Tattoos and Skin Conditions in Edmonton: Contrast, Color and Skin Type Secrets

Tattoos and Skin Conditions in Edmonton: Contrast, Color and Skin Type Secrets

Understanding Skin Before Getting Tattooed

Why In-Person Consultations Matter

Welcome back to the SkinartJ Tattoo YouTube channel. My name is Alana and I am joined as always by J from SkinartJ Tattoos in Edmonton. How are you doing today?

I’m doing all right.

Excellent. How are the tattoos going this week?

I would like to think they’re going pretty well. I’ve had some new clients that one was a repeat, so I got to work with her again and do one of her first big pieces shortly after getting to do a small little thing for after we did a fundraiser a few weeks back. And then I also got to work with a gentleman where I did a tattoo on him and the next following week he decided he wanted to do a cover up on something. So I got to see him again and got to chat with him.

That’s great. I love that repeat business. It shows that they have a lot of trust in you and they like what you’ve done so far.

Oh, I love it. I get to know more about a person.

Perfect. So, what are we going to be talking about this week on the video?

This week is going to be about some skin stuff. things that to be cautionary with and better understanding about stretch marks and how the ink is applied over certain skin tissues.

Excellent. I’m really excited to learn a little bit more about the art of putting ink into the skin. It’s not just drawing pretty pictures. It’s how it lays in the skin.

Very much so.

Excellent. Well, I’ll start things off with a quote. This is one of your favorite quotes. I think you said, “I’m so tired of all of this nonsense about beauty being only skin deep.” That’s deep enough. What do you want? An adorable pancreas? And that was said by Jean Care.

Yes, I do enjoy that one. I still think it resonates quite well.

Yeah. Yeah. I don’t think we care too much about how our insides look. And tattoo is all about adorning our body the way we want. embodying something that makes you feel empowered, embodying feeling confident, feeling in power in your own skin.

Our statistic today is about the ink used in the tattoo process. While inks in Canada are extremely high in quality, common reactions to tattoo inks are most common to the red pigment. And this is according to the Natural Library of Medicine. Reactions to red can include eczema with symptoms like itching, redness, dryness, scaliness, and blisters or even crusting as well as granulomas, which is a type of chronic inflammatory response characterized by clusters of cells that form around infections. And finally, photoallergic responses, which is a type of immune system reaction that is triggered by sunlight that makes certain substances like drugs or chemicals act as allergens. That’s really fascinating. did you know that red is the most reacted ink?

Yes, this is a thing that is, I would like to think, more commonly known within the industry. It’s not necessarily super common, but there are some cases that do pop up where people are having quite strong reactions to it. I’ve even recently seen someone post online they had a very strong reaction to the magenta put in their skin and it wasn’t until 3 years after it’s already been in their skin for a while that they start having a really strong reaction to it and it started having what kind of looked not a blister but definitely some like flaking some like strong bumps. And at that point there were a lot of people just referring them to go to a dermatologist and make sure that they get it checked out. Being that they have tried to do the cortisone injections and they didn’t have any success with that. So the next is of course seeing your dermatologist that is going to specialize in skin and be able to help you assist with that. There were also some recommendations of getting some spot treatments to try to see if laser removal would be the best bet for them. from what I had seen and from my understanding is they did try it and it didn’t have the results that they wanted and they were still having the flare up. So, the next would be the dermatologist.

Wow. It’s just good to know that when you’re putting things into your body that you need to do so with the most care and with the most knowledgeable person.

I would hope so. Some people aren’t so keen on being thoughtful of what is going to be implied into their skin. I’ve had some people be like, “Oh, I don’t care. I’ll just order it off of Amazon and get some inks from there and inject that into my skin.” And it’s like I would not suggest doing that. It’s not guaranteed that you’re getting great quality to begin with. You don’t really know the distributor that’s selling it or if they’re even qualified to be selling something like that. And then on top of that, there is no guarantee on what that ink is. Even if it has a very similar bottle design, there’s no guarantee of what that product is. So, it’s very cautionary that I would strongly recommend that a person see someone that is in their local city that’s within an established studio that does have a professional practice rather than just someone that’s willing to mark your skin permanently in their house or in other environments or settings.

