What happens if you go to deep while tattooing?

Author: Dr. Rico Tremblay MD  |  Last update: Sunday, May 18, 2025

Penetrating beyond the dermis into the hypodermis can cause severe complications. This can lead to excessive bleeding, increased pain, and potential scarring. It's crucial for tattoo artists to develop a keen sense of the right depth to avoid these issues.

What happens if I tattoo too deep?

One of the most common signs that a tattoo is too deep is excessive pain and bleeding during and after the tattooing process. 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.

Is it possible to go too deep with a tattoo gun?

NO, you need to go just a bit deeper but also slow down and hold your machine so the needles are running straight (perpendicular) to the skin. The lines are spotty and not saturated well. Depth isn't the issue, it's the speed and needle placement. What kind of machine and what are you running it at?

How do you know if you're going deep enough when tattooing?

Pinch the skin on the back of your hand tightly. If your needle is reaching further than half way across (if youre floating ur needle then obviously account for that) the pinch of skin you have in your fingers, youre going too deep.

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

If the needle being used on your tattoo doesn't go deep enough into the dermis layer of your skin, that means the ink has been deposited in the epidermis layer. As we mentioned before, ink deposited here will quickly leave the skin when epidermal cells renew themselves, making for a not-so-permanent tattoo.

Tattooing 101-Needle Depth Visually Explained

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.

What voltage should a tattoo liner run at?

Linework. When it comes to linework, using the right tattoo voltage for lining and shading is important in achieving clean, crisp lines that don't blow out or look fuzzy. For that, you'll typically use higher voltage than for shading. Recommended voltage: 7-10 volts for coil machines, 6-8 volts for rotary machines.

Can a tattoo needle hit a vein?

While not likely, there is a possibility that a tattoo needle could go too far and puncture the hypodermis and rupture a vein. Tattoos typically do not puncture regular veins, but there is a higher risk of encountering more problems with spider veins. So, yes, you technically could try to tattoo over a spider vein.

What does the swallow tattoo mean?

The History and Symbolism of Swallow Tattoos

In the past, sailors would get a swallow tattoo to signify that they had traveled a specific distance or had returned home safely after a long journey. Swallows, known for their migration habits, became a symbol of loyalty, hope, and the promise of return.

Can you oversaturate a tattoo?

While your tattoo is healing, it's important you only moisturise the area once the skin is totally dry. In fact, not drying your tattoo properly after washing and before moisturising is one of the main causes of over-moisturised tattoos.

How deep into your skin 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 speed should you line a tattoo?

The Right Rhythm for Line Work: Linework is the foundation of most tattoos, demanding precision and consistency. For this task, a higher speed is typically employed-ranging from 7.5 to 8.5 volts, depending on the machine and power supply.

How do you know if you did an intramuscular injection wrong?

Signs of a Wrong Intramuscular Injection

Swelling. Potential infection. Nerve ending damage. Abscesses at the injection site.

Can a needle go too deep?

Problems can occur when the needle is inserted into a bend in the vein or at a point where the vein goes deeper into the skin – both situations are unfortunately difficult to detect. Another problem that can occur is the needle being inserted too deeply, causing it to penetrate all the way through the vein.

Why did my shot turn into a bump?

A bump means you may have injected the insulin just under the skin instead of into fat tissue. The needle may not have gone deep enough, or you may have been pulling the needle out before the plunger reached the bottom of the syringe. Or you may be using the same injection site repeatedly.

How do I know if my tattoo artist didn't go deep enough?

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 if a tattoo artist goes too deep?

Dangers of Going Too Deep

Tattooing into the hypodermis can cause significant problems. The increased depth can lead to excessive bleeding, scarring, and prolonged healing times.

Why is my tattoo needle not holding ink?

Blocked Needles or Tubes

Blockages in the needle or tube are among the most common reasons why ink does not flow properly. The path that the ink goes through may get obstructed by debris or dried ink over time.

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