Tattoo Touch-Up

Let it heal before I judge it

Fresh tattoos can peel, shine and change colour from day to day. I can usually assess a small tattoo after 2 to 3 weeks and a larger one after 4 to 6 weeks. If the surface is still peeling, sore or changing, I will ask you to wait longer. My guide on when a tattoo may need Touch-Up explains the usual signs.

Do not ask for more needle work while the skin is broken, scabbed or sore. If redness, heat, swelling or pain is increasing, or you feel unwell, contact a GP or another suitable medical service. I can explain the tattoo process, but I cannot diagnose a skin problem from a photograph.

Send the whole tattoo and the problem area

Send one photograph of the complete tattoo and one close photograph in soft daylight. Keep the skin clean and dry; do not stretch it, wet it or add a filter. Include the original appointment date, body area, rough size, artist, the part that concerns you and whether the area has been worked again.

A focused correction may suit a healed line gap, lighter colour patch or another small area where the surrounding work settled well. Hands, fingers and feet can lose pigment more easily because of movement and rubbing. Another pass may help, but it cannot change how that body area behaves.

I can assess work by another artist, but older layers, scarred skin or widespread fading may make a simple pass unsuitable. I will explain that before offering an appointment.

When it needs another plan

Large shape changes, extra subjects, a background or a full redesign belong under Custom Tattoo. If the aim is to hide the old tattoo, use the Cover-Up service. I will not squeeze either job into a small Touch-Up appointment.

If a tattoo already looks even in normal light, more ink isn't likely to improve it. I would rather leave healthy skin alone than work on it without a clear reason.

Price, time and booking

The price range shown above is for one small, focused correction on my own healed work. For a tattoo I made, a return between 1 and 6 months uses correction pricing. After 6 months it is a refresh at half-session pricing. A wider change caused by healing or aftercare also uses the half-session format. Work first made by another artist is priced as a full session because I must assess and match work I did not make.

A Touch-Up appointment runs from 30 minutes to 2 hours. I confirm the category, price and likely time after the photo review, before you travel. The pricing guide explains why setup, placement and colour matching matter even for a small visible area.

Use the booking form and choose Touch-Up, then add the photographs and history above. The worked area is fresh skin again, so follow the aftercare guide afterwards. You can also compare fresh and healed work in my portfolio.