Did Abby’s Fake Spiderweb and Cross Tattoos Go Missing on NCIS?

Most of the tattoos seen on Abby Sciuto in “NCIS” were indeed Pauley Perrette’s real tattoos, with just two exceptions. As per Parade Magazine, the spiderweb tattoo on Abby’s neck and the cross on her back were CBS’s additions. These fake tattoos were incorporated into Abby’s character to ensure they remained visible, regardless of her attire. However, there were instances when these fake tattoos didn’t consistently appear in certain episodes.

The Daily Express reported that fans observed the absence of Abby’s spiderweb tattoo in a few scenes, and similar discussions took place on fan Reddit forums. Although no official reason was provided for these omissions, it’s plausible that the makeup team might have occasionally forgotten to apply the tattoo or that it came off during filming. Pauley Perrette mentioned that she wasn’t fond of the neck tattoo, as it was sticky and could come off, especially when Abby wore a choker.

Regarding the fake cross tattoo, it was occasionally seen on Abby throughout the show’s first six seasons. However, in the Season 7 episode “Truth And Consequences,” Abby sported a different tattoo of a daisy on her back. This daisy tattoo is, in fact, one of Pauley Perrette’s real tattoos, which she has been seen displaying at red carpet events. It’s possible that her actual ink replaced the fake cross tattoo since the latter did not appear in later seasons of “NCIS.”