Cremation Tattoos: What Are They?

What is a Cremation Tattoo?

Cremation tattoos are tattoos with infused ink.  In other words, a small amount of cremated remains is infused into the ink. They’re growing in popularity as a way to deal with grief and keep a lost loved one close. Another name for cremation tattooing is ritual tattooing.

Not everyone is comfortable with the idea, but if you’re curious about how it works, we’ve got good news! Cremation tattoos are legal and safe - if done properly.

How Are They Done?

As mentioned before, a cremation tattoo uses ink infused with ash. The ash can come from a human or a pet. It’s a fairly simple process.

First, you need to get the cremated remains. Cremations happen at ~982C/1800F. In other words, the remains reach a temperature well above where they need to be to be sterile enough for a tattoo.

Next, you have two options. You can either send your ashes away to a company that will create the infused ink for you, or you can bring the ashes to your artist. Note: not every artist offers this service. You want an artist trained properly on how to create the infused ink.

In either instance, they’ll reheat the ashes to ensure sterilization. Additionally, the company you’ve sent the ashes to or your artist will sift the ashes and may grind them up to a finer dust. This is to make sure the ash is the same consistency as the pigment used in tattoo ink. Finally, the sterile ashes are mixed into the ink.

After this, you’re ready to go!

What Can I Get Tattooed?

The sky is the limit! Popular examples include signatures, a portrait, something including their name and the date they were born and/or passed, or something they loved or where known. Paw prints are popular for pets.

You could also combine the infused ink with aSoundwave tattoo of their voice or another sound that reminds you of them!

What Can I Expect?

As far as the actual tattoo session goes, the experience is exactly the same. Infused ink doesn’t hurt and more or any less than regular ink, the amount of time it will take will be the same.

This can be a very emotional experience though. Some people feel their grief more intensely during these tattoo sessions. Don’t be embarrassed by it! It’s a normal part of dealing with losing
a loved one. Some people may find it gives them a sense of peace. This is also normal.

For the healing, it’s the same as a regular tattoo as well. There have been a few reports that it feels itchier than a regular tattoo as it heals, but you may not experience this. If you’re worried something has gone wrong, book a follow up with your artist. They’ll make sure it’s healing okay.

That’s it!

Let us know in the comments below if you would get a cremation tattoo!

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