Can You Cover Up Scars With Tattoo Designs?
Everybody has scars. They’re a part of life that you can’t avoid even if you tried. Maybe you had to get stitches on your leg from when you fell particularly hard growing up, or have a haggard-looking gash across your shoulder.
Scars are similar to tattoos in some ways. They are permanent body markings from a particular period of your life. