What to do if you don't like your tattoo

Wait for it to heal first

In the first few weeks, a tattoo can look different from one day to the next. It can be red and swollen, then dull and patchy, and the lines look thicker one day and paler the next. You'll only see the final result after four to six weeks, once the skin has fully recovered.

That's why deciding to “cover it all up” or “get it removed right now” in the first week is almost always premature. You can see how the design changes day by day in “Tattoo healing timeline”.

Work out what you don't like

“I don't like it” doesn't explain anything, either to you or to your artist. Try to pin down a specific reason. It usually falls into one of these groups:

• Technique. An uneven or broken line, gaps, ink that has blurred under the skin.
• Composition. The tattoo doesn't match the design: the size, angle or proportions are different.
• Placement. You like the design itself, but on this part of the body it looks different from how you imagined it.
• Expectations. The reference image was filtered or showed a fresh tattoo; healed tattoos look softer.
• Feelings. Nothing is ruined; you just haven't got used to seeing yourself with a tattoo yet.

A flaw or a matter of taste

A flaw is something that differs from the design you agreed on and is visible on healed skin: gaps, shaky lines, elements that have clearly shifted out of place, badly blurred, “blown-out” outlines. An artist will usually fix that themselves.

If the tattoo matches the design but you don't like it now, that's a matter of taste. That can be addressed too, but it counts as new work: reworking the design, covering it up or lightening it.

How to talk to your artist

First of all, message the person who did the tattoo. They know best what happened during the session and can usually fix it without any extra cost.

• send a photo of the healed tattoo in daylight, with no filters;
• point to a specific spot: “the line by the stem is broken”, not “it's all bad”;
• attach the design you agreed on;
• ask what your artist suggests before deciding on your own.

OlyaArtist's tip

If there's something you don't like about my work, tell me straight. I'd much rather fix a line than hear about the problem second-hand a year later.

What the options are

There's almost always a way out. The question is which one suits your situation:

• Touch-up. Filling in gaps, evening out a line, strengthening pale areas. More in “Tattoo touch-ups”.
• Reworking. Adding elements, shading or a background to make the design work as a whole and hide the problem area.
• Cover-up. A new, usually larger and denser design over the old one. More in “Covering up an old tattoo”.
• Lightening or removal. Laser treatment with a doctor: it takes a long time, but sometimes it's the only realistic option. More in “Tattoo removal”.

What not to do in the heat of the moment

Disappointment pushes you towards quick decisions. It's better to give yourself time and avoid anything that will be hard to undo later:

• don't go to another artist to “redo it” before the tattoo has healed;
• don't ask to cover a small flaw with a design three times the size;
• don't use “removal” creams or try home methods;
• don't write an angry review before you've talked to your artist.

If it just feels unfamiliar

Sometimes there's nothing wrong with the tattoo, and what bothers you is the change itself. You look in the mirror and don't quite recognise yourself. This passes: after a few weeks the design becomes part of your body and you stop noticing it. If it still doesn't make you happy after a couple of months, that's when it's worth talking about options.

Frequently asked questions

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