Good words of advice. Thank you so much. All right, let’s jump into the topic. The more common tattoos are becoming, the more diverse range of people end up getting tattoos, including a broader range of ages and skin types. While anyone can get a tattoo, an in-person consultation is actually going to be your best bet so that your artist can understand your skin type, including what part of your body is getting tattooed because t skin types can vary even on one individual. For example, a body of skin that sees a lot of sunlight can differ very much to a part of the body that does not see a lot of sunlight. So yeah, it’s really important to see that person in person, isn’t it?

I do agree. I commonly try to get people to come in to have a consultation in person. And once again for the artwork purpose, get a vision, get an idea of what they’re wanting to do, be able to have that connection and get a sense of where they’re going with something. And then B, I do want to be able to ideally see their skin and whereabouts in the body and see if there is anything happening that we’re not overly familiar with that maybe they didn’t think of. So a common question I’ll ask is is there any surrounding tattoos around it or if there is anything happening with the skin to begin with like eczema or anything else that has occurred. This is going to give me feedback to best approach how I’m going to do a tattoo for them.

Tattooing Over Stretch Marks and Scars

How Altered Skin Tissue Affects Ink

Right. And how do stretch marks affect the line work and the color with placement to hide the texture? How do you handle stretch marks?

So with stretch marks, from my understanding and from my practice, it’s a much thinner tissue. The way that it was originally described to me when I was first starting out is to think of it like a paper napkin. As soon as you run a felt marker over it, you can see the little bleed lines that go a little outside of the intended mark. That is more common than not with stretch marks. Being that it’s a thinner tissue, the collagen that is within that skin texture is changed from your normal elasticity and how it’s healed. And you have to be a lot more gentle with it. Otherwise, you do risk creating more issues for a person. And on top of that, it’s a lot more sensitive for them because it’s so thin. So then, with putting color into their skin, if you’re running a line, you it’s at risk of the bleeding. If you’re doing color in it, it’s knowing that you need to be a lot more gentler and to take that into consideration. And even when it’s healing, there’s still a possibility of the ink not settling properly into that skin area and having to do some touch-ups following that. So, for example, if someone’s doing a cover up over their C-section scar, it’s knowing that’s a very sensitive spot to begin with to be now it’s even more sensitive as it’s got that tissue that’s got the stretch marks and it’s got the scar tissue. And then knowing that you have to move a little slower, a little more gentler with your technique in your hand. And even with that, there’s the possibility or risk that the healing is not going to settle completely the same as it would the surrounding areas. So, it could have chances of doing a touch-up on top of that.

Wow, that’s a lot to keep in mind. It’s another reason why people should be seeing an expert.

Ideally, yes.

And you mentioned scarring. What is safe and realistic when tattooing over scars including keloids?

so I just educated myself a little more recently. From my understanding it’s hypertonic scar tissue. That is the proper term that I was not using before. it is stuff that you can tattoo with but you have to be very cautionary and monitor it to make sure that there’s no further growth., ideally it’s between six to 12 months is the common practice that usually an artist will say or even longer depending on how long that tissue is taking to completely settle in someone’s skin and be able to be touched, sometimes even longer, you don’t want any pink or redness around it. You want it to be as much healed, per se, as possible. If it starts going into the other direction where it’s a keloid at that point it’s a no-go. You do not want to be touching that. It’s going to continue to have tissue that’s growing and you don’t want to add to that agitation that’s already happening. At that point they want to be seeing a dermatologist. They want to be monitoring that very closely. and it’s just not a safe practice to approach it if you are to tattoo it.

Okay. So what is a hypertonic scar?

