I have two tattoos. One black, the other white…
I got my white ink tattoo about three years ago. My mom had been battling breast cancer, and had her left breast removed, leaving a scar along her chest. Her scar is beautiful — a constant reminder of both her will her survive and the fleetingness of life. Along my left top rib, I have a white tattoo that, in a way, is like my own little scar. It reads, “i carry your heart”, in my mom’s handwriting, a line from our favorite poem. Many people are surprised that I would choose a white tattoo, for multiple reasons, and I totally get it. For me, it was personal, and something I wanted to do for my mom. If you are ever considering getting one, let me fill you in.
A lot of research was done before I got my white tattoo, even though I was sure that, no matter what, I was going for it. I read a lot of negatives about the idea:
– Tattoo artists don’t love giving them. A lot of them refuse to because of the often poor results, and the lack of art that can be considered through them.
– Each case is different. White tattoos show up on each person’s skin in a different way. Some show up great, others ugly and, for many, not at all.
– The white can change to red, yellow, or even mix in with the stencil and become a milky blue color.
– They require lots of upkeep.
Tips!
Know The Risks. Educate yourself a bit. Head into a tattoo shop and ask for a few artists’ opinions. They may be able to look at your skin and tell you right away if it’s a bad idea.
Let It Heal. The healing process is important — so keep moisturized!
Save The Stencil. I made sure to keep my exact stencil from the session just in case it ever faded so much that it was hard to see.
See ya, Sun! I cover my tattoo with SPF 100 at the beach, and a bandaid, to reduce fading.
So despite the bad, the good is great. It can look awesome, and be really different. Everyone has their own taste. Some may hate it, some really love it. We all gotta float our own way. :) I’m happy that I went for it, and don’t regret mine for a second. I love the “barely there” effect. A muted reminder to myself of the journey my mother had, and a celebration of our love and chances of life. White to me is airy, clean and a fresh start.
+Would you ever go for a white tattoo? Have any tattoo tips to spill? Let me know in the comments!
Wow, this is beautiful!
https://www.makeandmess.com/
It just looks like scar tissue to me… I don’t have any tattoos but I ever were to have one I’d go for black.
Beautiful!!
I actually like the scar affect, it’s more subtle and is something I’ve been wanting to try myself.
I’ve got 2 white tattoos; one on my wrist and another on my arm. Absolutely love them as they are very discreet and I love the fact that they look like scar tissues. :)
The society is used to seeing dark inked tattoos etched on skin and the idea of white ink tattoos might come peculiar. ^^