So my parents are getting me a tattoo for my birthday this year, but I'm not sure if losing weight will completely destroy the tattoo. I plan on getting it on my shoulder blade, which is the least fat part of my body short of my ankles. My question is, when I lose weight (when, not if), will it seriously mess up the tattoo?

I always heard that consider your skin as a balloon and your tattoo as a print on the balloon. The tattoo itself isn't going to morph into something different or change, but the visibility of it might alter slightly. If you're getting a design with lots of gaps in (say something tribal) then you might want to wait since the lines inbetween the design might tighten.

Honestly? If you're so confident on losing weight then get the design sorted, get a quote for how much it will cost and wait. If you're going to worry about it then get it as a reward for hitting your goal, or at least to a point where you don't think you'll shrink as much!

I think if you're going ahead with it then your shoulder blade would be a good place to get it as I can't image it changing much with weightloss. However be warned, it will be painful as the needle will be hitting the bone ...

I've lost about 7 pounds since getting mine (can't speak to more loss, but it hasn't changed the lettering. ) And the one thing I will say is it hurts on bone. If you know you want it on your shoulder blade, then by all means, but if you chose that area just because it is the "least fat" then 1. this is permanent, is that really where you want it? and 2. again, permanent part of your bodyscape. if you can wait, do so because the shape of your entire body is going to change and you don't want to have it misplaced on the "new you" and the tat may not hold the same meaning for you either.

I have noticed that mine as gotten smaller... I have one on my bottom. I think that it actually looks better than it did a year ago...

I have one on my upper back between my shoulder blades. I was close to my heaviest weight when I got it. It hasn't changed at all... but it isn't in an area of my body that I carried a lot of extra padding .

I want my dog's paw print on my pelvic bone. I'm not getting it until I've reached my goal weight. I'm too scared of it shrinking and being awkward. And I want her pawpring to be her actual paw print's size and everything.

My tattoos haven't changed at all with the weight loss, and neither did my fiance's! He lost about 100lb since he had them done, and no changes at all. I guess it depends on the skin, just make sure you moisturize and keep your skin very hydrated to help with its elasticity.

I was thinking that over the course of your weight loss, an image might come up about the "new you" that's very meaningful. Unless you already have something in mind, you might wait and reward yourself with something to commemorate the new you!

I plan to get one next year after I run my first marathon. I think If I'm not at my goal weight I will wait not only because of the possibly of it looking funny but using it as a reward.

hey guys, from personal experience, i have several tattoos (about 30 hours of work)

20 across my back (think from shoulders to bra line, from armpit to armpit. i have left to right a fat buddha, orchids, and a wise old owl). lots of detailing, LOTS of shading. - i have lost 80+ lbs and the shape/image has not changed, the only thing i have noticed is that it has shrank a little tiny bit, but proportionally.

i also have a set of paw prints on my boob. i went from a 40 F to a 34-36 DD. The paws have shrank as well, but they only look better now that my chest is smaller.

if you want it now, i suggest you do it.

Go for it! I've gained 40 pounds, then lost about 50 since I got mine on my shoulderblade and it doesn't look any different.

It won't effect it I had gotten two tattoo's, one on each of my shoulderblades when I was near my heaviest. Dosen't look any different now, although I think it may be a little smaller(but portionally)... But honestly I would wait till after your weightloss. It could be used as something like a modivater. That thing you do to celebrate all your hard work When I hit between 165-175 i'm getting a tattoo down my right side to conmemerate it

I would love to get a tattoo when I reach my goal. I don't know what to get, but I have time to figure that out. My SIL got her babies' footprints on her shoulder blades with their names. I love that.

I have 2 tattoos on my upper back and they haven't changed at all with weight gain and loss. When I got my first one I was probably 70 lbs lighter than I was at my heaviest and it didn't budge. Proportionately of course it changes, but the actual piece hasn't changed.

Just make sure to find a good artist