Can crepey skin be tattooed?

Crepey skin can be tattooed, with some caveats. Because crepey skin occurs where the skin has lost collagen and elastin, it’s looser and saggy. Tattooing loose skin can be tricky because the image will stretch along with the skin, so that portrait of a mermaid may end up looking like an eel-lady. (And no, a tattoo isn’t going to hide the crepiness.)

If you’re thinking about tattooing an area of skin that’s crepey, consider treating the crepiness first—talk to your dermatologist about topical retinoids and procedures like ultrasound therapy—before tattooing so that the skin is as smooth as possible. Alternately, if it seems like the skin has sagged as much as it’s going to sag, a tattoo won’t have far to travel so there’s no reason not to go for it.