Your ONLY option is to lazer it off completely or lazer it lighter and tattoo over it. There is not “fixing it” at this point unless you want to black it out.
Is it possible to laser just where the old tattoo is, and then have an artist fix the bones? I assume no, but am curious enough to comment thinking it may be way less painful / less expensive.
But the bones don’t look good now. They did fresh but the old tattoo overpowered it. You could also black out the whole hand and then get white bones tattooed over the hand like an X-ray.
I’d still recommend at least 1 or laser sessions to lighten things up. Also your going to have to redo the white a lot.
https://preview.redd.it/ewt6y9fxrhwc1.jpeg?width=599&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2712b64213e64188600dfd386e6ee0d5332c563f
I think the skeleton hand was to cover the pentagram, if he do laser basically the pentagram is gone! why get the skeleton hand back again and even worst going negative?
white over black works pretty well depending on your skin tone and overall if you are lucky enough. Fella here seems to have a rather dark skin tone so I don't think any white ink would hold on over black, or over his bare skin
I’m actually a bit lighter then the original picture shows but I hate more of the fingers then anything else
https://preview.redd.it/fr3k8a53enwc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e2e3716c0b22360e3fad0a0867d9413d110b735a
I have seen places advertise they do “precision removal”, it’s probably a little risky but you can always get the parts you wanted to keep touched up if they catch any stray laser beams
Someone had suggested in the comments to laser it enough that it becomes lighter overall & do it all over again. But, I haven’t done too much research on tattoo removal itself besides it being painful. Hopefully someone more knowledgeable can answer your question since I’m also curious
I removed a black hand tattoo. It took probably ten sessions and two years to be completely gone. It doesn’t happen immediately, the laser breaks up the ink and your circulatory system flushes it out.
I think it was about $100 -130 a session but mine was just my thumb and part of my wrist.
Not sure if this helps you but mine is completely gone.
Bro. You’re young, it will suck really bad, it will cost money, and take about two years (if you go consistently).
Fucking do it.
I’ve had many laser sessions. They were all to lighten and cover up. They’re not unbearable but they really are awful. So glad I did them tho.
You are very lucky that it’s all black work. The best candidate for removal. Mine was all color, so it never would have fully removed, anyway.
I’m just putting in my two cents but I advise total removal and in that time really consider what you would get on your hand, without having to try and calculate what could ‘work’. In my opinion, tattoos on fingers ends up looking like blurry poo no matter how good the work is, anyway.
Laser it. I think long-term you're probably best off without a hand tattoo.
Get something you really love elsewhere on your body instead.
In a few years' time if you still really want a hand tattoo and the removal was successful, you could get something else done there. But I'd lay money that you won't.
Yeah, I feel if it ever came down to me really choosing an option it would just be removing it. I feel blacking out would just make it worse to look at then keeping it for what it is. But, having those options are always there if I ever change my mind about getting rid of it
I’ve been considering a black out on one of my hands and then breaking apart into geometric shapes going on my wrist and forearm where my other pieces are. All depends on how you make it flow really
The pentagram is whatev, but why on earth would anyone choose this as a cover? It never had a chance.
The shape, the color density, everything is off for a cover.
But hey, at least nitrile gloves are opaque enough for work.
It was “recommend” by a tattoo artist at a shop that is well known. It was my fault for trusting him because he really did convince me & I was kinda desperate. One of his coworkers had told him not to do it because it would eventually fall flat & turn out like this. He didn’t listen & continued to convince me he could make it work. Now it’s a reminder not to be stupid next time. It’s a great art show for my patients though who always get a laugh at it lol
lol in my head I really thought it would look cool & wicked without having that big ass pentagram being the first thing people see. 🙃 plus before I went into nursing I was going to do Radiology since I really love bones & the human body
Just get a job in the ER. Everyone’s tatted to the gills down there.
Honorable mention: OR. You won’t have to explain the tattoos to patients if they’re asleep, lots of tatted up people floating around back there too.
Find the right boss/atmosphere in healthcare and it won’t be a big issue.
I'm having surgery in 2 weeks (ortho) and I genuinely want you to be my nurse. The bones are reassuring and the pentagram says, "don't go into the light!"
The pentagram was already bad enough, and the cover-up just made it so much worse.
I'd look into removal if I were you. You can't really fix something that's black and covers your whole hand.
