It’s a common frustration for individuals with tattoos who use fitness trackers like the Fitbit Versa: the heart rate (HR) sensor can be unreliable when positioned over dark ink. Many users have voiced concerns and sought solutions, often feeling limited by their device’s functionality due to their body art. While some workarounds have been attempted, a truly effective fix has remained elusive – until now, perhaps.
One user’s experience suggests a potential solution may already be built into devices like the Versa, leveraging the SpO2 sensor. After encountering the common issue of their Fitbit Versa failing to read heart rate over a dark tattoo, they explored alternative functionalities. Standard advice, like using epoxy stickers, proved ineffective. However, a breakthrough came with the use of a third-party ECG app, “Fibri Check.”
During a free trial of Fibri Check, the user positioned their Versa over their tattooed skin, a location where it typically failed to register a heart rate. Surprisingly, while the app was active and taking a reading, the Versa successfully captured heart rate data. This was perplexing because, in normal operation without the app, the sensor failed in the same tattooed location. Further investigation revealed that the Fibri Check app utilized both the red and green light sensors on the Versa. When running, and crucially, when positioned over the tattoo, the heart rate reading was consistently successful. Without the app, in the same position, it failed.
This observation points to a key insight: the combination of red and green light sensors, specifically the inclusion of the red light (SpO2 sensor), appears to enable heart rate detection even through dark tattoo ink. The standard heart rate monitoring likely relies primarily on green light, which struggles with darker pigments. The user’s findings strongly suggest that by incorporating the SpO2 sensor, devices like the Fitbit Versa could overcome this limitation.
Therefore, there’s a clear call to action for Fitbit and Google: investigate this user-discovered method. Testing and verifying if utilizing the SpO2 sensor in conjunction with the standard HR sensor can indeed improve the Rate For Tattoo heart rate readings is crucial. A software update implementing this functionality could resolve a significant pain point for tattooed Fitbit users, turning frustration into satisfaction and broadening the device’s usability for a wider range of customers. This potential fix offers hope and a pathway to a more inclusive and accurate heart rate monitoring experience for everyone, regardless of their tattoo ink.