Hypertonic scar is a thinner tissue that has been formed. For example, it can form from a deep cut or some other altercations that a person’s experienced. It as it finishes settling will typically be more tender. It’s tissue that is now altered and thinner than the surrounding areas. it doesn’t have the same collagen or doesn’t have the same elasticity that you want to be seeing in the surrounding area. And I don’t want to use the term deformed. it’s a tissue that has now been altered where it will have a stop point on the redness or the pinkness of the tissue and it won’t continue to grow. That is commonly a hypertonic scar. where the keloid is one that’s going to continue to grow and it’s going to continue to evolve that isn’t safe.

And so if you have someone that comes in with a hypertonic or a keloid scar, will you refer them to a dermatologist if they need help with that?

depending on where they are at with both of them with a keloid 100%. I definitely want them to see a dermatologist before anything cuz there’s nothing at that point that I can do physically moving forwards if it’s a hypertonic one. I’m still going to suggest, especially depending on where they are at with their scar and stuff, to see a dermatologist. The biggest thing is once we’re done with a tattoo and we’re monitoring it for the next six months, make sure nothing’s happening with it and that it’s fine, that it’s settling okay with everything, we’re safe. If not, if we see something that’s a reaction or that it’s starting to now create further tissue that is adding to it and now moving more into a keloid state, now we’re going to start suggesting now you need to see a dermatologist and you need to get that looked at because it should not be growing anymore.

Sun Damage, Fragile Skin, and Tattoo Healing

Thin Skin, Blowouts, and Long-Term Color

How does sun damage change ink saturation and long-term aging of color?

so the sun in general how I best describe to clients is a very slow gradual sun removal. So of course it’s going to affect our skin. That being stated if someone is to have a lot of sun love is how I refer to it. and they spend a lot of time outside or they see the sun quite a bit in whatever profession that they’re doing. I strongly suggest using sunscreen and other things to protect their skin because the sun is going to break down their tissue very slowly and gradually. And it does change the texture of their skin. So, for example they come sunburnt and come in to get tattooed, there’s a strong likely chance I’m going to tell you no and tell you that you need to rest your body because now the same thing, it’s damaging the skin. You now have thinner tissue and are trying to put ink in on top of that. It’s the same thing as you’re doing with stretch marks. It’s a thinner layer. There’s no guarantee that it’s going to stay. even throughout the whole thing because it’s got different per se patterns in it that are affecting how it’s taking the ink and how it’s going to heal and settle. And on top of that, it’s going to be a lot more sensitive for the person cuz the skin’s already healing itself. And adding more complexity to that just adds more challenges and once again I would not say is a safe practice. It does also change a person that has seen it for say 10 or so more years or like multiple years. Say you’re in construction, the skin starts changing to try to compensate for it and it’s going to have a much different texture and a much different feel to getting that ink into your skin. There’s more resistance.

Okay, and is that like we often see people that have been tanning for years out in the sun a lot that their skin takes on a tough texture. People almost refer to it as leathery.

Yes. Yes. That was the exact term that came to mind like leather skin. It’s very tough. It’s very rough and sometimes just with your technique requires a little bit more of like a traditional approach where you’re just trying to get that ink in there. Instead of doing something that’s light and feathered, you’re also having it where if you’re putting certain tones of color into that skin, it’s not going to show up as true color because it already has that under complexion that is going to be shifting and changes that look. So, it doesn’t reflect exactly how it will sit in the skin. So, a lot lighter of colors like yellow or white or the baby blues and stuff, they’re not going to show up as vibrant and that’s just part of the whole your skin is already darker and it’s now going to be changing. So, expect to see that change with your skin tone lightening through the winter and having the color of your tattoo look much different.