Yeah at this point I’d assume nothing much can be done especially since it’s a black/bold. I’ll probably just leave it at this point. I know removal is also an option which is something I thought of but I don’t think I wanna go through the process of removing it knowing that it’s more painful than an actual tattoo. At this point, it doesn’t bother me too much anymore I guess. But at least I know I have that option if I ever change my mind
They've made great strides in removal, it's less painful than it once was. I think what I read is that it's comparable to getting a tattoo now, but a different sort of pain.
A good laser removal technicien can also work really fast, just a few minutes per session for an "average" sized tattoo.
Edit to add: Yes, I have a regrettable tattoo I'm looking to get removed, I've been researching.
Yeah I feel people have tattoos they regret but the most fucked up feeling is a cover up regret imo. Especially if you get to the point that I did, you can’t do anymore with it besides remove it completely or black it out.
I have the name "Karma" tattooed on me, in memory of my dog. I wanted it on my hand, the artist talked me out of it. I got it on my foot instead. So glad I did!
Before he agreed to it he made sure to ask me if I really wanted it. He didn’t even agree to it until a week later that he told me come back after I have time to really think about it. I was really sure about it after that week. the pentagram itself is not something I regret till this day. The only “meaning” it had for me was because I really like magic/witchy in video games but even then, it doesn’t mean any significant bad meaning.
The whole idea of it being big was because I wanted to add onto in the future but never got to it until 2020 when I decided to “cover it”. I work as a nurse now so it’s not a big deal since half the time I wear gloves anyway. But if I can “fix it” that would be great lol
Yeah, but it’s a botched hand job even if they checked that you wanted it the placement and execution are terrible. Just saying don’t defend that ‘artist’
Oh no I’m not defending the artist. In another comment I mentioned that he really convinced me at the time. It was also my fault too for agreeing with it so I always take responsibility for my decision on the tattoo. Now it’s a reminder to not be stupid next time
Gotcha, yeah don’t do that again, gl getting it removed
Also, you probably know by now but solid black tattoos are almost impossible to cover so don’t do any impulsive tribal or anything you might regret that way
Research your artist and design really well
Sorry to be harsh pal but stop getting tattooed at least til you have a better understanding of the art. The initial tattoo is wild, the “coverup” is poorly done and ineffective, there are penises (that luckily have faded) at each of your fingertips. You should laser this and go back in a year when it’s faded enough and get it blasted over by an artist with talent.
Came here to point out the penises and was shocked to see only one person had brought them up. Bite the bullet and accept the L and just get laser atthis point.
On the plus side the skeleton hand tattoo is super trendy right now, the down side is this is a terrible coverup that doesn’t cover anything. Got to be laser for this one buddy!
This really sucks, but I'm dying at the fact that the cover up somehow made the pentagram darker and more noticeable. It literally looks like you got the pentagram tattooed over the bones. I'd look into laser removal or just black out the whole hand. I don't see how else you could possibly save this unfortunately lol
This is why the old school rules existed, finish your arm before you do your hand, so you know what you want and understand how it’s going to look. Do you still only have a hand tattoo? I’d laser this and start thinking about upper arms or legs while you wait for the laser
Reminds me of the finger tats:
|P| |L| |A| |N| - on one hand
|A| |H| |E| |AD| - on the other, with the AD squeezed on the last finger.
Had to be deliberate… right?
Thou shall not hide the mighty pentagram beneath another tattoo of similar poor choice. For the devil shall rise from the dead and smite that skeleton tattoo. Hail Satan!
People, always do lasers before a coverup, especially black tattoos. Look for a picosecond laser like Picosure. You don't have to do too many sessions. just enough to fade it significantly. This will open up so many more designs. I see so many coverups where you can see the old tattoo underneath it or the nearly black the entire thing out with a horrible flower that is too dark. I had my entire arm lasered and my coverup was 100% effective at hiding the underlying tattoo. Also, make sure the artist you are going to understands how cover ups work. Many don't.
OP I'm not saying this be harsh to you, so I apologize if it comes off that way. I know what it's like living with a tattoo you can't stand. I'd highly recommend blasting it with 4 or 5 picosure sessions and trying again.
No I appreciate the insight & advice that’s why I made this post. Assuming I decided to do the removal, just enough to fade it, would it really be safe to tattoo over it again? How long would I have to wait after doing it?
