Japanese dragon cover-up tattoo, before and after – Primitive Tattoo Perth

Cover-Up or Laser? Fixing Old and Bali Tattoos in Perth

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Maybe it was a quick flash piece from a Kuta or Seminyak shop on your first Bali trip. Maybe it is a name you would rather forget, or a tattoo from your twenties that has blurred into a grey patch. Sooner or later, many people in Perth and across Western Australia ask us the same question: do I need laser, or can you cover it? For many old tattoos, a well-designed cover-up is the simpler, quicker and more rewarding answer, although it always depends on the tattoo.

Start with a cover-up

A cover-up is a new design drawn to hide the old one using darker tones, texture and clever placement. Many old tattoos, including a lot of faded or rushed holiday work from Bali, can possibly be covered with no laser at all. It depends on a few factors: how dark and solid the old ink is, its size and where it sits, your skin, and the style and size you want for the new piece. Work on your new design starts at the first session, instead of after months of treatments. Our post on cover-up tattoos in Perth explains how we design them.

A cover-up usually works straight away when:

  • the old tattoo is light, thin, patchy or already faded;
  • you are happy for the new piece to be larger and bolder than the old one;
  • you like styles such as Japanese, blackwork or strong black and grey, which hide old ink well;
  • the old tattoo can be turned into part of a bigger piece, like a half sleeve or back piece.

Blackout cover-up sleeve with white peonies over old tattoos – cover-up tattoo studio in Perth, Western Australia

Reworking instead of hiding

Sometimes the old tattoo does not need to disappear at all. Faded lines can be sharpened, shading and colour added, and new elements built around it so it becomes part of a larger design. This is often the best fix for a Bali tattoo that was a good idea, just badly executed.

Is laser ever needed?

Occasionally, yes, but it is not a small step and we do not recommend it lightly. Laser means several appointments spaced weeks apart, each one paid for separately, and clients who have had both tell us laser hurt more than getting tattooed. It also delays the new tattoo, because the skin has to heal completely after the last laser session before it can be tattooed again.

That is why we only suggest a few sessions of laser fading when the old tattoo is so dark, solid or heavily saturated that a cover-up would be too limited without it, for example if you want the new piece to stay small or light in that spot. In many other cases, a cover-up or rework can do the job without the extra time, cost and discomfort.

What about full laser removal?

If you want clear skin and no tattoo at all, full removal is the only option, and it is a long road. A review in the Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery (Barua, 2015) describes laser removal as involving multiple sittings at prolonged intervals, notes that black and dark blue-black ink respond best, and that colours other than black and red respond less well. Queensland Health adds that the number of treatments varies with the size, colours, ink type, depth and location of the tattoo and your skin type, and warns that unsafe laser use can cause burns, scarring and infection.

If you do go down that path in WA, tattoo removal lasers are regulated by the Radiological Council under the Radiation Safety Act 1975. Its guidelines require the lasers to be registered, operators to be licensed or exempt (or supervised by a licensee), and clients to have an in-person skin check by a medical or nurse practitioner before a new course of treatment. It is fair to ask any clinic about its registration before you book.

Fixing a Bali tattoo once you are home

We see plenty of tattoos from Canggu, Seminyak and Kuta that were rushed, lined too shallow or healed in the pool and the sun. Depending on the ink and the placement, many can be reworked or covered without laser. Bring clear, well-lit photos (or come in) and we will tell you honestly what your tattoo needs.

Travelling from regional WA, Sydney or Melbourne?

If you live outside Perth, you can start the conversation with photos. Cover-up sessions can then be planned around your FIFO roster or flights into Perth, so you get the most out of each trip.

Find out what your tattoo needs

Every old tattoo is different. Its colour, darkness, size and where it sits all shape the plan. Book a free consultation at our Barrack Street studio, browse our completed tattoos, or read our FAQ first.

If you have a skin condition, a history of keloids or scarring, or are considering laser treatment, speak to your doctor first.

Sources: Radiological Council of Western Australia, Guidelines for the use of lasers for cosmetic purposes; Queensland Health, Tattoo removal (qld.gov.au); Barua S., “Laser-Tissue Interaction in Tattoo Removal by Q-Switched Lasers”, Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery, 2015.

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