Tattoos are enjoying a renaissance and the moment. Blackout tattoos have developed as part of the broader trend within the tattoo genre. They are also a popular way to cover old tattoos.
In this article, we talk about what a blackout tattoo is and the possible risks from having such a tattoo done on a large section of your body. We also discuss what your options are if you change your mind and would like to have your blackout tattoo removed.
What is a blackout tattoo?
A blackout tattoo is pretty much as it sounds. It is a solid block of black over large areas of the body, such as the chest, arms or legs. Blackout tattoos have become popular over recent years because they are a super-convenient way of covering up or hiding old tattoos. They also look tough, so guys are more attracted to them than girls.
What are some of the possible consequences of having a blackout tattoo?
Well, firstly, you will probably look pretty cool for a while. That's a good consequence. However, other than that one possible advantage, what are the disadvantages?
We first need to undertake a quick lesson in the study of black ink particles so we can better understand how they may behave in the skin and body of tattooed individuals.
Black tattoo ink is made up of very small particles. Particles with at least one dimension less than 100 nanometers are classified as nanoparticles. Black pigments are made up almost entirely of nanoparticles (see: T Hogsberg et all "Tattoo Inks in General Usage Contain Nanoparticles" Https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2133.2011.10561.x).
Some of the possible consequences of introducing very large amounts of nanoparticles into the skin:
1. Ink particles can move to the bloodstream. This is especially true of inks made from nanoparticles. The risk of ink particles flowing through the bloodstream is they can become lodged in the liver (see: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/318388.php)
2. The sheer amount of ink introduced into an individual's system can have the potential to cause deleterious effects such as rashes, inflammation and allergic reactions on and around the site of the tattoo.
It also has the potential to put the tattooed individual into toxic shock as the body tries to process the massive amount of foreign bodies which have just been injected into it. Ki Young Jeong et al in the Korean Journal of Critical Care Medicine described an incident of a "26-year-old man diagnosed with typical TSS [toxic shock syndrome], following tattooing. He complained of fever, chills and erythematous rash at the tattoo site. Subsequently, the patient developed signs of shock." (see: . Ki Young Jeong et al in the Korean Jornal of Critical Care Medicine (2383-4870) . 2015, Vol. 30 Issue 3, p184-190. 7p)
3. The inks used in tattoos are not specifically used for intradermal use in humans. Most of the inks have been made for other applications such as the printing and painting industries (see: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/318388.php) With this in mind, it is somewhat unsurprising skin or systemic allergic reactions to tattoos are not uncommon. The problem with the blackout tattoo is the reaction is going to be all or nothing and with so much of the skin's area taken up with black ink, any negative reactions to the ink are going to be consequentially very large.
4. Nanoparticles from ink can coalesce in the regional lymph nodes. The concentration of such nanoparticles can be significant - to the extent people have been misdiagnosed with lymphatic cancers (see: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/elizabeth-chabner-thompson-md-mph/tattoo-ink-or-cancer-cells_b_7756144.html and https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3762361/)
Also, because the cells in your lymph nodes cannot break down the particles, they become lodged there. The side effect is the lymph nodes take on the same colour as your tattoo.
4. Neither you, your doctor or even a specialist will be able to conduct a competent inspection or assessment for skin cancer. After all, with black ink over freckles and moles, it would be very difficult for your skin doctor to detect what is a normal freckle or mole and what is not.
Another thing to consider is the fact neither you or a doctor, specialist or not will be able to conduct a competent skin inspection or to conduct proper skin cancer screening. After all, with black ink over freckles and moles, it would be very difficult for your skin doctor to detect what is a normal freckle or mole and what is abnormal. One wonders whether this risk, amongst all the others, is worth it.