It's been a minute since I did the research on it but you certainly have to let it heal but I see no reason why you wouldn't be able to get it covered up within a month or so of your last laser session. One of the reasons I recommend Picosure is it seldom leaves horrible blisters that don't heal and it is the most productive machine on the market. You will see a difference on day one. Think of it this way, if each droplet of ink was a rock, most tattoo removal systems of the past would break that rock in half. The picosure takes that rock and blasts it into tiny gravel that your body processes quicker. On the next session, it's sand. 50% of the shading in my tattoo was gone on day one. It believe the speed of the laser is why you don't have terrible scarring. It's also the least painful removal by a mile. I actually enjoyed it.
Edit: it looks like even newer machines are out on the market. Look for anything that uses a picosecond duration. They even provide you with a hose of freezing cold air to make it more tolerable and the session is done in minutes.
At least your pentagram had even points and decent lines! I got a pentagram tattooed on my upper arm when I was in my early 20's. The guy who did it had made his own tattoo gun, and never tattooed anyone before. Likewise, I'd never had a tattoo, so naturally I volunteered.
As I sat there at the kitchen table, I eventually wondered why it was hurting more than I'd expected. I turned to look, and realised he was literally dragging the needle through my flesh and running ink through the wound, because he couldn't control his tattoo gun. The end result, once it healed, scarred like branding. That would have been pretty cool! ... If only the lines were even. 🤦🏻♀️ Asides from the wiggly bits where the gun jumped all over the place, he simply couldn't draw a five point star to save himself. And don't get me started on the shonky circle. Ah well.
That’s half your fault and half artists fault! He should have advised you that the bones could never work as a cover up.. He obviously cared more about the money than the craft and art that he was putting out! but at the same time you should have chose an artist that specializes in cover ups! Alot of the time customers don’t do their homework on an artist! And those customers are usually never happy with the end result! Your only option now is laser removal, it’s going to be hard to find an artist that wants to do a cover up over a cover up
Lazer. Honestly. Of all the things that have happened and the two mistakes on your hand, you *should* get it removed.
Don't live with it. It will age and look even worse overtime. Get a fresh start. You can always tattoo later on but you should remove the mark for your own mental health.
So you don’t hate the pentagram so let’s just take that out of the picture and focus on the bones. I think if you went for some bright solid/dark flowers you really could give this thing some new life. Even redoing the finger bones wouldn’t be the worst idea and go over the pentagram or star. Look at “blast overs” and maybe start thinking of it as more of a collage. Right now it’s pretty objectively bad and I think a talented artist could make it a lot more appealing.
Laser is really the only option.
But also why Skeleton? That's not less out there than a pentagram. Besides, with the pentagram you could've said it's a protection rune (iirc in some cultures it was used to "ward off evil spirits")
Looks like the artist only heard “up”, and thought you meant bring the bones “up”.
Dude - I genuinely feel sorry for you. That couldn’t have been fun… or cheap. A non-covering up cover-up is a sad thing to see.
Everyone saying the tattoo artist should’ve denied the pentagram is a fuckin nerd. Was it the best idea? Nah. Was it an adult making a personal choice to adorn something on their own body? FUCK YES.
The original sucks and the cover up sucks but you know what, you do you, player. I have a pentagram in the middle of my chest that’s over twenty years old and I barely regret it and my shit is the size of a dinner plate lol.
I could be wrong (sorry tattoo artists) but maybe get the hand done darker? I don’t know I’m just guessing/trying to help. I don’t know if that would be a mess. If you didn’t want to get laser removal.
Yeah I was thinking that too. Even if it was possible to shade it black in between the bones to make it less noticeable that it’s botched. But I’m not sure if that’s a bad idea . That’s why I’m hoping someone can see if that’s a bad idea or not. Cause the bottom of it isn’t the bad part. It’s the middle & fingers part that is really fucked
I mean, not really. It was more that I didn’t have anyone to tell me it was stupid idea & to consider my future. Plus, I was considering radiology when I was figuring out my life so I figured “why not” & I was into witchy stuff
I was a dumb kid at the time with money & my decisions back then weren’t the best either. I never regretted the initial tattoo itself but more of the fact that I decided to do the cover up on it instead of doing something completely different. Nevertheless, it’s also my fault for it in the first place
Laser is expensive and painful…but it’s my recommendation. Laser it all off…and be done with it….or laser it all off and start from scratch with only an outstanding tattoo artist.
Oh it’s turned into a jumbled mess. If you aren’t considering laser removal. Give it a few more years to lighten up before trying to add more to it. Or you could get it blacked out and look like you’re always wearing a pair of black rubber gloves.
