Factors Affecting Price Thus, white tattoos may be slightly more expensive than their black and color counterparts.
White tattoo ink is often used to create a more delicate look or to add contrast to black ink. It can also help cover up existing tattoos. White ink is more expensive than black ink, and it's also more likely to fade over time. Ultimately, the choice between white and black tattoo ink comes down to personal preference.
White ink tattoos can be more prone to fading than traditional black ink tattoos. Typically, they may need to be touched up every 1 to 3 years, depending on various factors such as skin type, placement, exposure to sunlight, and aftercare.
Most tattoo artists will price by the size or time spent tattooing. White ink and UV ink is more expensive, and they are very hard to execute well. Generally, people specialize in this style of tattooing, their expertise is usually worth more to a customer.
Healing Process: White ink can sometimes heal poorly, leading to uneven coloration or patchiness. Limited Detail: Fine details may not translate well in white ink compared to darker inks, which can limit the complexity of designs.
White ink fades quickly. When they do, the color can change to a yellow or off-white color that isn't very attractive. This sometimes makes it more difficult to touch up or regain their original brightness. In reality, many people end up covering them.
For those unfamiliar, white ink is notorious for being the most painful part of a tattoo session.
Yellows and Greens with Cadmium
Yellows and bright greens often contain cadmium, which can cause skin irritation and has been associated with other health risks. They also tend to fade or change color over time when exposed to sunlight.
Black ink tends to outlast any other color because it is super pigmented. Other darker colors like dark blue, dark green, gray, and dark purple will have a similar lifespan to black ink. Lighter inks like yellows, reds, oranges, whites, and any pastel tones tend to fade a bit more quickly than darker inks.
During the healing process, a white ink tattoo may look raised or puffy. This is temporary, and as the skin settles, the true nature of the white emerges. The initial lack of contrast may give way to a stunningly different appearance, as the tattoo fully takes shape.
Skin Canvas: White tattoos can take on a different life depending on your skin tone. On lighter skin, they offer a subtle look, while on darker skin tones, they can appear more like a cool-toned scar.
White ink tattoos might also be considered more painful because of how many times the design must be tattooed. In order to completely saturate the intended area with ink, the artist will likely need to go over the white ink several times during multiple appointments with time to heal in between.
Unfortunately, white ink molecules do not hold in place well and require extreme stretching of the skin and heavy applications to be visible. As a result, white ink tattoos over ten years will become distorted and faded. Most end up looking like a scar rather than a piece of artwork.
So why people might want to get white tattoos is because they want to have tattoos, visible tattoos, maybe tattoos on their face or their neck or their hands, their arms, their chest, but they don't want them to be really obvious. They want them to be fairly subtle.
$50 tattoos are approximately one inch by one inch in black ink on arms or legs. Other areas of the body start at only $70. Actual size may differ from listing on this page depending on your browser settings. Please consult your artist for actual sizing.
Large tattoos, such as full sleeves, back pieces, or expansive designs that cover multiple body parts, can cost anywhere from $1,000 to $5,000, or more. The price will depend on the design's detail, the artist's rates, and the number of sessions required to complete the tattoo.
Red ink is still the most likely color to cause skin problems. Why? Red tattoo inks are the most likely to cause health complications, including rashes and pseudolymphomas, both symptoms of an allergic reaction.
The primary pigments under restriction are Pigment Blue 15 and Green 7. The ban took place in January 2023 following an additional one-year derogation period granted for these two pigments. The European Union ink ban allowed the derogation period to allow businesses more time to find safe alternatives.
Light colors like yellow do not age as well as jewel tones like blue, red, and green. Dark outlines will help keep the color in place, but fading is inevitable with yellow ink.
While there is usually not much pain difference between gray, black, or color tattoos, white ink tattoos are known to hurt more than others. The artist will often need to go over the same spot on the skin to saturate the area.
White ink typically contains titanium dioxide, which is possible to be known for its larger pigment particles. These particles may need to be injected deeper into the skin, requiring more pressure from the tattoo needle. This is subjective though, every artist and every clients skin is different...