It would be best to find the original tattoo artist who has inked you, but in many cases that is generally not possible. Considering how many years have passed, a lot could have happened with your tattooist. So, ask around and simply find a new, professional and experienced tattooist. Discuss your touch-up options and see what can be done.

Tattoo Touch-Up: More FAQs

Is Tattoo Touch-Up Expensive?

If you get to do the tattoo touch-up at the original tattoo artist, you may get it for free. The reason for this is that every tattoo artist guarantees their work.

But, don’t go in there thinking people won’t bill their work if it requires more than initially thought. If the touch-ups are demanding and hard to execute, you can expect the price to skyrocket. Moreover, if the touch-up is done by a new tattoo artist, you can expect to pay for the service.

The price for tattoo touch-ups starts at $50 for a small tattoo and moves up depending on the size and severity of the touch-up.

How Long Can I Wait Before a Tattoo Touch-Up?

Depending on the situation, you can get your first tattoo touch-up between 6 and 12 months after getting a new tattoo. Your tattoo can be retouched only when it is fully healed. In case of an infection or injury, you might have to wait for more than 12 months so that the skin can fully regenerate and the body can restore the immune system.

Other than this, you can get your first touch-up between 2 and 5 years after getting a tattoo. For brighter tattoos or odd-placed tattoos, the period in which you could go for retouching is surely 5 years. For black or dark tattoos the period would be longer, depending on how well you’ve taken care of your ink.

Do Touch-Ups Hurt?

Well, the touch-up process is the same as the regular tattooing process. So, depending on the number of touch-ups required and the placement of the tattoo, you might experience moderate to severe pain. But, no touch-up will be completely painless, unfortunately.