As deep as that skin requires...
Pigment is deposited into the skin at a certain layer, not a certain depth. On the stomach that layer is further away from the surface than it is on, say, your wrist or eyelid...
On a reconstructed breast, an implant will have thinner tighter skin covering it than a tram flap reconstruction. I tattoo by feel, meaning that I allow the skin to tell me what it needs, I never go 'deeper' than the skin needs by making small adjustments constantly.
True mastery comes when your tattoo artist knows how to listen the skin and make adjustments as they go!
Since I created the ONLY needle cartridge set for use in scar tissue, you could say I am an expert when it comes to this topic. I train tattoo professionals around the world, and this is the most important topic because needles are the thing that makes the mark!
They are our point of contact with you, the thing you feel and the thing that makes it all happen! I always say starting a tattoo in scar tissue is like starting a conversation with the scar itself.
I start light and quick, and adjust once I understand how that scar likes to be tattooed. Often, my clients feel next to nothing and we're usually deep in some great conversation by this point!