Expert: Tattoo Betty (Professional Tattoo Artist) - 4/13/2004

Question
Hello. I have a few tattoos which I'm very happy with. Now, at 35, I've developed spider (varicose) veins on my ankle and have been thinking of covering them up with a tattoo. Is this safe? Is there anything I need to know before going ahead?

Thanks for your time.

raf

Answer
Hi! Varicose veins vary in depth. They flow away from the heart, rather than toward it, so it is relatively safe to tattoo them, however, any line work that goes over them will most likely blow out and spread in a short period of time. Another problem you face is this: if the varicose vein is very close to the surface skin, it can bleed quite a bit, thus pushing the pigment out as fast as the artist puts it in, so you end up with a faded area within the color. Touching it up later could make it darker, but you run the risk of the same thing happening again the second time around. So in answer to your question, yes, it's fairly safe to tattoo over them if they are deep enough, but it's not recommended because the tattoo itself would likely not look very good for very long. Any artist who tells you that it's perfectly safe and no problem is just trying to take your money. Think about all the consequences before you allow someone to try it, and consider whether it would be more worth the money (probably rather close in cost) to just have the veins removed via sclerotherapy or laser removal. Good luck! I hope this information is helpful.