Many tattoo artists blame celebrities and Instagram trends for the rising popularity of finger tattoos. When people see Rihanna revealing her “Shhh…” finger tattoo, that’s usually all the persuasion they need to give it a try.
Rather than studying all the hard facts surrounding finger tattoos, they head to their favorite tattoo shop looking for a finger tattoo.
In other instances, people buy into the idea of getting their hands and fingers tattooed based on wedding band tattoos and other related ideas floating around on Instagram.
They tend to think, “If everyone else is doing it, why should I be left out?”
That is a classic example of ‘fear of missing out’ or FOMO, a marketing concept used to convince people to try a new product or service.
While there are many positive benefits of FOMO, it can lure many unsuspecting customers into taking action without doing adequate research as is the case with so many finger tattoo clients.
This is exactly why your tattoo artist may walk you through the commitments and challenges that accompany finger tattoos before starting the procedure. That is also why some tattoo artists may outright refuse to tattoo your fingers or at least try to talk you out of it.
No matter why you’re thinking of getting a finger tattoo, we strongly advise you to go through this post on finger tattoos. It will help you determine if a finger tattoo is really what you are looking for.
Finger tattoos are painful
Getting a finger tattoo can be significantly more painful than tattooing body parts that have greater fat and muscle density. Because of the lesser muscle and fat presence around the fingers, the needle of the tattoo machine is directly working around the bones and knuckles of your fingers. There is less muscle and fat mass to cushion the needle’s sensation.
Hands and fingers have more nerve endings than other body parts, which also accounts for the increased pain that you experience when tattooing these body parts.
For this reason, many people report finger tattoos as being more painful than tattoos on other body parts.
If you opted for a finger tattoo out of whim, you should ask yourself if you’re willing to embrace the additional discomfort and pain that comes with this type of tattoo.
Finger tattoos fade
Almost all tattoos fade with time. Sun, heat, moisture and wear play their part, making these types of tattoos less prominent with time.
Finger tattoos fade sooner than most other tattoos. There are several reasons for this. Hands come in greater contact with water from all the handwashing. This is also due to the nature of the skin around the fingers, which sees a lot of movement over the bone and is largely devoid of fat. This makes fingers a great spot for getting tattoos that fade quickly.
You will need frequent shop visits for touch ups to revive your fading tattoo.
Finger tattoos are fuzzy
The tricky nature of the skin around the fingers also makes it difficult to hold onto pigments. As a result, coloured and black inks fail to set the right tones on your fingers.
The results will be fuzzy. If you’re a perfectionist, you will probably not be too impressed by the final tone that sets on the fingers. So it’s better to think twice before taking the plunge.
Simple works best
Fingers aren’t the best place for intricate designs and statements. For best results, keep finger tattoos simple. Avoid ideas and designs that are so fine the ink bleeds or breaks apart and you can barely figure out what it says.
Finger tattoo care
Caring for a finger tattoo involves keeping your hands and fingers clean in the days and weeks following the tattoo procedure. Use a fragrance-free moisturizer to nourish and protect the skin.
Expensive and arduous follow-ups
Finger tattoos are high-maintenance tattoos. Don’t be disappointed if the lines appear too blurry or the colours don’t properly set. You may require expensive follow-ups to optimally care for your finger tattoos.
If you’re unhappy with the results from your first visit, you may have to wait anywhere from 2 weeks to a month for the finger to heal before you can get a follow up visit.
Rings don’t need to be full circle
Ink bands encircling the finger are especially problematic. The surface of the skin on top of the fingers varies from that of the base and sides. So, full circles don’t always come out the way you planned. The finger underpart is most susceptible to ink fall out.
The skin on the soft underside and side of your fingers regenerates up to 10 times faster than most other body parts. If you look at your finger, you can even see a fine line splitting the skin on the top and underside of your finger.
This is why simple styles limited to the sides or tops of the finger are the most successful when it comes to finger tattoos.
Finger tattoos can be hard to hide
Many employers prohibit tattoos. So if you’re thinking of getting finger tattoos that are too conspicuous, you may have a hard time trying to land a job.
Doing Tattoo is Edmonton’s premium tattoo shop. We want you to get the most out of every tattoo experience, so we do everything it takes to deliver the finest tattoos with minimal pain. Contact Doing Tattoo today.