Many people, before going to a tattoo parlor, wonder what will happen to the tattoo if they want to lose weight or, conversely, gain excess weight. Changes in body weight are a common age-related change that occurs in every second person. Experts say there is no need to be afraid of this. In order for tattoos to still remain an effective body decoration after losing weight, you should adhere to some recommendations and rules.
What will happen
What will happen to the tattoo? It is believed that the pattern can be greatly deformed provided that the person quickly gains 15–20% of his own weight. If the kilograms were added gradually, then the visible changes will be minimal: plus a few millimeters will not play a special role and will not spoil the appearance. Why is this happening? A sudden change in body weight is stress for the body. If you quickly lose weight, then stretch marks will certainly appear in the most vulnerable places, which cause deformation of the tattoo. With gradual weight gain, fat is distributed evenly, so the skin does not suffer.
The same thing happens with sudden weight loss. The pattern does not change for the better and, following the skin, shrinks in size. Folds and sagging are also possible, which distort symmetry and proportions. Experienced tattoo artists say that compositions made in the style of realism or 3D technique suffer the most. The slightest deviation from the original sketch leads to the fact that a tattoo on a thin body looks unattractive and ridiculous. You should be especially careful with portraits. This is where the changes are visible first. Clear geometric shapes are another risk area. You will lose weight, and the correct lines will eventually become zigzags, and this will spoil the entire character of the composition.
Choosing a place for the drawing
So, tattoos change in cases where there is a sharp change in body weight (see photo). But there are areas that are practically not subject to stretch marks and deformation (even if you have lost weight or gained a lot of weight). When choosing a place for a tattoo, give preference to the following areas:
- shoulder blade;
- wrist;
- collarbone;
- ankle;
- forearm;
- shoulder.
Girls are strongly advised not to get tattoos in the abdomen, chest and buttocks, since after childbirth the skin stretches in any case. Guys who want to build up their biceps and triceps need not worry. The increase in volume occurs due to the increase in muscles, while the skin does not suffer. Accordingly, the tattoo will remain safe and sound. With very intense training, only small stretches in the armpit area are possible.
Girls and boys who actively go to the gym should take into account that after getting a tattoo, the skin must be given time to recover. The drawing will heal more slowly and worse if you tax your body with grueling workouts in the first 10–15 days. Firstly, sweat is one of the main enemies of a new tattoo. Secondly, the final result of the work depends on how you care for the damaged area at first. The tattoo remains with you for life, so it is worth paying special attention to it during the healing stage. If a tattoo is deformed, you can always make a correction or redo the sketch over time.
To definitely protect yourself from unpleasant changes with tattoos, choose small-sized designs. It’s easier to ruin a complex composition with one wrong move. Also try not to draw on open areas of the body. Give preference to areas that can be hidden under clothing both in winter and summer. If you decide to lose weight, no one will notice what happened to your tattoo.
Video on the topic
Many people, before getting a tattoo, ask questions: How will my tattoo change if I suddenly lose weight or suddenly gain weight? What will happen to my tattoo over time, in 10-20 years?
So, do tattoos change with changes in body weight?
The answer here is not clear, it all depends on where you got the tattoo. And it also depends on how much weight you lost or gained.
Naturally, if you suddenly lose or gain weight, your pattern may change. For example, in women, the buttocks, abdomen and breasts are considered a risk zone; as a rule, during pregnancy and breastfeeding, it is these places that increase in volume. So, with a sudden weight gain, the skin does not have time to naturally stretch, and the pattern may become skewed, and with a sudden weight loss, the skin simply does not have time, it will naturally shrink, because this takes time.
If weight gain or weight loss occurs slowly, then you will not notice significant changes. You can lose weight well and gradually using a procedure such as sleeve gastroplasty. This operation has proven to be an effective method of surgical treatment for excess weight.
Much also depends on the type of tattoo; as a rule, when body weight changes, tattoos made in the style of realism most often suffer. Most of all, as practice shows, portraits of people are distorted, so before you tattoo a portrait of a loved one, for example, on your chest, think carefully.
Lines in geometric patterns may also change, and straight lines may become curved with changes in body weight or age. If the tattoo is small in size, there may be no changes, or they will not be visible to the eye. Also, tattoos placed on places such as the wrist, behind the ear, on the head, on the feet will not change; these places do not suffer when body weight changes.
But don’t be afraid, even if your tattoo has changed a little, it can always be corrected.
Tattoo changes associated with age
Variations in patterns can be affected by factors such as skin type, size of the design, exposure to sunlight, and quality of ink. As a rule, fine and fine lines are subject to age-related changes; over time, they disappear completely.
After 15-20 years, the subtle and small details of your tattoo may disappear completely, since a number of substances included in the ink dissolve over time in the body, being absorbed by cells, or removed from it.
Tattoo deformation is a change in the design under the influence of any factors. And most often these factors are time and physiological changes in the body. But be that as it may, in the end you may encounter the fact that the tattoo is no longer an adornment on your body, but, on the contrary, becomes a “thorn.” In this case, correcting the tattoo, covering it or, in extreme cases, removing it will help. But don't be afraid. It's not all that scary. For some, this problem may not affect anyone, but for others, the changes will be so insignificant that they won’t even have to pay attention to such details.
How does a tattoo change when your body weight changes?
If your weight changes sharply up or down, then the probability of the tattoo deforming is 90%, especially if it is applied to the so-called risk zone. 
What parts of the body belong to such zones? For women, these are the hips, stomach and chest. And here, there is a big risk that after giving birth the tattoo will no longer be the same. Most likely, it will stretch or warp.
If the weight goes away or, on the contrary, gains gradually, and the skin has time to get into “shape,” then there is no significant risk for the tattoo.
It is worth noting that certain tattoos are more susceptible to deformation. These are drawings made in the style of realism, which include portraits and a large number of curved lines.
Specialized experts consider the “safest” places to be: the wrist, head, ear and feet. Tattoos on these areas do not tolerate modifications even with a sharp change in body weight.
How does a tattoo change over time?
Whether your tattoo will change after 5 or 10 years depends on several factors: the quality of the paint, the abundance of ultraviolet radiation and, of course, the individual characteristics of the skin. As a rule, over time, the pattern becomes much paler, and thin stripes or lines may disappear completely. This is due to the removal of paint from a thin layer of skin. In such a case, the deformation of the tattoo can be easily eliminated. You can have your tattoo restored in any salon where they will update your design.