What is tattoo blowout and can I fix it? [Information Guide 2021] (2023)

We've all seen it before: tattoos that look smudged or smudged; Lines that blend together making a tattoo look unprofessional at best and completely ruined at worst. This tattoo complication is called an “explosion” and is no one’s friend.

Keep reading to learn more about tattoo overflows, how it looks on the skin, and why it happens. Explore the options available to replace, repair, or eliminate your exploding tattoo problem.

What is a burst tattoo?

Blowout is when parts appear blurred, smudged or runny because the tattoo artist used the tattoo machine improperly or inefficiently.

While anyone who's seen a friend's DIY tattoos is likely familiar with the blown-up look, many people still aren't sure what causes those unsightly smudges in supposedly professionally applied tattoo ink.

While there are numerous factors that can increase the likelihood of a tattoo popping, inexperience is responsible for 90% of tattoo popping.

This is not to say that an experienced tattoo artist is immune to explosions, but it can greatly reduce the risk of a tattoo being ruined by an explosion.

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(Video) Tattooing Blowouts On My Own Skin! *!GRAPHIC!* + How To Tattoo & Fix A Blowout! LIVE SKIN DEMO!

What are the causes of tattoo bursting?

heavy handsÖthe wrong angle

Pushing ink too deep into the skin is the number one cause of breakouts. A heavy-handed artist can apply the paint with too much pressure, causing the paint to seep into unwanted tissue and bleed into adjacent areas.

On the other end of the spectrum, if an artist doesn't go deep enough and apply tattoo ink to the upper layers of the skin, a burst can also occur when the ink seeps into the surrounding skin.

A (mostly) inexperienced artist can also apply the machine at the wrong angle, causing the paint to leak onto the surrounding fabric and cause an explosion. This happens more often with black than color ink.

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thin skin

Another common cause of tattoo overflow, much more difficult to control, occurs when a design is applied to areas of the body where the skin is particularly thin. This is because these body parts have less tissue under the skin, making it much more likely that the needle will go deeper than intended and cause a burst.

Areas like the tops of the feet, hands, wrists and ankles, toes or finger tattoos are particularly prone to these types of breakouts. Again, experienced artists are less likely to cause a blowout, but even talented artists can have trouble skinning these thin areas.

excessive extension

When applying a tattoo, an artist will typically stretch the client's skin to ensure the area is flat and the design has the correct proportions. However, if the artist is a little rough and overzealous in stretching the client's skin, this could result in the needle entering at an awkward angle, possibly injecting ink into the surrounding tissue and causing an explosion.

Most experienced artists understand how elastic a person's skin is and how to properly stretch it to apply a tattoo without bursting, but sometimes it happens anyway.

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(Video) Blowout Healing Process

Can I fix an explosion?

Unfortunately, after an explosion, there is little you can do to reverse the process.

The only real way to fix a blowout is to go to a tattoo artist, preferably not the one who applied the original failed piece, and consult with them on how to cover it up. While this may not be the perfect solution for a small piece (a tattoo artist may recommend using a white ink application for small black ink or dark pigment issues), the final product will likely look better than a blown design.

Laser-Tattooentfernung

If the inking experience that led to your tattoo has left you completely dissatisfied with your tattoos, laser removal may be your most effective treatment option.

Laser removal works by using the high-energy beams of light from a laser and bombarding the tattoo with these charged light particles. The laser penetrates under the epidermis, where it slowly breaks down the ink into tiny particles, which are then absorbed into the body.

Older laser removal treatment technologies would have a hard time completely removing a burst tattoo, but nowadays an entire tattoo can be repaired in just a session or two (depending on size and depth).

Laser removal is a relatively quick process, but it can be expensive, especially for larger tattoos or when compared to cover-up options.

How much does tattoo removal cost? [Information Guide 2020]

How can I prevent tattoo breakouts?

The first and most important step to avoid this unpleasant result is research and care in choosing the original tattoo. By finding an experienced artist and looking through their portfolio, you can get a better idea of ​​their skill and style and reduce the risk of blowout.

It is also important to be aware of the risks associated with traditional tattoos.difficultLocations. Areas like fingers and hands are more prone to cracking and scarring because they are thin areas with little flesh under the skin. Areas such as the shoulder and inner arm, traditionally the most popular places for a first tattoo, offer natural advantages against tattoo complications.

Also, proper aftercare is essential. In the first two days after a new tattoo is applied, additional stress or trauma to the area can cause a subsequent flare-up. It is also important to be careful not to stretch, scar or bump the tattooed area until the skin has fully healed.

modern tattoo machines

While the technology used to apply tattoos has come a long way from the sharp rods or simple needles used in the past, tattoo machines haven't evolved that much in the last hundred years. In fact, the overall design isn't all that different from the predecessor of modern tattoo machines, the electric pen, which Edison patented in 1891.

Because they are so much more common, this article will use coil machines in this quick look at how tattoo machines work.

Every tattoo machine has a few essentials that allow it to quickly inject ink under the skin. At the heart of the coil machine is a series of coils that work like electromagnets, quickly switching their current on and off, causing them to move.

These coils are connected to a spring and armature rod that moves up and down when current flows through the magnets. The tattoo needle is attached to the anchor rod and moves with it, and when attached to the skin it creates hundreds of tiny punctures. These perforations are filled with ink, creating a permanent design.

precision process tattoo

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(Video) Tattoo BLOWOUTS and HOW to AVOID | TATTOO TIPS

While scratching with a tattoo machine or a single needle may seem easy, it's a precise process that takes years of dedication to master. An aspiring artist used to do an internship as a tattoo artist, but more and more people are taking a different path these days. Regardless, one of the first but most important skills a tattoo artist must acquire is learning how to naturally find the perfect depth to apply ink with the tattoo needle.

It's the depth of ink application that makes a tattoo permanent. In order for a new tattoo to stand the test of time, the ink must be injected beyond the outer layer of skin (epidermis) into the deeper layer (dermis). This is due to the body's immune system and the fact that the human body views ink as a foreign invader during healing.

Due to the traumatic nature of tattoos, the body actively tries to expel and absorb the ink during the healing process and any tattoos not applied deep enough will fade as the body parts replace the epidermis through the natural process of cell regeneration. .

At the end of the day, nobody wants a new tattoo, but the truth is, they are part of the tattoo reality and anyone with more than a few traditional tattoos is likely to have a piece that has suffered a tattoo complication in one way or another. other. While they aren't the prettiest and can take away from the overall appeal of a piece, having bangs isn't a death sentence.

At worst, they're an excuse to get back in your chair and come up with a bigger, bolder design to cover yourself up with.

Frequently asked questions about tattooing

What is a burst tattoo?

A blown tattoo occurs when parts appear to have faded, smudged, or oozed because an artist used the tattoo machine improperly or inefficiently.

How can I fix a cracked tattoo?

The only real way to fix a blowout is to go to a tattoo artist and consult with him about the possibility of a cover-up. Another option to consider is laser treatment, but it can be prohibitively expensive for larger tattoos.

How can I prevent tattoo breakouts?

The first and most important step to avoid this unpleasant result is research and care in choosing the original tattoo.It's also important to be aware of the risks associated with traditional tattooing in difficult places, such as the hand or finger.

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(Video) Does Your Tattoo Have Blowouts?

A post by Böse Buben Tattoo Studio (@boese_buben_tattoo_official)EmJanuary 11, 2019 11:53 PM PST

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