Tattoos And Chest Hair: Everything You Need To Know

The chest often seems like the perfect canvas for a display of body art. It’s broad, relatively flat, and central. But also, often hairy. So, can you get a tattoo under chest hair?

Yes. Many men get tattoos under their chest hair. The chest is usually shaved prior to the inking itself, and the hair grows back just as it did before.

That’s the answer in a nutshell. But I did want to dive deeper into the topic to make you as well-informed as possible before you gallantly march into that tattoo parlor. 

So, let’s dive deep. 

Why You Can Get A Tattoo Under Your Chest Hair 

When you go for your tattoo and point out whatever form of art you want ingrained into your chest, one of the next steps will be shaving. 

Those needle pricks will feel all the more uncomfortable on a hairy chest, so it’s in your best interests for that reason. It’s also a lot easier for the artist to produce an excellent result on a shaved chest. 

It’ll allow them to visualize the finer details much easier, and their needle won’t be obstructed by tufts of fur. 

So, the procedure itself won’t be an issue. 

Can Chest Hair Grow Over Tattoos?

Yes.

Chest hair is still able to sprout as it did before the skin was tattooed. 

Some men are anxious that they won’t be able to don their mane of chest hair anymore, and some hope that a tattoo is a solution to an unwanted hairy chest. 

They’re both wrong. To drill in the point one more time, chest hair grows over tattoos.

Can You See The Tattoo Under Chest Hair?

There is some debate around this question. In short, yes, you can almost always see a tattoo under chest hair. The only situation in which this would be a real issue would be if you had a very hairy chest. 

Just as a tattoo on a full head of hair wouldn’t be visible, neither would one under a very hairy chest. 

But in the vast majority of men, this isn’t a problem. Once their chest hair grows back over their freshly tattooed chest, most men don’t notice a significant impact on the appearance of their tattoo. 

They do usually notice blurring of the finer details and linework once the hair gets to a certain length. But the overall image or writing remains as it was. 

So, most men don’t bother taking things further.

If you’re aiming for a sharp outline for your tattoo, consider shaving or at the very least trimming down. 

Once this is done, those fine details that might really make the tattoo pop become more visible. It will most likely look more impressive to the keen eye. 

Men often choose to do this soon after they get their new tattoos. The enthusiasm is sky-high at the beginning, and everything is novel.

They want everything to look perfect, and so are willing to go the extra mile to maintain it. 

What Chest Hair Length Should You Trim Down To?

But if you did want to trim down that chest hair for those flawless results, you’ll most likely need to find your number. 

Every man is different.

It depends on the thickness of your chest hair. If your hair is particularly thick, you’ll need to trim down to a shorter length to compensate for this. 

It also depends on the color of your hair. Tattoos are obscured by darker hairs more than they are by lighter hairs.

This is something you’ll need to experiment with yourself. Find a length that feels comfortable and also allows for maximal appreciation of the tattoo itself. 

If you wanted some other tips on trimming your chest hair without causing itching, check this article out as well.

Can You Shave Over A Tattoo?

If you try to shave over freshly tattooed skin, that irritation and soreness will become worse.

So, it’s best practice to wait after getting your tattoo before shaving your chest hair.

Your tattoo parlour should be able to provide more information with regard to how long you’ll need to leave it before trying.

Why You Should Choose Your Chest Tattoo Carefully

This is just a quirky little tip to finish off with. Say you got a tattoo of a face on your chest. On a freshly shaved chest, it’ll probably look pretty impressive. 

The lines will be intricate and the image will look sharp. But, especially on fairer skin, trouble lies just around the corner. 

As chest hair starts to sprout, the face will start to get filled in with hair.

So, the moral of this unusual story is this. Think about what the tattoo will look like once your chest hair starts to grow back.

Your options would be to pick a different tattoo consisting of images filled in with darker colors. Or, just regularly trim down and shave your chest. 

Either way, you’ve got options.