So many people never consider what a tattoo will look like if you lose weight or gain weight in the future. They want their tattoo right there and now, not thinking what can happen to it years down the road. A famous question that most people ask is "Will my tattoo stretch or shrink if I gain or lose weight?" Another one is" If I gain or lose weight will my tattoo change or fade in color?" The answer to these two questions is yes, they can stretch, shrink, and change color, but it all depends on the area the tattoo is placed and how drastic of a change your body went through.

The only way to prevent your tattoo from stretching, shrinking, or changing color is to place it on a area that wont have any problem like your lower back, lower legs, arms, foot, ankle, wrist, shoulder blade, behind the ear, or even low on your bikini area. If you lose or gain 5-12 pounds it really won't change your tattoo, but 20 pounds and over can really make a difference even with the details in the tattoo. I know one of my friends has a very detailed portrait of her kid's right on the middle of her back and from bouncing up and down with her weight after 1 year the lines on the tattoo actually changed. At a certain angel the lines look like they are curved instead of being straight. This is because she lost over 50 pounds. Then gained some of the weight back and continued with this plateau for quite some time. So the tattoo was constantly stretching and shrinking.

If you are self conscious about your weight and considering getting a tattoo think before you get inked. Some people may even think a tattoo takes longer to heal on a heavier person. This is not true. Everyone's healing process of their tattoo will be different. Some people may just itch and show no sign of scabbing, while others may have the itchiness plus a scab. The healing process will take anywhere from 1 week to 4 weeks. Your weight has nothing to do with the tattoo healing process. Your best bet is to sit down with the tattoo artist and discuss which areas on your body will be the best option. One more thing to remember do not get a tattoo on any body part that has stretch marks. Why Can't I get a tattoo to cover up some of my stretch marks after I have lost weight? The reason is, because once the tattoo ink is applied to the skin where the stretch marks appear, it will actually leave a severely splotchy looking affect. The ink will actually go under the skin and make the color that was used distorted looking.

Source: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1721376/will_my_tattoo_stretch_...