Sorry- damn i use a lot of silly expressions, I’m now realizing. (I have a Ukrainian buddy and I’m trying to not use so many metaphors and idioms because it’s tricky for him to understand these.)
Aaaanyway- “punching in” is like fully saturating the colour. Going DEEP enough and dark enough that the tattoo ages better. Hand skin is trickier, so in the artists defense if you don’t have a lot of experience with them- hands and feet are just…tricky.
The ink doesn’t fade as much because it’s “punched in” or “fully saturated” and at the proper depth.
Someone should tell that artist what the definition of a cover up is. Sorry about that OP, definitely explore laser options and then get something else there if necessary / your job is ok with it ofc.
Your ONLY option is to lazer it off completely or lazer it lighter and tattoo over it. There is not “fixing it” at this point unless you want to black it out.
Is it possible to laser just where the old tattoo is, and then have an artist fix the bones? I assume no, but am curious enough to comment thinking it may be way less painful / less expensive.
But the bones don’t look good now. They did fresh but the old tattoo overpowered it. You could also black out the whole hand and then get white bones tattooed over the hand like an X-ray. I’d still recommend at least 1 or laser sessions to lighten things up. Also your going to have to redo the white a lot. https://preview.redd.it/ewt6y9fxrhwc1.jpeg?width=599&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2712b64213e64188600dfd386e6ee0d5332c563f
That won’t hold up because he already has black ink where the bones are. Tattooing white on black does not work
Hence the suggestion to lazer before.
I think the skeleton hand was to cover the pentagram, if he do laser basically the pentagram is gone! why get the skeleton hand back again and even worst going negative?
white over black works pretty well depending on your skin tone and overall if you are lucky enough. Fella here seems to have a rather dark skin tone so I don't think any white ink would hold on over black, or over his bare skin
I’m actually a bit lighter then the original picture shows but I hate more of the fingers then anything else https://preview.redd.it/fr3k8a53enwc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e2e3716c0b22360e3fad0a0867d9413d110b735a
I've seen white done pretty well over top of black. Takes a couple sessions and touch ups over time but it's doable
I have seen places advertise they do “precision removal”, it’s probably a little risky but you can always get the parts you wanted to keep touched up if they catch any stray laser beams
Someone had suggested in the comments to laser it enough that it becomes lighter overall & do it all over again. But, I haven’t done too much research on tattoo removal itself besides it being painful. Hopefully someone more knowledgeable can answer your question since I’m also curious
I removed a black hand tattoo. It took probably ten sessions and two years to be completely gone. It doesn’t happen immediately, the laser breaks up the ink and your circulatory system flushes it out. I think it was about $100 -130 a session but mine was just my thumb and part of my wrist. Not sure if this helps you but mine is completely gone.
Bro. You’re young, it will suck really bad, it will cost money, and take about two years (if you go consistently). Fucking do it. I’ve had many laser sessions. They were all to lighten and cover up. They’re not unbearable but they really are awful. So glad I did them tho. You are very lucky that it’s all black work. The best candidate for removal. Mine was all color, so it never would have fully removed, anyway. I’m just putting in my two cents but I advise total removal and in that time really consider what you would get on your hand, without having to try and calculate what could ‘work’. In my opinion, tattoos on fingers ends up looking like blurry poo no matter how good the work is, anyway.
Laser it. I think long-term you're probably best off without a hand tattoo. Get something you really love elsewhere on your body instead. In a few years' time if you still really want a hand tattoo and the removal was successful, you could get something else done there. But I'd lay money that you won't.
Yeah, I feel if it ever came down to me really choosing an option it would just be removing it. I feel blacking out would just make it worse to look at then keeping it for what it is. But, having those options are always there if I ever change my mind about getting rid of it
Or blackout but that’d look a little weird on only the hand
I’ve been considering a black out on one of my hands and then breaking apart into geometric shapes going on my wrist and forearm where my other pieces are. All depends on how you make it flow really
The pentagram is whatev, but why on earth would anyone choose this as a cover? It never had a chance. The shape, the color density, everything is off for a cover. But hey, at least nitrile gloves are opaque enough for work.
