Fading Your Tattoo Before a Cover-Up: What Las Vegas Clients Should Know

Not every client who walks into Clear Out Ink wants their tattoo completely gone. Many Las Vegas clients come to us specifically to fade an existing tattoo so their tattoo artist has a better canvas for a cover-up design.

Tattoo artists are limited by what is already on your skin. Dark, heavy ink underneath a cover-up design restricts color choices and forces the artist to use darker, bolder designs to mask the original. By lightening the existing tattoo with a few laser sessions first, you give your artist far more creative freedom — and the final result is almost always better.

Fading for a cover-up typically requires 2 to 4 sessions, compared to 8 to 12 sessions for full removal. The goal is not to eliminate the tattoo entirely but to lighten it significantly. We work with you and your tattoo artist to determine the target level of fading needed before your cover-up appointment.

We recommend coordinating with your tattoo artist before starting your fading sessions. Some artists have specific preferences for how light they want the tattoo before they begin the cover-up. We are happy to communicate directly with your artist if needed to ensure the best possible outcome.