Habiba MedNot happy with your tattooed freckles: too dark, too perfect, or turned orange? First of all, make sure they're fully healed. After that, there are solutions. Here are the most common cases of freckle tattoos gone wrong, and how to fix them.
Key takeaways
- Don't judge before 1 month: the color changes a lot as it heals.
- Common fails: freckles that are too opaque, too perfect, or orange.
- Too dark: laser is the best solution.
- Orange: a glycolic acid remover.
Freckle tattoo gone wrong, or not healed yet?
Right after the session, the freckles are very dark. Around day 7, they seem to almost disappear. Then the color comes back: you see the final result after 1 month. Don't judge before then (see the freckle tattoo healing process, day by day).
The most common freckle tattoo fails
Too opaque
A freckle that's too saturated, with no transparency, looks like a mole.
Too perfect
Too regular, too symmetrical, with no irregularity: it doesn't look natural.
Orange
A color that has shifted, often because of an organic pigment, but sometimes also because of a mineral pigment placed too deep (see why in our guide to freckle tattoo ideas and colors).
Which solution for your case?
| The problem | The solution |
|---|---|
| Freckles too dark | Laser, with a doctor or a medical professional. It's the fastest solution. |
| Orange freckles | A glycolic acid remover, if your country allows it. Don't hesitate to ask an artist for advice. |
| Freckles too perfect | If the color hasn't shifted: a touch-up. We simply add what's missing, with more irregularity. |
Laser for freckles that are too dark
When the freckles are too dark, laser is the fastest solution: they come off really well. Have it done by a doctor or a medical professional.
Does it hurt?
Laser only hurts without numbing. With a doctor, you can get a prescription numbing cream. Apply it exactly as directed, usually 2 hours before your appointment: you'll hardly feel a thing.
Remover for orange freckles
Freckles that have turned orange can be removed with a glycolic acid remover, applied by a professional. It's a really great solution to get rid of those orange dots for good.
Check the rules in your country
Depending on the country, glycolic acid remover may be reserved for healthcare professionals, and banned for estheticians and tattoo artists. If so, ask permanent makeup artists: they always know the right places to go.
How to avoid a freckle tattoo fail
- Embrace a light touch: transparent freckles, never saturated.
- Say no to symmetry: the more irregular, the more natural.
- The right pigment: suited to your skin, mineral rather than organic.
- A specialized artist, with healed results (see freckle tattoo cost and how to choose your artist).
- Patience: wait for the final result before judging, and remember that the touch-up exists.
The proof: when everything is done right, they fade cleanly
When the right pigment is chosen and the skin isn't saturated, the freckles fade over time without changing color: no orange, no gray. After 1 to 2 years, there's almost nothing left. It works, and you can redo your freckles whenever you want (see how long healed tattoo freckles last).
Multiple sessions aren't about selling more
We need to stop believing that artists add appointments to make more money: it's not true. The procedure takes time. When you want a lot of freckles, the skin rejects some of the pigment, and the T-zone, which is rich in sebum, doesn't hold it well. That's why several sessions are needed to build it up.
At each session, a little pigment stays, then a little more, then a little more: in the end, the result is beautiful. Better to pay for 3 or 4 touch-ups than to want too much all at once. Don't forget that permanent makeup is still a luxury service.
Frequently asked questions
They're too opaque, too packed with pigment: with no transparency, a freckle looks like a mole.
They lighten during healing. If they're still too dark after 1 month, laser is the best solution.
With a glycolic acid remover, applied by a professional.
At least until healing is complete: 1 month.
Yes, with a glycolic acid remover, depending on the rules in your country.
Written by
Habiba Med
Permanent makeup artist since 2019 and trainer, I share what I see every day in my studio to help you make the right choices.