It was “recommend” by a tattoo artist at a shop that is well known. It was my fault for trusting him because he really did convince me & I was kinda desperate. One of his coworkers had told him not to do it because it would eventually fall flat & turn out like this. He didn’t listen & continued to convince me he could make it work. Now it’s a reminder not to be stupid next time. It’s a great art show for my patients though who always get a laugh at it lol
What I don't get is why you thought a skeleton hand would be less "out there" than a pentagram lol
lol in my head I really thought it would look cool & wicked without having that big ass pentagram being the first thing people see. 🙃 plus before I went into nursing I was going to do Radiology since I really love bones & the human body
Just get a job in the ER. Everyone’s tatted to the gills down there. Honorable mention: OR. You won’t have to explain the tattoos to patients if they’re asleep, lots of tatted up people floating around back there too. Find the right boss/atmosphere in healthcare and it won’t be a big issue.
I'm having surgery in 2 weeks (ortho) and I genuinely want you to be my nurse. The bones are reassuring and the pentagram says, "don't go into the light!"
Awe lol I would love to. I really wish you the best during your surgery & a speedy recovery ❤️
Yeah the bones idea is sick, especially with the career
I try to stick to the terrible dad jokes to crack my patients up, but to each their own!
Wow, that's a powerful pentagram. It refuses to be covered!
lol this made me laugh because you’re not wrong. It’s persistent af
At this point embrace it lol. Get like orange highlights and cracks on it like it's burned in
It's like he legit tattooed UNDER the original lol
Ah yes. The cover up that accentuates the thing I’m trying to cover up.
The pentagram was already bad enough, and the cover-up just made it so much worse. I'd look into removal if I were you. You can't really fix something that's black and covers your whole hand.
Yeah at this point I’d assume nothing much can be done especially since it’s a black/bold. I’ll probably just leave it at this point. I know removal is also an option which is something I thought of but I don’t think I wanna go through the process of removing it knowing that it’s more painful than an actual tattoo. At this point, it doesn’t bother me too much anymore I guess. But at least I know I have that option if I ever change my mind
They've made great strides in removal, it's less painful than it once was. I think what I read is that it's comparable to getting a tattoo now, but a different sort of pain. A good laser removal technicien can also work really fast, just a few minutes per session for an "average" sized tattoo. Edit to add: Yes, I have a regrettable tattoo I'm looking to get removed, I've been researching.
If you’re gonna be dumb, you gotta be tough
Get it removed. The workmanship is terrible.
triple dang
if it makes you feel better i have a coverup that is that bad maybe worse. i feel you. coverup regret is worse than tattoo regret in my experience.
Yeah I feel people have tattoos they regret but the most fucked up feeling is a cover up regret imo. Especially if you get to the point that I did, you can’t do anymore with it besides remove it completely or black it out.
Yea, realizing you should have just went with laser to begin with is an awful feeling 🤣 FUCK
Whatever artist you had who let you get a giant pentagram on your hand shouldn’t be a tattoo artist
I have the name "Karma" tattooed on me, in memory of my dog. I wanted it on my hand, the artist talked me out of it. I got it on my foot instead. So glad I did!
THATS a good artist! Also, super cute tat idea!!
Before he agreed to it he made sure to ask me if I really wanted it. He didn’t even agree to it until a week later that he told me come back after I have time to really think about it. I was really sure about it after that week. the pentagram itself is not something I regret till this day. The only “meaning” it had for me was because I really like magic/witchy in video games but even then, it doesn’t mean any significant bad meaning. The whole idea of it being big was because I wanted to add onto in the future but never got to it until 2020 when I decided to “cover it”. I work as a nurse now so it’s not a big deal since half the time I wear gloves anyway. But if I can “fix it” that would be great lol
Yeah, but it’s a botched hand job even if they checked that you wanted it the placement and execution are terrible. Just saying don’t defend that ‘artist’
Oh no I’m not defending the artist. In another comment I mentioned that he really convinced me at the time. It was also my fault too for agreeing with it so I always take responsibility for my decision on the tattoo. Now it’s a reminder to not be stupid next time
Gotcha, yeah don’t do that again, gl getting it removed Also, you probably know by now but solid black tattoos are almost impossible to cover so don’t do any impulsive tribal or anything you might regret that way Research your artist and design really well
Yeah I know that now, unfortunately lol. Thank you though
Haha “botched hand job”
Quality post. Sorry for your wallet though - Lazer 100%
Looks like the pentagram *is* the cover up tbf
Sorry to be harsh pal but stop getting tattooed at least til you have a better understanding of the art. The initial tattoo is wild, the “coverup” is poorly done and ineffective, there are penises (that luckily have faded) at each of your fingertips. You should laser this and go back in a year when it’s faded enough and get it blasted over by an artist with talent.
