# If you tattoo a baby, what's the long term prognosis for the tattoo? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 29, 2015, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-tattoo-a-baby-whats-the-long-term-prognosis-for-the-tattoo/729302 "2015-08-29T17:11:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2015, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-tattoo-a-baby-whats-the-long-term-prognosis-for-the-tattoo/729302/21 "2015-09-03T04:10:11Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > Infants have a remarkable ability for self repair and regeneration even missing limbs can grow back. Can you link us to some published information on this amazing breakthrough? ---
**Author:** ![Isilder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@Isilder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isilder)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2015, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-tattoo-a-baby-whats-the-long-term-prognosis-for-the-tattoo/729302/22 "2015-09-03T05:19:56Z")
> [@Ionizer](#): > > I knew a set of twins (guys) who the parents had a small dot upon heel of one of them at birth - and when they were around 25-ish years old and each had huge feet relatively speaking (tall lanky guys), the 'dotted area was ~dime-sized and very faint; had to look hard to see it, to be honest. Well the skin of the feet grows a thick layer, as a teenager and later,. so the tattoo was being buried. The gaps in the tattoo occur in adults (eg on the belly of pregnant women), because adults skin is not going to grow like a babies… the adult skin often gets scarred, less healthy areas… (stretch mark)…where the stretching actually occurred unevenly. IF you are getting stretch marks, increase your vitamin intake (esp Vitamin C for collagen.) But that is not to say that the tattoo will keep its shape like it did on the foot, the growth can occur at different rates (amounts) in different directions and at different places, so the tattoo will become distorted ,even without stretch marks occurring… and the baby is going to do a LOT of growing. Don’t tattoo babies… (about time we chipped them…) ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2015, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-tattoo-a-baby-whats-the-long-term-prognosis-for-the-tattoo/729302/23 "2015-09-03T13:15:43Z")
Resisting the urge to post Archer quotes here. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2015, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-tattoo-a-baby-whats-the-long-term-prognosis-for-the-tattoo/729302/24 "2015-09-03T13:36:54Z")
Don’t resist! ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2015, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-tattoo-a-baby-whats-the-long-term-prognosis-for-the-tattoo/729302/25 "2015-09-03T13:48:49Z")
> [@Emiliana](#): > > Given the tendency of toddlers to roam, microchips aren’t the worst idea in the world. Those baby leashes never look quite right. That’s why I’ve always favored solutions like “Invisible Fence.” It’s a little problematic when the kids get old enough to object to the shock collar, but if it’s well fastened their displeasure isn’t a practical problem. What? ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2015, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-tattoo-a-baby-whats-the-long-term-prognosis-for-the-tattoo/729302/26 "2015-09-03T13:54:36Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Can you link us to some published information on this amazing breakthrough? What amazing breakthru are you referring to - God’s creation? Infants have been long known sometimes regenerate limbs: > [@](#): > > When a finger tip of a small child has been amputated, there is a remarkable capacity for the > tip to regenerate if given a chance and if the injury is treated by a nonintervention From: > **[Trapped fingers and amputated finger tips in children](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0022346874802204)** > > We have developed a simple, relatively painless and very effective method of treating trapped fingers in small children.When a finger tip of a small c… ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2015, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-tattoo-a-baby-whats-the-long-term-prognosis-for-the-tattoo/729302/27 "2015-09-03T14:03:13Z")
A fingertip isn’t even close to a “limb” There’s a good chance that losing a fingertip won’t even touch the bone within. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2015, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-tattoo-a-baby-whats-the-long-term-prognosis-for-the-tattoo/729302/28 "2015-09-03T14:05:03Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > A fingertip isn’t even close to a “limb” There’s a good chance that losing a fingertip won’t even touch the bone within. Actually the bone does regrow. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2015, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-tattoo-a-baby-whats-the-long-term-prognosis-for-the-tattoo/729302/29 "2015-09-03T14:26:51Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > Actually the bone does regrow. Your link doesn’t say that. And in any case, show me any definition of “limb” where the limb could be as small as a fingertip. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2015, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-tattoo-a-baby-whats-the-long-term-prognosis-for-the-tattoo/729302/30 "2015-09-03T15:26:35Z")
[Article from NPR](http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2013/06/10/190385484/chopped-how-amputated-fingertips-sometimes-grow-back). > [@](#): > > …the flesh, bone and nail could return…Chopped off fingertips regrow if the slice occurs before the edge of the nail. Any farther down the digit, and you’re probably out of luck. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2015, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-tattoo-a-baby-whats-the-long-term-prognosis-for-the-tattoo/729302/31 "2015-09-03T15:28:04Z")
> [@Ionizer](#): > > I knew a set of twins (guys) who the parents had a small dot upon heel of one of them at birth I know this example was a small dot, but in general, what would be the ethics of tattooing a minor? ---
**Author:** ![Ionizer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5daacb/32.png) [@Ionizer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ionizer)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2015, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-tattoo-a-baby-whats-the-long-term-prognosis-for-the-tattoo/729302/32 "2015-09-03T23:46:40Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > I know this example was a small dot, but in general, what would be the ethics of tattooing a minor? To tell them apart from each other, and this was back in mid-60’s, IIRC , from their age relative to mine. I’ve seen it done as recently as far back as 7-8 year ago at a Childen’s Hospital @ parent’s request, fwiw. Just a tiny dot, fwiw. Not reall noticeable unless you are told to look for it. Afterall, they still do circumcisions on males at parental request, and THAT is a lot more 'intrusive, 'eh?! But that is another debate in and of itself, for sure. ---
**Author:** ![Ionizer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5daacb/32.png) [@Ionizer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ionizer)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2015, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-tattoo-a-baby-whats-the-long-term-prognosis-for-the-tattoo/729302/33 "2015-09-04T00:20:32Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > Actually the bone does regrow. Can’t pass this one up… _How_ it grows it depends on if the metaphyseal area is damaged. That’s the area where the bone ‘expands’ and lengthens. Yes , bone damage does callous up, for sure (call it regrow for simplicity if you like). If it (metaphysis) ain’t straight/undamaged it will be crooked/bent from straight/normality for life. [Here’s a decent write up on it (scroll down to “distal phanageal fractures”)](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2851272/), if anyone cares to check. I’ve x-rayed numerous babies/pre-adolescents that needed K-wires (pre and post-op) placed to ensure straight fingers later in life, fwiw, while working at a major regional Children’s Hospital, fwiw. Plenty of experience with this… ---
**Author:** ![Saintly\_Loser](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saintly_loser/32/4045_2.png) [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2021, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-tattoo-a-baby-whats-the-long-term-prognosis-for-the-tattoo/729302/36 "2021-05-17T14:50:40Z")
I never really thought about this until this very moment, but I have tattoos that are almost forty years old. I have one tattoo that actually _is_ forty years old. It looks surprisingly good, considering that I never took any care of it, that part of my arm has been sunburned many times, and it was tattooed by, well, let’s say that standards were lower back then than they are now. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-tattoo-a-baby-whats-the-long-term-prognosis-for-the-tattoo/729302.md?page=1)