If you consider yourself overweight and want to get a tattoo, you might have one of two priorities. The first is to get a tattoo that draws attention away from the bulkier parts of your body. The second is to have a tattoo that doesn’t get affected by weight loss if you try to lose weight.
The shoulders, upper back, chest, and calves are the best places for a fat person to get a tattoo to draw attention away from their waist. The forearms, feet, and the outside thigh are the best places for a person losing weight as they don’t get as affected by weight loss.
Now, before we go on, I’ll just say something obvious. There is no “best place” to get a tattoo if you’re fat. They’re all good places (assuming you want a tattoo).
Tattoos are a personal expression of many things so, as long as you’re happy with the placement, it’s a good idea.
However, because many people who are fat are unhappy with their bodies, I figured that getting some advice straight from a tattoo artist (no me…) would be helpful.
So, if you’re big & heavy and want to get a tattoo, this is what I was told about the best places to get a tattoo so that it doesn’t end up distorted, saggy, etc.
Where to Get a Tattoo if You are Overweight?
If you are overweight and do not plan to lose too much fat too quickly, you need to consider getting tattooed in places that draw attention away from your wait. Tattoos on the upper-most and lower-most points are, therefore, preferable.
Let’s go over all the possibilities.
1. Shoulders
Shoulder tattoos are pretty visible if you wear sleeveless clothes and are also very easy to cover with conventional clothing. This makes shoulder tattoos ideal for corporate employees as well as service workers.
Shoulders also have the lowest pain rating, and the nerves under the shoulder skin do not seem as sensitive as the ones under other parts.
Who should get this tattoo:
- Service workers – because it is easy to cover up.
- Corporate employees – it is hidden under corporate attire
- First-timers – it doesn’t hurt as much
2. Calves
Calf tattoos can draw attention to your footwear. How good is your sneaker game?
Calf tattoos can work wonders if you want people to admire your sneakers or draw attention away from your hips. It is a great tattoo spot for overweight individuals simply because a calf tattoo works whether one loses weight or stays obese.
It doesn’t lose shape due to rapid weight loss. Calf tattoos are easy to hide under corporate attire and regular clothes. However, they don’t have as much visibility unless you wear shorts habitually.
Calves are generally more sensitive than shoulders. The pain rating of calves is around 4.5/10, while the shoulders are rated at 2/10.
Who should get this tattoo:
- Second-timers: Calf tattoos are slightly more painful
- Corporate employees and service workers – Calf tattoos are easy to hide
- Fat people losing weight – Calf tattoos retain their shape
- Fat people staying fat – Calf tattoos draw attention away from your abdomen
3. Chest
The chest is a great place to get tattooed if you don’t mind the pain that comes with the process. The visibility on the chest can be high with specific clothes and nil with others, making it an excellent hybrid choice. The chest can also bring attention to your face.
If you believe your face is the best-looking part of your body, you should get your chest tattooed. Right on the pectoral muscles, you won’t feel as much pain. The center of the chest is the most painful spot for a tattoo on your upper body.
Who should get this tattoo:
- Tattoo veterans – Chest tattoos are too significant to be a first-timer’s choice.
- Those confident about their smiles – Chest tattoos can put the spotlight on one’s face
- Alternative industry workers – Aspiring models, bartenders, and DJs might need to show off the tattoo when moonlighting while covering it up at their day jobs.
4. Upper Back
Finally, the upper back is an interesting choice for a fat person. You can get tattooed on the upper back if you wish to draw attention away from your hips or if you want to keep the tattoo in shape as you lose weight.
It works equally well for people who plan to stay far as it works for those losing weight. Its only drawback is that it is harder to cover up. Women can cover it with long hair, while men can cover it with formal clothing. Generally, it is a better tattoo to get if you don’t have to cover it.
Who should get this tattoo:
- Obese individuals – This tattoo can draw attention away from the body’s heavier parts
- People who are losing weight – Upper back tattoos don’t get affected by weight loss
- Entrepreneurs – Entrepreneurs are unlikely to be bound to a tattoo-strict code of conduct
- Entertainers – Entertainers might benefit from semi-prominent tattoos
- Tattoo veterans – An upper-back tattoo cannot be ignored. Someone with experience can make a wiser choice regarding what goes on there
Tattoos To Avoid When Losing Weight
If you plan to lose weight, you might wonder if you should get your tattoo before you lose weight or later on. Alternatively, you might be reading this at a tattoo parlor and just want to know which specific parts will be the least impacted if you lose weight.
Here are the tattoos that would need to wait until you have lost weight:
- Abdomen – You can get a core tattoo even if you are fat, but not if you plan to lose weight. Fat loss affects the skin over the abdomen, and the tattoo can start looking like it is hanging.
- Lower back – Lower back is just the flip side of the abdomen that is equally vulnerable to weight loss. The tattoo will have a shriveled look if the skin around your core gets loose. But if you plan to stay fat, this would not affect the tattoo.
- The inner side of the upper arms – While the upper body is relatively immune to weight loss’s impact, the inner arm skin is stretched over a significant layer of fat. Most of your upper body skin stays relatively tight when you lose weight. But the inner arm skin can sag and may slightly morph the overall appearance of the tattoo.
Tattoos To Get When Gaining Weight
If you find yourself obese by the day and the best you can hope is to stay in your current weight bracket, the tattoos you get should be independent of the skin-sag risk.
In this section, some tattoos aren’t ideal for people losing weight but are alright for people who plan to stay in the same weight bracket.
- Forearms – Forearm tattoos are pretty visible in most summer clothing but are hidden under formal clothing.
- Upper torso – Upper torso tattoos can lose shape when one loses weight but are alright for those gaining weight.
- Outside thigh – These tattoos don’t draw attention away from one’s heavier aspects but can keep their shape when one loses weight.
- Lower legs – As covered in the calves section, lower leg tattoos can draw attention away from your core and retain their shape whether you gain or lose weight.
- Feet – Finally, foot tattoos are the most resilient. However, they are very low-profile and quite painful to get.
Final Thoughts
Just as a reminder, the best place to get a tattoo is wherever you want! Tattoos are personal and no one has to approve of them.
However, many people are unhappy if their ink ends up saggy or distorted. So, with that in mind, the best place on the body to get a tattoo for a fat person is the lower leg. A lower leg tattoo is at the center of the Venn diagram between tattoos for obese people losing weight and the ones gaining weight because it simultaneously draws attention away from the core and stays in shape even if one loses a lot of weight.
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