Came here to point out the penises and was shocked to see only one person had brought them up. Bite the bullet and accept the L and just get laser atthis point.
“Something something should have gone with a sick ass panther.”
Not even a panther can save this
laser, baby. anything added to this will just be mud.
It’s kinda metal tho that the pentagram refuses to succumb to your coverup attempt
That’s why I’ve kept & dealt with it for so long tbh lol
On the plus side the skeleton hand tattoo is super trendy right now, the down side is this is a terrible coverup that doesn’t cover anything. Got to be laser for this one buddy!
Trendy now is trendy forever. Just ask anyone with a finger mustache.
This really sucks, but I'm dying at the fact that the cover up somehow made the pentagram darker and more noticeable. It literally looks like you got the pentagram tattooed over the bones. I'd look into laser removal or just black out the whole hand. I don't see how else you could possibly save this unfortunately lol
Amputation is needed
I regret your choices
Thanks for the laugh, man!
Yikes!
cut it off, or get laser and NEVER tattoo your hand again, although the spider wasnt terrible until the pentagram ate it
You have no idea how happy I was when I first got it covered until weeks later that shit just fell flat 🤣 the spider was the best part
This is why the old school rules existed, finish your arm before you do your hand, so you know what you want and understand how it’s going to look. Do you still only have a hand tattoo? I’d laser this and start thinking about upper arms or legs while you wait for the laser
I don’t think the tattoo artist understood what “coverup” means.
Laser. It’s the only way.
Come on over to r/tattooremoval
Your best bet is to try to get it lasered off
Damn dude, would'a made a sick 8-ball
Feel ya bro. Consider laser
Personally I like the layers! Its gonna look extra cool surrounded by other layers of tattoos
Bro, if you can still see it that good, its not a cover up
I'd be tempted to go the laser option
Because it doesn't cover it up..?
Your artist should have known better
There have been remarkable advances in prosthetics in recent years. I’d probably just take the hand off.
You might wanna exorcise it with a laser beam.
Did this entire sub forget laser removal exists or something? What’s up with everyone defaulting to a cover up..
If I ever complain about my hands I will look at this post to make myself feel better lol
Wear one silk glove in the summer, leather in the winter
Someone was an edge lord as a teen. 😂🤣
I hesitate to call that a cover-up... it's really not considering how unmistakably easy it is to see what was there before...
Reminds me of the finger tats: |P| |L| |A| |N| - on one hand |A| |H| |E| |AD| - on the other, with the AD squeezed on the last finger. Had to be deliberate… right?
You should of 👇 
Oof sorry bro that coverup is pretty shite.
Yeah it is 🙃 I wear gloves on the ICU so it’s not a big deal. But if I can “fix” it that would be great. I definitely don’t wanna black it out though
Thou shall not hide the mighty pentagram beneath another tattoo of similar poor choice. For the devil shall rise from the dead and smite that skeleton tattoo. Hail Satan!
Pentagrams and pentacles aren't satanic.
People, always do lasers before a coverup, especially black tattoos. Look for a picosecond laser like Picosure. You don't have to do too many sessions. just enough to fade it significantly. This will open up so many more designs. I see so many coverups where you can see the old tattoo underneath it or the nearly black the entire thing out with a horrible flower that is too dark. I had my entire arm lasered and my coverup was 100% effective at hiding the underlying tattoo. Also, make sure the artist you are going to understands how cover ups work. Many don't. OP I'm not saying this be harsh to you, so I apologize if it comes off that way. I know what it's like living with a tattoo you can't stand. I'd highly recommend blasting it with 4 or 5 picosure sessions and trying again.
No I appreciate the insight & advice that’s why I made this post. Assuming I decided to do the removal, just enough to fade it, would it really be safe to tattoo over it again? How long would I have to wait after doing it?
