A tattoo blowout is the result of the ink of your tattoo spreading beyond the lines of the tattoo design. To be fair, tattoo blowouts aren't as common these days due to advanced tattoo equipment and practices moving further and beyond rather fast.

A short Tattoo and Skin Anatomy lesson 101: Think three layers. The top layer - the epidermis. The second layer - the dermis. The bottom layer - the hypodermis. For a tattoo to settle and remain permanently on your skin your tattooist will press into the middle layer, the dermis.

HOW DOES A TATTOO BLOWOUT ACTUALLY HAPPEN?

When your tattooist penetrates their needle too deep into the skin and the ink spreads into the bottom layer of your skin, the hypodermis, that's how. The hypodermis layer is made of fat tissue which allows and encourages the tattoo ink to spread. Those pesky blurred lines in your tattoo are thus created and are usually there to stay. Tattoo blowouts can show up after a few days of being tattooed due to the ink slowly seeping through the wound, after a couple of weeks it really shows up and becomes a thing.

HOW TO PREVENT A TATTOO BLOWOUT

Don't use a rubbish tattooist is the real key to prevention! It's no secret! Do your research and don't choose el cheapo. I repeat, don't use a rubbish tattoo artist! This is the best advice I can give you and the most preventative measure that you can take to reduce your chances of ink blowing out. Luckily, (well, it's not really luck) Roxxi's Poolroom has the goods.

ARE TATTOO BLOWOUTS FIXABLE?

Unless you're up for a tattoo cover-up, the remedies are quite slim. Your first feeling may be disappointment, howerever, let's chat solutions. Wait for your skin to heal and for that to have happened efficiently you would have purchased our tattoo aftercare balm? At this stage you may have considered a tattoo cover-up? Your tattoo artist (probably a new one by now) will let you know if this is a possibility. A change of your original tattoo design, colour and size may be on the cards so think outside the box if this is an option you're going for. The next option is laser correction, and this is the only option if a real serious tattoo blowout has occurred. Heads up: tattoo laser correction is expensive, will probably take several sessions and yes, it bloody well hurts! Next up, deal with it. I have shared with you my own experience of a tattoo blowing out. I was tattooed by an inexperienced tattoo artist many many moons again (clearly before I opened Roxx's Poolroom). The spread of my ink happened months later and continues to spread over 6 years! I've accepted this and happen to like the design it's turned into (maybe I've convinced myself?) I do miss the fine lines of the tattoo I thought would last forever though.. silly me!

TATTOO BLOWOUT? CONSIDER THIS.

The experience and attitude of your tattoo artist is most likely the reason behind your tattoo blowing right out, although do consider how you presented yourself throughout your appointment. Did you move around excessively? The needle carrying the tattoo ink may have moved harder and faster where it shouldn't have and created a slight blowout? Also consider your skin density, the thickness of your skin. Thin skin may make it harder for a tattooist to push the tattoo needle into the correct layer of the skin. The tighter areas of your skin is where a blowout may happen. Plus, if you bugger up the healing process of your skin by not taking the best possible care - who knows what can go wrong - from infection to tattoo blowout. Don't scratch and pull out your skin 'cause it may cause an inflection and that in turn may put your tattoo at risk of spreading far beyond the lines it should.

Take care! It's crazy out there!!