but there are ways you can minimize the blowout risks. Take a look…

1. Choose a Reputable Tattoo Artist:

First things first, choose an experienced and professional tattooist for your design. Make sure to do enough research prior to selecting your ink master. By choosing an experienced tattoo designer you automatically minimize your risk of experiencing blowouts to a great extent. Visit their site and read reviews and feedback. If possible, try connecting with their past clients for first hand information about their experience with them. Additionally, you can ask for referrals.

2. Say No to Unexperienced Tattoo Artists:

Unprofessional artists charge less than those who have been working in the field for years and have immense experience. But you need to understand that this small saving can lead to greater disasters. This is because the blowouts happen when you get inked by an inexperienced tattoo specialist.

3. Consider the Right Tattoo Placement:

Getting tattoos on spots with thinner skin is one of the causes of tattoo blotching. Therefore, it is important to choose your tattoo placement very carefully. Avoid choosing areas susceptible to blowout, such as the finger, inside the elbow, wrist and so on. Choose a place where there is a thicker skin.

4. Avoid Certain Tattoo Designs:

Tattoo patterns with fine details or sharp edges are more susceptible to blowouts. Avoid such designs if you are really worried about a tattoo distortion. If you have already chosen a design with fine details and sharp edges, then make sure to find a skilled artist and choose a place less prone to blowouts to avoid any possibility of a tattoo migration.

5. Be Mindful of Tattoo Aftercare:

Poor aftercare is one of the reasons for ink smearing. Follow your tattooist aftercare instructions religiously to avoid any likelihood of getting a blowout. Take good care of your tattoo during the healing process. Avoid over moisturizing your tattoo. It can lead to ink smudging, infection or breakouts that can cause irreversible damage to your tattoo. Ensure that you clean your tattoo twice a day and keep it moist until it is fully healed. Also, it is vital to avoid scratching the area as it can damage your design. Experts even suggest steering clear of stretching and pulling the tattooed skin as it can promote the spreading of the ink beyond tattoo lines resulting in the blowout effect.

The Bottom Line

By now, you must have understood that they are not desirable and can impact your emotional well being, especially if you are deeply connected to the tattoo you have chosen. You can avoid blowouts by following the ways we have mentioned above. Make sure to get your tattoo only by an experienced artist. And even if you get a blowout be patient and let your tattoo heal first. It will allow you to figure out the right course of action getting a cover up tattoo or removing it all.

Happy Tattooing… 😊 😊

Let us now take a look at some FAQs…

FAQs

1. Is tattoo blowout my fault?

Well, not necessarily if you have chosen the best artist and followed aftercare instructions carefully then it is not your fault at all. But suppose you choose to get your tattoo by a skin artist who lacks proper tattooing skills or uses the wrong techniques or you fail to follow aftercare instructions. In that case, it is your fault.

2. How to avoid a tattoo blowout?

The best way to avoid it is to choose an experienced tattoo designer. Additionally, get your tattoo on the areas with thicker skin and be mindful of your design.

3. Is there a specific tattoo blowout aftercare?

No, there is no specific aftercare. You need to follow the same aftercare instructions that apply to a newly etched tattoo. Make sure to let your tattoo heal completely prior to opting for any method to fix the tattoo blowout. Meanwhile, you can think of the next course of action whether to get rid of it with a laser treatment or opt for a cover up tattoo design.

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