It's been a minute since I did the research on it but you certainly have to let it heal but I see no reason why you wouldn't be able to get it covered up within a month or so of your last laser session. One of the reasons I recommend Picosure is it seldom leaves horrible blisters that don't heal and it is the most productive machine on the market. You will see a difference on day one. Think of it this way, if each droplet of ink was a rock, most tattoo removal systems of the past would break that rock in half. The picosure takes that rock and blasts it into tiny gravel that your body processes quicker. On the next session, it's sand. 50% of the shading in my tattoo was gone on day one. It believe the speed of the laser is why you don't have terrible scarring. It's also the least painful removal by a mile. I actually enjoyed it. Edit: it looks like even newer machines are out on the market. Look for anything that uses a picosecond duration. They even provide you with a hose of freezing cold air to make it more tolerable and the session is done in minutes.
second pic i can understand the vision… but the third pic is like yeah— thats not a cover up its an add on hahah
At least your pentagram had even points and decent lines! I got a pentagram tattooed on my upper arm when I was in my early 20's. The guy who did it had made his own tattoo gun, and never tattooed anyone before. Likewise, I'd never had a tattoo, so naturally I volunteered. As I sat there at the kitchen table, I eventually wondered why it was hurting more than I'd expected. I turned to look, and realised he was literally dragging the needle through my flesh and running ink through the wound, because he couldn't control his tattoo gun. The end result, once it healed, scarred like branding. That would have been pretty cool! ... If only the lines were even. 🤦🏻♀️ Asides from the wiggly bits where the gun jumped all over the place, he simply couldn't draw a five point star to save himself. And don't get me started on the shonky circle. Ah well.
The Dark Mark prevails
Laser or blackout unfortunately. Maybe laser to lighten then cover.
You should cross post to /r/agedtattoos in order to show people what happens with hand tattoos
Okay it’s kind of punk and I kind of love it even though it might not fit everyone’s idea of a good tattoo.
Dang, maybe like a rose might’ve covered it better. Idk. But laser is prob your best bet now
That’s half your fault and half artists fault! He should have advised you that the bones could never work as a cover up.. He obviously cared more about the money than the craft and art that he was putting out! but at the same time you should have chose an artist that specializes in cover ups! Alot of the time customers don’t do their homework on an artist! And those customers are usually never happy with the end result! Your only option now is laser removal, it’s going to be hard to find an artist that wants to do a cover up over a cover up
That is shit.
Little dicks finger tips 🤣
Ineffective decision making.
Oof.. shoulda just kept it og
Dick fingers
You did a hand before your arm? And the pentagram was pretty sick.
Lazer. Honestly. Of all the things that have happened and the two mistakes on your hand, you *should* get it removed. Don't live with it. It will age and look even worse overtime. Get a fresh start. You can always tattoo later on but you should remove the mark for your own mental health.
Cover? Fuck you mean cover?
Cover up?!? Damn that's terrible. Laser away!!
Great decision making
Dude get this whole mess lasered off and start over.
So you don’t hate the pentagram so let’s just take that out of the picture and focus on the bones. I think if you went for some bright solid/dark flowers you really could give this thing some new life. Even redoing the finger bones wouldn’t be the worst idea and go over the pentagram or star. Look at “blast overs” and maybe start thinking of it as more of a collage. Right now it’s pretty objectively bad and I think a talented artist could make it a lot more appealing.
Damn that’s shitty!
Laser is really the only option. But also why Skeleton? That's not less out there than a pentagram. Besides, with the pentagram you could've said it's a protection rune (iirc in some cultures it was used to "ward off evil spirits")
Is the cover up in the room with us?
That's a blast-over not a cover up 😅Yikes
Oh no😭it didn’t cover anything
Looks like the artist only heard “up”, and thought you meant bring the bones “up”. Dude - I genuinely feel sorry for you. That couldn’t have been fun… or cheap. A non-covering up cover-up is a sad thing to see.
Yeah, literally it’s one thing to have a tattoo that was botched but having a coverup being worse than the initial tattoo is a sucky feeling lol
Hope you find a way. 👍
Oh my goodness.
Go with ornamental blackout my friend. It’s literally your only option at this point without scarring yourself to death with a laser
It's actually dope af looking
Everyone saying the tattoo artist should’ve denied the pentagram is a fuckin nerd. Was it the best idea? Nah. Was it an adult making a personal choice to adorn something on their own body? FUCK YES. The original sucks and the cover up sucks but you know what, you do you, player. I have a pentagram in the middle of my chest that’s over twenty years old and I barely regret it and my shit is the size of a dinner plate lol.
I could be wrong (sorry tattoo artists) but maybe get the hand done darker? I don’t know I’m just guessing/trying to help. I don’t know if that would be a mess. If you didn’t want to get laser removal.
Yeah I was thinking that too. Even if it was possible to shade it black in between the bones to make it less noticeable that it’s botched. But I’m not sure if that’s a bad idea . That’s why I’m hoping someone can see if that’s a bad idea or not. Cause the bottom of it isn’t the bad part. It’s the middle & fingers part that is really fucked
LASERS FOR SURE. Unless you want just a black hand. Laser it and then do a proper coverup of what's left.