And what should clients know about fragile skin and the healing process?

fragile skin. Depending on once again what’s happening with their skin, you’re going to want to nourish it. You’re going to want to hydrate yourself, moisturize, and just be aware that it might take more sessions. It might have some restraints if you have such thin skin to break things up to make it safe and to make sure that the tattoo itself is not creating further damage and that if it is thinner skin, there’s likely a chance that it’s going to be a lot more sensitive.

Which body parts are more prone to blowouts because the skin is thin or it moves a lot?

more prone to blowouts. I’m going to say a thinner area. So stuff like you’re coming up around your shoulders, just the depth of where the needle is going and stuff if you’re not mindful of it can easily create a blowout. stuff like the neck because it’s an area that moves all day with you. You also have thinner skin areas, like your hands, your feet. Thinner skin areas are a lot more sensitive. So, those are some of the spots that you’re going to be a lot more mindful of.

Excellent. And what about weight changes? How do weight changes affect the skin and the tattoo and healing?

So I do have this question come up with some clients. There is that fear there that they have of, oh, if I get this tattoo, is it going to balloon out or is it going to change? If you’re a female and you’re anticipating getting pregnant, it is going to change a lot with your stomach. your tattoo, your skin grows. So, your tattoo per se is going to grow with your skin because it’s a part of the skin. Now, that being stated, if for example, you gain like 10 lb., 20 lb., it’s not going to be a drastic change to your body. So, it’s not going to make a huge noticeable distortion or anything. But example, if as I commonly tell people, you’re planning to start popping roids and like go to the gym a lot and you’re trying to really bulk up and change your body and putting it through extreme changes, expect your tattoo to very much distort cuz now your body has basically gone back to like teenager days when like you’re rapidly growing. and it’s trying to adjust. At that point, I would not suggest doing in spots that you’re anticipating to change rapidly like that. In the same stance, if you’re an individual that is anticipating or wanting to do a whole bunch of surgery on their body after they’ve done extreme weight loss, I would suggest waiting until you decide to do the removal of the skin because if we tattoo skin that is there and isn’t anticipating to stay, a you’re not going to see your body in the results that you want and your tattoo is not going to necessarily fit or flow the best that you want it to flow. And on top of that, more often than not that I have seen surgeons, they’re not they’re not so graceful about tattoos when they decide to do the skin surgery. So, there’s times that people have shown us where they come in and they have a tattoo that’s kind of there, but like the original design is not what it was. Example, you might have bunny ears poking out and then the scar and then nothing else. And you’re like, you could tell there was a tattoo. You just didn’t know what it was cuz the surgeon did what he had to do to get the results. But the tattoo got sacrificed as a result of it.

That’s good to keep in mind. So if you have some major weight loss, you should maybe wait until after your skin settles down before getting that tattoo.

Yeah. You want your skin settled and you want yourself to be in a position that you know that you’re okay with your skin the way it is before you start adding to it so that you’re not potentially sacrificing a design that you really like. And on top of that, paying more money for something that you would have to repeat and redo.

Skin Conditions, Health Concerns, and Booking a Consultation

When to Wait, Redesign, or Get Medical Advice

What about eczema, psoriasis, or dermatitis, how that flares up and affects the tattoo process?

flare-ups, if they’re happening, I simply will not touch those areas. I will wait till a person has it completely settled and the skin has cleared up before I go into those areas. or like just general, we might have to redesign something to fit an area to avoid those flare- ups. That’s once again something that I would suggest: go see a dermatologist, so that you can get the best medicine or get a treatment plan that is going to help with your skin before tackling any tattoos. because once again we want your skin to be in the most ideal state before we start fiddling with it.

What are the risks of tattooing over moles and what should be left untouched for skin checks?

I will not tattoo over moles. I will go around them or close to them, but I will not tattoo over it because it’s the same thing just like the keloid. If there’s still growth happening and it’s something that is still ongoing, it’s a risk and we’re not trying to hide that. We want to make sure a person’s well taken care of and we want to make sure that we’re not adding to that complexity cuz same with keloid. If we attack that area and it activates more growth because now it’s stimulated to try to heal that area and now we’re having more situations. It’s just it’s not ideal and it can be cancerous and I personally don’t want that on my conscience.

