Tattoo finger ring?

Question

I'm thinking of getting a tattoo ring (finger) - but someone has told me that the ink can bleed after a few years.

Anyone got any helpful advice?

I was actually looking from advice from someone who knows what they are talking about, not smart-**** moralising from people who don't .

Answer 1

Any tattoo will tend, over time, to become slightly less crisp and well-defined than it was on the day it was done. So, my ten-year-old tattoos, for example, look very slightly fuzzier than the one I had done a couple of months ago. They don't look bad; there's just a slight difference if you really look.

In terms of getting tattoos to your hands, there are a few additional issues. First off, it's really important to the long-term success of a tattoo that it heal properly, without getting bashed about. Obviously, your hands are in constant use, and this can, for example, lead to the scabs getting knocked off before they're ready, taking some of the colour with them.

Secondly, sunlight isn't helpful to tattoos. Generally the advice is that as far as possible you should try to keep tattoos out of the sun. Your hands, though, are exposed to the light all the time. (Just compare the colour of the skin on your hands with the skin on, say, your stomach, for an idea of the difference.) So, unless you're planning on wearing gloves round the clock, then your tattoo could be damaged by the sun, which again could lead to it not looking great in the long term.

Another factor is that because your finger is a pretty small area, that means having a pretty small tattoo. And, as mentioned above, any tattoo will become very slightly fuzzier over time; it's OK and to be expected. But in a very small tattoo, the effect is proportionately worse - it's more obvious, and has a more significant impact on the design. So, taking this into account, any finger tattoo would need to be of a pretty simple design to maximise the chances of it looking good long term.

It also seems to be the case that on areas of the body that do see a lot of movement, the effect of ink spreading and becoming slightly faded or fuzzy is greater than on other areas.

Finally (and going off on a bit of a tangent), hand tattoos are obviously hard to conceal if you do change your mind about them. I'm not going to suggest you don't know your own mind; it's your decision whether or not you want to go ahead with it. But it is relevant, because for this reason (as well as the long-term quality issues) a lot of tattoo artists can be reluctant to do tattoos on hands.

I think that pretty much sums up the issues. I won't tell you what you 'should' do; that's up to you. But I hope this helps you make an informed decision.

Best wishes!

Answer 2

My mother and law got a tattoo on her ring finger and the tattoo artist told her when she got it that it would start to fade after a while because your hands are always being washed and exposed to more stuff which causes the skin to flake more that in other parts of your body so it will fade and you may have to get it redone every couple of years, but its not that much of a hassle. Its not like its a 300 dollar tattoo every couple of years, and it may hold out longer than expected you never know. I have never heard of them bleeding though. I think you should go for it if its what you want. good luck with you tattoo! I hope this was helpful.

Answer 3

No they don't,not if you use a decent artist who also uses decent quality ink....they will fade over time faster than in other places-mainly due to you washing your hands more than any other body part. You can always tell if someone has been tattooed with cheap ink-they're the ones who have tattoos that have faded within 2-3 years.Decent ink stands the test of time and should only need re-touching from about 5 years on...

Answer 4

Did they give you any reason for why the ink would bleed there as opposed to any other spot on the body? I know people with tattoos on their fingers and to my eyes, they look fine. Maybe you should call a tattoo parlour and ask about the ink bleeding on finger tattoos. Maybe it's because the skin is really thin there?

Answer 5

I love tattoos! I have several myself but the "ring" tattoos are way overdone. So many people have them nowadays. Do what you want but keep in mind that if (50% chance these days!) you get divorced a band comes off much faster than a tattoo.

Answer 6

I had some friends get their wedding rings done that way and ended up hating it. The colors can bleed, but they were more upset because of the fast fading on the crooked lines since it is such a hard area to tattoo. Plus, they said it hurt a lot so neither of them want to get the touch ups. I always wondered what would happen if they got divorced. :/

Answer 7

Some tattoos fade after many years but can be touched up. I haven't known of tattoos "bleeding" but it's probably possible. The tattooed rings are popular and can be quite beautiful. Get something you really like and enjoy!

Answer 8

I have one on my ring finger and it is starting to fade on the sides of my finger. Not bleeding. It is barely noticably. The top looks great still. I dont think they will tattoo all the way around because if it is by the crease of your finger, there is a high possibilty of fade-age due to constant movement.

Answer 9

I have three tatoos, arm, back and finger, none have bleed, but have faded after about 10 years, but am getting them touched up, ask advice from your local tatooist. My friend has one on her ring finger and is still going strong after 4 years.....

Answer 10

i was getting a tat last night and some guy came in and wanted a ring tat and they said no way they would not do it. I am inclined to think that it is not a good idea