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Old 05-25-2011, 08:57 PM   #1  
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Default Tattoos and weight loss

Hey everyone, I have a bit of an odd question.

I have 2 tattoos (a dog paw print on either side of my chest, just about my breasts) and I've been planning (for several years now) to get a canary on each shoulder blade as a homage to my 2 grandfathers who were both, at one time, underground miners (not coal, but underground nonetheless). They're going to be decent sized pieces, maybe palm-sized each and coloured, with a banner under them showing my grandfathers' names (George and Edward).

My question is, I'm 80-ish pounds overweight and I *hope* to lose the weight, and if I do, I'm worried that the tattoos will distort.

To any who have lost a significant amount of weight with tattoos, did you notice any distortion?

Should I wait until I've lost the weight and get them done then, or will it not matter in the long run?

I have a picture of the tattoos I'm looking to get, but unfortunately they are on my home computer. I will post them when I get home later tonight.
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Old 05-25-2011, 09:02 PM   #2  
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hmmm. i guess it depends on your skin type. my mom lost a bunch of weight and i really didn't notice any distortion in her tattoos. she has a wolf and wolf prints on her chest. i would maybe just wear a good bra so not to stretch the skin. maybe talk to a tattoo artist about it.

good luck!
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Old 05-25-2011, 10:08 PM   #3  
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Currently I have 3 tattoos...side of my thigh, top of my foot, and the underside of my arm. The placement of them was to hopeful not have them be distorted as the journey goes, but for some reason the one on my thigh moves when I get toned! HA! Everyone's skin is different so your best source of information is an artist that as been doing them for a long time. Best of luck and I say "life is to short to wait to do the GOOD STUFF".
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Old 05-26-2011, 12:52 AM   #4  
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I would think the shoulder blades wouldn't be effected by weight loss. It's not an area where the body stores a lot of fat. I (finally) got my tattoo done in February at the base of my neck. I specifically chose that area because I knew it wouldn't look weird or get distorted once I thinned out (I too have about 80 lbs to go). I want to get more, but in places where it would be much more obvious, like my hip bone or stomach. These ones I'm waiting until after I hit goal.
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Old 05-26-2011, 01:52 AM   #5  
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Thanks everyone. That's generally what I've been reading online tonight; that the shoulders don't store a lot of fat, so they won't distort as much as other places.

Guess I should pony up now and get them done; my younger sister just got a rather large quill pen and 3 tear drops coloued the birthstone colours of mom, dad and I done across her collarbone (ouchie) and, being the big sister, gotta one-up her!
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Old 05-26-2011, 09:29 AM   #6  
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The man in my gym who lost 120 lbs has a large tatoo on his shoulder. It did not distort. We joke that it seems like the color got more vibrant.
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Old 05-26-2011, 10:11 AM   #7  
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I have a tattoo on each shoulder blade that I got when I was at least 80 lbs heavier than I am now . .. and they still look great
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Old 05-26-2011, 10:38 AM   #8  
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I have tattoos on ankle, bicep, breast, and between shoulder blades. The only one that has distorted at all (and I have gone up and down alot several times over, and had 3 kids) is the one on my boob. It used to -- now it \ kinda slants down on one side. When I have the girls properly coralled in a good bra you can't tell at all, but when I see myself naked I regret getting anything there. Gravity is enough of a pain without drawing attention to the obvious difference with a big crooked cluster of roses.

I think the general rule of thumb would be you only have to really worry about parts that can sag. Boobs (not upper chest), abdomen, butt. If the skin is gonna hang differently with weight, age, or pregnancy then distortion would be a viable concern. And of course if you are big busted like me there will be a bigger difference than if you're on the smaller side.

You should be fine on the shoulder area.
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Old 05-26-2011, 03:01 PM   #9  
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I am waiting to get my next tattoo (I currently have 5) as a gift to myself when I reach my goal weight

I absolutely adore ink and its a great motivation!
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Old 05-26-2011, 03:34 PM   #10  
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These are my pawprints:



They aren't crooked, it was just the way I was standing in this picture. The one on the left (right in the picture) is actually about an 1/8th of inch too far toward the middle of my chest, but the tattooist had done about 8 transfers trying to get it even with the other one and he was getting annoyed so I just said "fine, good enough." It's not really noticeable, but if I think about it and look hard at it, it does bother me a bit. Nothing I can now though lol

These are the canaries:



They were swallows in the original image, I just coloured them in via Photoshop, so I have to redesign the tails. I'm also thinking on having the eyeshadow done in the birthstone colours of both grandmothers.

It's just a rough draft for now. My sister got this quill pen with 3 tear drops/ink drops below it on her collarbone yesterday by this girl she knows (who is a tattoo artist) and I'm thinking on getting her to take this initial design and tweak it to look better than it does.

I've also found another one with both birds and banners together and thought I could get that on just one shoulder, which may look better in the long run; or maybe she could re-work these birds into something like that.

Either way, I'll probably get it done in stages b/c I'm a huge wimp.
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Old 05-26-2011, 03:53 PM   #11  
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I have 12 tattoos and thru-out all my weight gain/loss/gain/loss/gain/loss/etc none of them have ever been distorted due to either the gains or losses. The only place I could think that might show any sort of distortion would be in places such as the lower abs or boobs, or any place that might show stretch marks.

Last edited by Beach Patrol; 05-26-2011 at 03:55 PM.
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Old 05-28-2011, 11:48 AM   #12  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ally Michelle View Post
I am waiting to get my next tattoo (I currently have 5) as a gift to myself when I reach my goal weight

I absolutely adore ink and its a great motivation!

I'm doing the same thing! I want one up my side once I reach it! Wouldn't really look good at all now. haha!
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Old 05-28-2011, 09:55 PM   #13  
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They won't change anymore than a birthmark will. They might look bigger on a smaller frame, but that's it. I have one on my forearm that does happen to look a little bigger now that I've lost a little weight.
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Old 05-29-2011, 06:24 PM   #14  
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I have several tattoos including one that takes up most of the outside of my left thigh. Nothing has really changed yet with 75 pounds down, and I keep sorta watching the thigh one thinking it might. I've always known that was a possibility though, but I think part of the fun of tattoos is how once you get it, it's become a part of you that's going to continue to change and morph just like the rest of you
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Old 05-29-2011, 11:35 PM   #15  
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I've lost 130 lbs and I have a small "tramp stamp" that has not distorted.
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