How do you know if your tattoo artist didn't go deep enough?

Author: Federico Hagenes  |  Last update: Wednesday, December 17, 2025

In addition, any bleeding that occurs when the needle leaves the skin and the ink is drawn in will push some of the ink out. If the ink is too light under the skin, all of the color will be removed before the tattoo heal, the faded tattoo will disappear quickly. Beneath the dermis is the subcutaneous tissue.

What happens if a tattoo doesn't go deep enough?

If the depth is too shallow, it will only penetrate into the epidermis sub layers and the ink will ``bleed out'' as the tattoo heals. This is because the 5 sub layers of the Epidermis is constantly growing outward to the top, any ink deposited will just be shed back out.

What does it look like when a tattoo artist goes too deep?

Yes, when the tattoo needle goes too deep it causes trauma which often leads to a blowout. This will make the tattoo look super blurry and smudged. The tattoo ends up looking very blurry and the skin gets irritated, and ink actually starts to spread out.

How does a tattoo artist know how deep to go?

important parts when it comes to tattooing. You want to deposit the ink into the dermis, which is the second layer of skin, and typically, the dermis is around 1.5 to 2 millimeters deep. A penny is 1.5 millimeters thick, so you can use this as a visual. for how deep the needle should go into the skin.

What happens if you don't inject deep enough?

Medication leakage – If the needle does not penetrate deep enough, the medication may leak into fatty tissue instead of being absorbed into muscle tissue, reducing its effectiveness.

How To Tattoo At The Right Depth

How do you know if you tattoo deep enough?

A good rule of thumb is that tattoo ink should be deposited 16th of an inch (1-2mm) from the surface of the skin, trapping it in the dermal layer. However, there is no “one size fits all” depth. Your client and the placement of the tattoo will affect the depth of the dermis.

How many layers of skin deep does a tattoo go?

A Tattoo needle penetrates 5 layers of the epidermis

That may sound like a lot of skin, but in reality it is only 1/16th of an inch, about 1-2mm. That's pretty tiny. It goes through five layers of the epidermis, through the dermal layer, and into the topmost layer of the dermis.

What happens if you go too deep when tattooing?

If the needle is going too deep into the skin, it can cause more trauma and damage to the skin than necessary, which can lead to more pain and bleeding. Another sign that a tattoo is too deep is excessive scabbing and peeling during the healing process.

How do you tell if you got a bad tattoo?

The lines of a tattoo must be crisp, straight, and constant throughout the tattoo. Wonky lines are a big indicator of an unskilled artist. How a tattoo heals is a huge sign of a good tattoo vs a bad tattoo. If a tattoo scars, blows out or straight up falls out of the skin, it's a bad tattoo.

How do you know if your tattoo artist is good?

Here are some tips for finding a good tattoo artist:
  1. Do your research. Ask around for recommendations or look up tattoo artists in your area online. ...
  2. Make sure they're licensed and insured. This is important for your safety and peace of mind.
  3. Communicate your vision. ...
  4. Ask about aftercare. ...
  5. Trust your gut.

What does a too deep tattoo look like?

Dangers of Going Too Deep

In some cases, the ink can spread out, causing a blurry or "blown out" appearance, where the lines of the tattoo are no longer sharp.

Why is my tattoo barely visible?

Poor Tattoo Application

Sometimes, tattoo fading is the result of a poorly done tattoo. Inexperienced artists may not deposit ink deep enough into the skin's dermis layer, causing premature fading. Conversely, if your artist tattoos too deep, your tattoo will quickly look blotchy and worn out.

Can a badly healed tattoo be fixed?

The above badly healed tattoos can be fixed through retouching it again. However, it's hard to restore its original beauty. We keep track of all the tattoos done by us, try our best to make sure things are going well and tattoo care is followed.

Is it normal for tattoos to look smudged?

If you've recently gotten a tattoo, but it appears blurry and smudged during and after the healing process, you may be experiencing tattoo blowout. "A blowout is when a tattoo expands below the skin layer when it hits fat [and] veins or when scarring occurs," says Crys.

Where do tattoos blowout the most?

Top of Hand - The tougher skin in this area tends to push ink out, is prone to blowouts and is difficult to heal. Back - This area typically has stretchy skin with multiple curves, including the boney spine. Ribs - Much slower to tattoo typically, the ribs have stretchy skin and are prone to blowouts.

How to know how deep to go when tattooing?

Where Should the Tattoo Needle Go? Again, you want your needles to reach the dermis and no farther. This usually means the needle should penetrate about 1–2mm (usually a bit closer to 2) or around 1/16th of an inch into the skin.

How do I know if my stick and poke is deep enough?

Although this is contradicts popular opinion, you should not think of these as temporary tattoos. How deep should I poke? Our opinion is that you should never exceed 1/8 of an inch. You should feel a pop of the skin while you're doing it, when you do, don't go much past that point.

What happens if tattoo ink isn't deep enough?

Underworked tattoos don't go deep enough into the skin, which creates broken, inconsistent, or barely visible lines. Overworked tattoos (also known as blowouts) go too deeply into the skin, causing the ink to blur and smudge.

Previous article
Can exercise get rid of cellulite?
Next article
How to clear up hormonal acne?