How do deep and rich skin tones influence color choices and line weight for clarity?

so they have a lot more melanin in their skin. which they are more prone to keloids and is something to be very mindful of when approaching. from what I have been taught and I’m still researching and doing more work to continue to amplify my own skill sets. you want lines that are more spaced for their skin and you want the contrast to be a lot more sharper so that or a lot more intense so that you can read it especially depending on their own skin tone so that it’s more legible. If it comes to color, it’s keeping in mind of the amount of melanin they have in their skin and how that tone is now going to be per se applied to that color itself and approaching it from that angle of knowing that what you might see in that bottle now is going to be changed because there is already a darker feature that is adding to it. So then keeping that as part of your mindful process to approach which color combos are going to sit the best or be a lot more vibrant in their skin and then also the undertones of their skin. Everyone has different undertones of blue, red or yellow and seeing which one are going to be more complimentary to play against it to make it that much more vibrant.

So another good reason why an inhouse consultation is so important for the artist.

Yes, you can make some better color recommendations based on what the tones are on their skin.

Very much so. Great. What should clients with diabetes or circulation issues consider before getting a tattoo?

they should definitely be considering once again their own health. make sure that they’re monitoring or have it under control with diabetes or with the circulation making sure that they have a clear health bill, especially by a doctor. I will sometimes ask a person to make sure that they show up with a doctor’s note saying that they’re clear to do the procedure being that we are interacting with their body and it is putting their body under a lot of stress. So, first and foremost, their health is important. If they’re not having great circulation and we apply a tattoo in that area, you’re going to have problems healing. You’re going to have problems with the body being able to do what it needs to do for everything to settle. And it makes you more prone to infections. It makes you more prone to other health risks that I just personally don’t want to take. So, I always ask if they do have di diabetes to make sure that they have that under control. And even if they’re aware that they have some of those conditions or concerns to make sure you’re bringing snacks to keep your blood sugar levels up while you’re getting tattooed cuz it takes a lot out of the person physically and me or physically and mentally throughout. So, it’s very much monitoring their own well-being.

Great. So, people with diabetes can get a tattoo. They just need to be cautious and let you know during the consultation that those are their challenges. Last question is, when is laser lightening smart before a cover up on textured or uneven skin?

I would state once again, that the laser removal technician is going to know the best for if a person’s ready to get laser removal on uneven skin or textured skin. Make sure that their skin is settled as best as it can be before they start adding to it. Sometimes even that helps a person with their textured skin as it breaks up some of the tissue kind of thing. The best time I would state is like when the skin is ready. So once that redness, that pinkiness and everything, same as the other scarring, as long as it has settled to then approach that before trying to get some laser removal and then once again have to wait for that to heal before you approach getting tattooed again.

Right. So people can’t get laser removal and then the next day get a new tattoo.

No, it’s already going through the healing process as if it just got tattooed even though you’re doing the reversal.

All right. Well, thank you so much for educating us on skin textures and types when getting tattoos. Where can people find you if they want to book a consultation?

you can reach out to my website which is skinartjtattoos.com. you send me a text message 780-722-2023. I also have Facebook, Skin-Art-J, and I also have Instagram, SkinArtJ.

Excellent. And I also hear that you’re going to be going to Calgary for a tattoo convention that is coming up very soon.

We are getting ready to head over to Calgary there and endure ourselves amongst many artists and learn a thing or two.

Where can they find you and what dates?

they’ll find us in the hall. I don’t know exactly where in the hall yet, but it is going from October 17th to the 19th at the Center.

Great. Well, I hope you have a successful convention and if you’re in the Calgary area, hit J up and she will take great care of you and your new tattoo. Thanks so much for joining us.

Thanks for having me.