A tattoo artist took a tattoo cover-up to a new level.
Sydney Smith of Syzygy Precision Tattooing in Scottsdale, Ariz., went viral for a video she shared on TikTok in June that shows her revamping an old tattoo for a client.
The original tattoo, which Smith specified was not done by her, reads, “I am because you were.” However, the lines of the tattoo blurred over time, causing the ink to spread and the words to be difficult to read.
As seen in the clip, the tattoo artist gave the old ink a complete refresh by using a combination of tricks to give it a more crisp appearance.
The video has garnered over 4 million views on the social media platform and left viewers confused by how Smith was able to fix the aged ink. “Okay, you’re a magician,” one person wrote.
“How does this work? I’m confused how it went from bad to amazing,” another commented.
Smith tells PEOPLE exclusively that she used “custom-mixed skin-tone ink and black ink to restore the existing tattoo, redefining blurred lines to make it crisp and legible while keeping the original design.”
“This fix keeps the tattoo’s original meaning while making it look new,” she adds.
The tattoo artist goes on to say that the cover-up will last the same as a new tattoo as long as proper aftercare is applied. She adds that touch-ups may be needed to keep the ink in pristine condition — which she offers free of charge to her clients.
While anybody can get a tattoo covered up, Smith notes that her specific technique “works best on older, faded tattoos with simple designs.” The rib location of her client’s old tattoo “worked well due to ample space and the tattoo’s faded state,” she says.
The tattoo artist, who offers training courses at her tattoo shop, adds that cover-ups comprise about 10-15% of her work.
As for the response to the video, Smith found herself entertained. “The TikTok reactions were great! I’m thrilled people were amazed at the transformation, it shows the impact of this technique,” she says.
Smith previously went viral on TikTok for sharing her microscopic tattoos, one of which shows her giving a client a nearly undetectable heart design on their shoulder.
She previously told PEOPLE that the tiny tattoos are part of an add-on service that is free of charge with the purchase of other tattoos.
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“It takes about five minutes to complete and doesn’t affect the overall pricing. A lot of clients love to include something small and meaningful like that during their sessions,” Smith said.
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