At some point, almost everyone with a tattoo faces the same question: The design you liked when you were twenty no longer suits you today. Sometimes it’s the name of someone who hasn’t been a part of your life for a long time. Sometimes it was the work of a studio that wasn’t too particular about clean lines. We hear stories like this almost every week at Skull Tattoo, because a large portion of our inquiries revolve around exactly this topic: covering up an old tattoo and turning it into something you can be proud of again.
Most of the time, there’s more to it than people think. But not everything—and anyone who tells you otherwise is just after your appointment. Read on to find out what really matters when it comes to getting a new tattoo.
When a Cover-Up Is the Right Choice (and When It Isn’t)
Before we talk about your new design, it’s worth taking a realistic look at your options, because a cover-up isn’t always the best solution. Do you want a new tattoo in that spot anyway, and can the old one be covered up? If so, a cover-up is usually the right choice. If, on the other hand, you want your skin to be completely clear again, only a laser can help. And if you like the raw, layered look where the old tattoo intentionally shows through, a “blast-over” is the way to go.
The Difference Between Cover-Up, Blast-Over, and Laser
In a classic cover-up, the artist places a new design over the old one so that the old design is hidden beneath it. The “blast-over” works on the opposite principle: a bold, dark design is applied over the old one, which is intentionally allowed to show through. You have to like this layered look. That leaves laser treatment. It lightens the old tattoo over several sessions or removes it, but it takes time, money, and patience—and it doesn’t always completely eliminate the tattoo. Often, the best solution is a combination: start with two or three laser sessions so we have more flexibility when creating the new design.
What Makes an Old Tattoo Easy or Hard to Cover Up
Whether your cover-up will be a breeze or require some serious thought is decided long before you make the first stroke. It depends mostly on the size: the smaller the old tattoo, the more freedom we have. A tiny heart from a bachelorette party disappears quickly, whereas a large tribal design covering half the upper arm is in a league of its own. Equally important is how dark and saturated the old tattoo is, because the new one must always be at least as bold to cover it up. A faded design from the ’90s works in our favor, while fresh, bright colors make it harder. And then there’s the body location: In some spots, we can simply make the design larger, while in others, anatomy sets clear limits.
Why Laser Treatment Is Sometimes Necessary First
With really dark or large tattoos, we eventually hit a wall when relying solely on coverage. At that point, there’s no way around laser pre-treatment. Just two or three sessions are enough to lighten the old tattoo enough that, during the cover-up, options suddenly become possible that were previously impossible—lighter colors, for example, or more intricate designs. We’ll tell you straight up whether it’s worth the effort for you, instead of trying to sell you a miracle solution.
Which Styles Are Best Suited for a Cover-Up
Not every style provides the same level of coverage, and that has little to do with personal taste. What works are techniques that incorporate depth, dark areas, and dense textures. Biomechanics and bold black-and-gray designs are our go-to methods for cover-up tattoos because they use black and shading to literally swallow up the old design. Realistic motifs with rich, dark areas or a bold graphic design also provide the necessary coverage. On the other hand, things get tricky with anything delicate or light: fine line, watercolor, or airy dotwork tattoos let too much of the old tattoo show through. Ultimately, it’s your old tattoo—not the trend on Instagram—that determines what’s right for you.
Here’s how your cover-up works with us
We start with a free consultation at our studio, and this is even more important for a cover-up than for any other project. A photo alone isn’t enough for us. We want to see your old tattoo in person: how deep the ink really is, whether there’s any scarring, and what your skin is like in that area. Only once we have the design right in front of us can we tell you what’s involved and which artist is the best fit.
Why We Don’t Show a Finished Sketch Upfront
We don’t start designing until your appointment is confirmed. When it comes to cover-ups, there’s a very practical reason for this: The new design is crafted around the shape, shadows, and dark areas of your old tattoo. A generic sketch simply wouldn’t look right on your skin. The deposit secures your appointment and your artist’s time; after that, the actual work on the design begins. And you’ll want to be patient: Larger cover-ups often take several sessions with healing breaks in between.
Realistic Expectations: What a Cover-Up Can Do
A cover-up is a new tattoo placed over an old one—it’s not an eraser. Most people’s expectations fall short because of this simple fact. With very dark original designs, a faint shadow of the old motif may still be visible under unfavorable lighting, and the new tattoo almost always turns out larger and darker than you would have chosen for a brand-new design. Still, when done well by the right artist, no one will notice what was there before in everyday life. We’d rather tell you this once too many times than not enough, because unmet expectations don’t help anyone in the end.
A realistic skull is one of our most popular cover-up designs because it’s large and dark, leaving the old tattoo with hardly a chance. You can read about the meaning behind this design in our article on the significance of skull tattoos.
Aftercare Following a Cover-Up
A cover-up is often larger and more densely inked than a regular tattoo, so the healing process may require a little more effort on your part. The rest is routine: keep it clean, apply a thin layer of cream, resist the urge to scratch, avoid swimming pools and saunas for the time being, and protect the area from the sun later on. You can find the complete instructions in our guide to tattoo care. And if there’s a scar underneath your old tattoo, we have a separate article on how to get a tattoo over a scar.
Frequently Asked Questions About Covering Up Old Tattoos
Is it really possible to cover up any tattoo?
Almost all of them. But not all of them are equally easy. Small, light-colored, or faded tattoos are straightforward. With jet-black designs or old tribal tattoos, there comes a point where a laser is needed.
Do I have to get my old tattoo removed with a laser first?
Usually not. Many cover-ups can be done entirely without a laser. Only if the old tattoo is very dark or very large and you want something lighter or more delicate does pre-treatment become an issue. We’ll look into that together.
How much bigger does a cover-up have to be?
As a general rule, it’s significantly larger than the original. The new design needs space to incorporate the old lines and draw the eye away from the rest. Exactly how much space depends on the size, color, and location of the old tattoo.
Is it possible to cover up a name or a dark tribal tattoo?
Names are usually a good choice because they’re narrow and leave plenty of bare skin around them. Dark tribal designs are the other extreme: they require very dark, dense designs, and sometimes a few laser sessions to get things started.
How much does a cover-up cost?
That depends on the size, complexity, style, and artist; a reliable estimate can only be given based on the specific project. During the free consultation, you’ll get a clear assessment before you make a decision.
Ready to leave your old tattoo behind?
Do you have a tattoo that no longer represents who you are? Then let us take a look at it. Many of our cover-up clients travel from out of town to see us in Bad Vilbel—learn more on the Tattoo Studio Frankfurt page. You can see what to expect in over 400 Google reviews with a 4.9-star rating; one review simply says, “Super hygienic tattoo studio with great advice.” Get in touch by phone, WhatsApp, or through our contact form. We look forward to working on your project.