Healed

Healed tattoos: 21 comparisons

Freshly tattooed, everything looks good. How it looks once healed is what tells you whether the work held up. Here are 21 pairs side by side: the same motif fresh and healed. Drag the slider.

Fineline tattoo healed – Magnolia Sleeve – SIJA.INK Zürich — Magnolia Sleeve

Fineline tattoo freshly done – Magnolia Sleeve – SIJA.INK Zürich — Magnolia Sleeve

Fineline tattoo healed – Frenchie Portrait – SIJA.INK Zürich — Frenchie Portrait

Fineline tattoo freshly done – Frenchie Portrait – SIJA.INK Zürich — Frenchie Portrait

Fineline tattoo healed – Dragonfly – SIJA.INK Zürich — Dragonfly

Fineline tattoo freshly done – Dragonfly – SIJA.INK Zürich — Dragonfly

Fineline tattoo healed – Rose on Branch – SIJA.INK Zürich — Rose on Branch

Fineline tattoo freshly done – Rose on Branch – SIJA.INK Zürich — Rose on Branch

Fineline tattoo healed – Bird & Branches Sleeve – SIJA.INK Zürich — Bird & Branches Sleeve

Fineline tattoo freshly done – Bird & Branches Sleeve – SIJA.INK Zürich — Bird & Branches Sleeve

Fineline tattoo healed – Tulip – SIJA.INK Zürich — Tulip

Fineline tattoo freshly done – Tulip – SIJA.INK Zürich — Tulip

Fineline tattoo healed – Bird on Branch – SIJA.INK Zürich — Bird on Branch

Fineline tattoo freshly done – Bird on Branch – SIJA.INK Zürich — Bird on Branch

Fineline tattoo healed – Stag Beetle – SIJA.INK Zürich — Stag Beetle

Fineline tattoo freshly done – Stag Beetle – SIJA.INK Zürich — Stag Beetle

Fineline tattoo healed – breathe – SIJA.INK Zürich — breathe

Fineline tattoo freshly done – breathe – SIJA.INK Zürich — breathe

Fineline tattoo healed – Calma – SIJA.INK Zürich — Calma

Fineline tattoo freshly done – Calma – SIJA.INK Zürich — Calma

Fineline tattoo healed – Starburst – SIJA.INK Zürich — Starburst

Fineline tattoo freshly done – Starburst – SIJA.INK Zürich — Starburst

Fineline tattoo healed – Swallow – SIJA.INK Zürich — Swallow

Fineline tattoo freshly done – Swallow – SIJA.INK Zürich — Swallow

Fineline tattoo healed – Crescent – SIJA.INK Zürich — Crescent

Fineline tattoo freshly done – Crescent – SIJA.INK Zürich — Crescent

Fineline tattoo healed – To też minie – SIJA.INK Zürich — To też minie

Fineline tattoo freshly done – To też minie – SIJA.INK Zürich — To też minie

Fineline tattoo healed – Pine Tree – SIJA.INK Zürich — Pine Tree

Fineline tattoo freshly done – Pine Tree – SIJA.INK Zürich — Pine Tree

Fineline tattoo healed – Hummingbird – SIJA.INK Zürich — Hummingbird

Fineline tattoo freshly done – Hummingbird – SIJA.INK Zürich — Hummingbird

Fineline tattoo healed – Leopard – SIJA.INK Zürich — Leopard

Fineline tattoo freshly done – Leopard – SIJA.INK Zürich — Leopard

Fineline tattoo healed – Wildflowers & Bee – SIJA.INK Zürich — Wildflowers & Bee

Fineline tattoo freshly done – Wildflowers & Bee – SIJA.INK Zürich — Wildflowers & Bee

Fineline tattoo healed – Bee – SIJA.INK Zürich — Bee

Fineline tattoo freshly done – Bee – SIJA.INK Zürich — Bee

Why freshly tattooed proves nothing

Every tattoo looks good straight after the session. Lines are at their sharpest, contrast at its highest, skin slightly reddened — that flatters. What counts shows four to six weeks later, once the top layer of skin has renewed and the pigment sits where it will stay.

With fine lines the difference is bigger than with any other technique. Tattooed too deep they spread, too shallow they disappear in places. That is why 21 pairs sit side by side here instead of a selection of the best snapshots.

What to look for in the comparisons

Drag the slider and watch three things. Do the lines stay closed, or do they break open? Does the gap between two close lines stay visible? And are the lightest passages still there, or has everything levelled into one grey?

A few images also show what is normal and cannot be avoided: healed lines are minimally softer than fresh ones. Anyone promising otherwise is not showing healed photographs.

Aftercare has a say

After the session a protective film goes onto the area and comes off after two days. Then wash gently, a thin layer of Bepanthen, keep it clean. No pool, no sauna, no tanning bed for three to four weeks, and keep the spot out of direct sun. This is not a formality: fine lines are decided in exactly these weeks. What the result looks like afterwards you can see on the healed comparison page, instead of having to take my word for it.

What you cannot influence: your skin and the placement. On thin, quiet skin fine line work heals differently than on a spot that is constantly moving. I talk that through beforehand so the expectation is right.

How it works

After you send the form I get back to you within 48 hours. We talk through your idea, set a date, and a deposit secures it. It counts towards the final price. Then your design takes shape, and you see it at every stage — sketch, adjustment, final version. If you need to move the appointment, one free reschedule is fine as long as you tell me at least seven days ahead.

Prices

Price depends on size, level of detail and placement. In Zurich small pieces start at CHF 200, a full-day session runs between CHF 1,500 and CHF 2,000. Prices can differ during guest spots. You get an exact quote after we have talked about your idea — not before, because any honest figure needs to know the size and the spot on the body.

Studio and guest spots

I tattoo at Zky Labs, Bäckerstrasse 40 in 8004 Zurich, Monday to Saturday between 10am and 8pm. The studio sits in Kreis 4, a few minutes from the main station. Outside Zurich I am in Munich regularly, in Amsterdam and Warsaw less often. I keep a list for guest spots: tell me which city you would like to sit in and I will come back with dates.