We checked out the Cancer Council’s website and found out the following concerning statistics (see: https://www.cancer.org.au/):
1. Approximately two out of every three Australians will be diagnosed with skin cancer by the time they are 70:
2. Non-melanoma skin cancer is more common in men than women, at almost double the rates:
3. Melanoma is the third most common cancer suffered by Australians. Skin cancers account for approximately 80% of all newly diagnosed cancers:
4. The majority of skin cancers are caused by sun exposure. The incidence of skin cancer in Australia is one of the highest in the world:
5 Most shockingly in 2015, 2162 people lost their lives to skin cancer.
Perhaps, given these statistics, blackout tattoos are better in cooler climes, such as in Europe where the sun is not so harsh (the absence of a hole in the ozone layer above them as to help in this regard) and the incidence of skin cancer is much lower.
We think the risks of having a blackout tattoo in Australia, probably outweigh the benefits, especially because the incidents of skin cancer are so high.
Will a blackout tattoo stay black?
Your immune system recognises ink as a foreign substance which needs to be expelled from your body. Over the years you have a tattoo you will notice it will fade and some of the ink may drop out. If your blackout tattoo is not one which covers up old tattoos, you will find it will go grey over time, however, it will remain fairly uniform, as long as the tattooist impregnated the ink in an even fashion in the first place.
Some people, however, get a blackout tattoo to cover up old, unwanted ink. When this occurs, you will often find that within 3 to 4 years of the blackout being applied, you will see the lines and in some cases the full shadow of the tattoo you covered up. This will oftentimes become more readily visible over time. The only way to fix this up is to have further ink impregnated into your skin to even out the coverage and hide the old tattoo again or to remove the blackout tattoo and the ink underneath it, so it does not rare its ugly head again in another 3 to 4 years.
Photos above and below courtesy of:
http://www.tlc.com/tlcme/15-breathtakingly-beautiful-pictures-of-blackout-tattoos/
http://www.tlc.com/tlcme/15-breathtakingly-beautiful-pictures-of-blackout-tattoos/
Even though these tattoos are new, you can see the lines where the old tattoo remains.
The old tattoo underneath the blackout will become more noticeable over time.
You have a blackout tattoo and now you want to remove it - what are your options?
There are various options for tattoo removal, which include salabrasion, surgical removal and chemical removal. None of these options are a good idea when considering removal of a blackout tattoo as they either cause significant wound sites with resultant scarring or the tattoo is just too large for these modalities to treat safely.
The best and safest option would be to opt for laser tattoo removal, which is the gold standard in tattoo removal. It is important you research your prospective providers and do your homework on the laser which will be used on you and the technician using the laser. Blackout tattoos present a challenge for full removal due to the sheer saturation of ink within it. It is, however possible to achieve a full removal back to skin (or very close to it if your tattooist has impregnated the particles too deep into the skin for the laser to effectively reach and treat) with the application of a good laser and patience. Even with a top of the line laser, if your tattoo is less than 5 years old, it could take 12 to 14 treatments to achieve a removal.
Photo courtesy of: http://www.tlc.com/tlcme/15-breathtakingly-beautiful-pictures-of-blackout-tattoos/
It is important to research the laser which will be used on you as this will often determine the level of risk you will have of scarring. Cheaper Chinese or Korean lasers will fracture ink and achieve a fade, however, their beam profile is not as homogenous as some of the European and American lasers and as such, there is an increased risk of deleterious effects during treatment, such as pinpoint bleeding and after treatment, such as blisters, welts and the like. If you choose a good practice with a top of the line machine and a great technician all of the risk factors involved with tattoo removal will be mostly mitigated.
At City Tattoo Removal we specialise in hard to remove tattoos, including blackout tattoos and hard to treat inks, such as white, cosmetic ink, greens and blues, to name a few.
We offer free consultations so you can check out our clinic, machine and staff, so you can rest assured you will be well cared for during your treatment journey.
You can check us out at:
http://www.citytattooremoval.com.au/
https://www.facebook.com/citytattooremovalbrisbane/
https://www.instagram.com/citytattooremoval/
Or you can call us to book a free consultation on:
07 3003 0358
0450 306 402
Natasha Collings
City Tattoo Removal
www.citytattooremoval.com.au
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