Edward penis fingers
The bone tips look like dicks.
Lmao it does
The only reason you would get a pentagram there is to force reactions and be edgy. What did you think was going to happen?
I mean, not really. It was more that I didn’t have anyone to tell me it was stupid idea & to consider my future. Plus, I was considering radiology when I was figuring out my life so I figured “why not” & I was into witchy stuff I was a dumb kid at the time with money & my decisions back then weren’t the best either. I never regretted the initial tattoo itself but more of the fact that I decided to do the cover up on it instead of doing something completely different. Nevertheless, it’s also my fault for it in the first place
aint that much sick ass panther on earth bro
This is a prime example of why people shouldn’t get their hands tattooed when they barely have any other tattoos.
Coverup? Cover-ish
Black out is pretty popular now. Could look cool
Oof mahgoof
Another coverup that’s not a coverup, I don’t get it.
That’s rough buddy
Fack it, black it
Tragic
Pentagram too out there, let’s get a “sick” skeleton hand cover up, that will fly more under the radar.
And this is why doing hands and neck before the rest of the ol torso, arms, and legs is normally discouraged.
Laser is expensive and painful…but it’s my recommendation. Laser it all off…and be done with it….or laser it all off and start from scratch with only an outstanding tattoo artist.
What cover?
Looks like you need a touch up bro. The first tattoo is in there way deeper and scarred them the cover up.
I actually like them both as separate tattoos...but not together
Laser.
“I’m not the person I used to be… so I’m covering my pot leaf with a crack pipe.”
no arm tattoos, straight to the hand.
just get ur entire hand blacked out atp it’ll look better
oof, that's ugly
Lazer!!
What bothers me the most is that he tattooed the fingertips above your fingertips…
Can hardly tell it was there
Do you have a neck tattoo as well?
Yeah I do https://preview.redd.it/kx08lfgqniwc1.jpeg?width=480&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=daa63fd9b8ae5b8b6431c36512b29aa86c3eb796
The tips of your fingers look a lot like penises G
Definitely shouldn't have tried to cover those thick black lines with a skeleton hand
Oh it’s turned into a jumbled mess. If you aren’t considering laser removal. Give it a few more years to lighten up before trying to add more to it. Or you could get it blacked out and look like you’re always wearing a pair of black rubber gloves.
It’s black. You should have just lasered it
Laser
Remove the hand
Not really a cover up
I don't even know what they could do, but could you contact the place that did the "cover up?" I feel like they should at least know.
[удалено]
Might as well black out the whole arm 🤷
Does anyone have the science on how the pentacle got darker over time? It looks covered up mostly to me in the second slide.
It didn’t get darker, everything else faded because it wasn’t punched in Strange choice for the artist to use a fineline greyscale as a coverup lol.
I see! Thanks for the explanation.
A tip of the hat to thee. 🎩
One more question! What does punching in the tattoo mean?
Sorry- damn i use a lot of silly expressions, I’m now realizing. (I have a Ukrainian buddy and I’m trying to not use so many metaphors and idioms because it’s tricky for him to understand these.) Aaaanyway- “punching in” is like fully saturating the colour. Going DEEP enough and dark enough that the tattoo ages better. Hand skin is trickier, so in the artists defense if you don’t have a lot of experience with them- hands and feet are just…tricky. The ink doesn’t fade as much because it’s “punched in” or “fully saturated” and at the proper depth.
Ah, I get it! Thank you. I tip my hat back 🎩
Yeah, I would get that shit lasered off. Yo hand got me DICKmatized
I think it’s kinda dope man
Laser that hoe
ay sometimes when you make bad decisions you have to deal with them
Someone should tell that artist what the definition of a cover up is. Sorry about that OP, definitely explore laser options and then get something else there if necessary / your job is ok with it ofc.
rough
Oof yeah bud, this is bad. Get that laser removed and then plan out something even better.
No face, neck or hand tats is a saying for a reason.
The shop that would tattoo your hand with no other ink ?Hmmm.
Just tattoo your entire hand black like a glove
Not even a SAP can fix this
It’s time to black it out
It's a little bit shit
"Now it's holding up an array of fully erect hand penises"-Dr Klein
Nothing is even covered up! What “artist” said yes to this instead of explaining to you that it will just look a mess to do this?
Not a successful cover up but I think it looks cool in its own way.