Considering a tattoo, eh? Well, you’re right to start out with a bit of research.
Before sitting in the big chair for your first tattoo, there are a few things you should know. First, how deep does a tattoo needle go?
A mechanized tattoo needle works by depositing ink into the skin at roughly 1/16 of an inch, or 1.5 to 2 mm.
How deep is 1/16 of an inch? Well, if you take a standard American ruler or tape measure, it’s the smallest unit of measurement.
In order to put that number into context, let’s look at the conventional ways in which tattoos are imprinted into the skin.
How Deep do You Put the Needle When Tattooing?
Considering a tattoo, eh? Well, you’re right to start out with a bit of research.
Before sitting in the big chair for your first tattoo, there are a few things you should know. First, how deep does a tattoo needle go?
A mechanized tattoo needle works by depositing ink into the skin at roughly 1/16 of an inch, or 1.5 to 2 mm. How deep is 1/16 of an inch? Well, if you take a standard American ruler or tape measure, it’s the smallest unit of measurement.
In order to put that number into context, let’s look at the conventional ways in which tattoos are imprinted into the skin.
Basic About Tattoo Gun Needle
The tattoo gun needle is actually a grouping of needles. The precise establishment of the groupings allows the needles to create different effects for the design. The exact number of needles is dependent on the grouping pattern and intended design effect the needles will create.
The experienced artist learns the complexities associated with needle groupings in the creation of lining, shading and blending of ink.
Why is Tattoo Needle Depth Important?
Setting the tattoo needle to the proper depth is critical in forming an ink design that is attractive and capable of staying in place and looking great for many years. If the ink is not set deep enough it will simply bleed out during the healing. The ink will actually be lifted away as the skin heals and regenerates. If the ink is established too deeply then the person is at high risk of experiencing a greater amount of pain and a higher possibility of infection.
You have three layers of skin. The epidermis is the outer layer and it is made up of five sub-layers. The outermost layer is the epidermis that creates a protective barrier and establishes our skin tone.
The layer beneath the epidermis is the dermis. The dermis is where your sweat glands are, your hair follicles, and some connective tissue. The dermis is the area where the ink of a tattoo is placed.
The dermis portion of the skin is between 1 mm and 2 mm depending on the person. The machine needs to be set so that the tip of the needle does not stick out more than 2 mm. This will allow the ink to be deposited into the dermis.
Experience is going to help you learn where the exact needle setting should be. Some people have skin that is tougher to penetrate and require the full 2 mm and some people have easily penetrated the skin and their dermis will be no more than 1 mm below the surface.
So why 1/16 inch?
In order to make the ink stay permanently in the skin, it is necessary for it to penetrate the dermis layer of skin the uppermost layer of skin, which is followed by the dermis and then subcutaneous skin layers. However, the tattoo artist is walking a fine line if the needles do not penetrate deep enough, then the ink will fade but if the needle goes too deep, then it can cause unnecessary pain and scarring.
Any Tattoo Machine can Change the Needle Depth?
Tattoo machines are designed to have adjustable depths for needle penetration. These adjustments are mandatory because people have different skin types and actually have different skin thicknesses.
If the ink is too shallow it fades because it is sloughed off as the body sloughs off upper layers of skin cells. If it is too deep the person bleeds greater and they pose a higher risk of infection. Tattoo ink that is set too deeply will also have a tendency to run and distort. So, the equipment created to make tattoo designs allows the depths of the needles used to be set so they go between 1 mm and 2 mm deep.
Read your machine instructions and practice setting the needle depth prior to working on people. To make sure you are setting the needle at the best depth you can tattoo fruit like an orange. If you set the needle too deeply and try to tattoo the fruit you will get damages to the fruit that seep and bruise.
Steps to Set the Tattoo Machine Needle Depth
There are certain steps you have to follow to set the depth of your tattoo needle. Practice setting up your machine using the following steps.
- Put on sterile latex gloves to prevent contamination of the machine or needle during the process.
- Take the needle out of the package and slightly bend it so it curves into an arc.
- Insert the needle through the front of the machine and attach it to the bar.
- Slide the needle tube over the new needle. Make sure the point of the needle does not make contact with the sides of the tube.
- Position the tube so that no more than 2 mm of needle protrudes from it. Turn the bar clockwise to lock the needle in position.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How deep should a tattoo needle be?
Most tattoo professionals agree that the needle should penetrate the skin about 1/16th of an inch. The artist controls the needle penetration and angle making sure that the ink is deposited at or above the third layer of skin. If they deposit the ink too shallow then the ink is sloughed off with the shedding of skin cells. If they deposit too deeply then the ink is distorted in the fat layer.
How hard do I press when tattooing?
If you are using a tattoo machine or gun the device will provide sufficient penetration without you pressing against it. If you are doing a poke and stick tattoo then you have to physically insert the needle by pressing, but do not press too hard because the needle only needs to penetrate about an eighth of an inch beneath the skin surface.
What angle do you tattoo at?
The depth of the tattoo is very important in establishing ink work that looks great and lasts. The needle must also enter the skin at the proper angle. Most professional tattoo artists agree that an angle between 450 and 600 will provide you the best finished design. This angle allows the ink to be deposited exactly where it needs to be so that it does not slough off too quickly or become distorted in the fat layers under the skin.
How do I know if my tattoo needle went too deep?
If there is an excessive amount of blood occurring during the procedure it is an indication that the needle is penetrating too deeply. The most common occurrence that warns of tattoo ink being injected past the desired depth is called a tattoo blowout. This occurs when the ink is actually injected into the fat layer beneath the skin. The design you have will be distorted and could possibly have areas that are raised.
Our Thoughts
The success of the tattoo is dependent on the depth at which the ink is placed. If the depth is not met precisely the result will be distortion, quick fading, or even raised areas of skin.
Talk to your tattoo artist and ask them what depth they set their machine at. This discussion could save you the agony of a tattoo that does not last or does not look good.