Tattoos for Dark Skin: Everything You Need to Know

Most people decide they want to get inked, and then immediately start scrolling through IG to find an inkfanatictattoos.com artist and design they love (I’m currently obsessed with the tiny tattoo trend, BTW). But for people with dark skin tones, this step can end up raising some pretty serious concerns.

Just take a quick scroll through any tattoo inspo page, it might be a while before you see a tattoo on dark skin. In fact, you might not see one at all. And it’s no secret that this lack of representation can make people of color question if the tattoo they want—or any tattoo at all—is even possible for their skin tone.

The internet doesn’t really do much to clear anything up either—your Google search results will probs have you digging through conflicting info from wannabe experts, leaving you with mental whiplash. So what is the truth Oprah Winfrey voice about tattoos for dark skin? To help set the record straight, I reached out to dermatologist Joyce I. Imahiyerobo-Ip, MD, Atlanta-based tattoo artist Debbi Snax, and Tann Parker, Brooklyn based tattoo consultant and founder of Ink the Diaspora, to get all the deets on tattoos for dark skin. Ahead, all the need-to-know info plus the best tattoo designs to try right now.

preview for Half Stitch, Half Sew-In Braids | The Braid Up

Yes, you can absolutely tattoo on dark skin. There are just a few differences in tattooing dark skin tones vs. light skin tones—kinda like how there are differences in styling curly hair vs. straight hair. But when it comes to the overall structure and makeup of the skin, everyone is the same regardless of skin tone, says Dr. Ip.

Quick bio lesson: There are three layers to the skin—the epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous fat (aka the jiggly stuff right underneath the surface). In the epidermis, there are pigmented cells called melanocytes, and everyone (yes, everyone, regardless of how light or dark you are) has the same number of them swimming around in their body.

Melanocytes produce melanosomes, and that’s what determines skin color, says Dr. Ip. People of color produce more amounts of melanosomes, giving their skin a different shade. So the whole idea that people with darker skin tones have “tougher” or “thicker” skin, making it more difficult to tattoo? It’s rooted in racist stereotypes, says Parker.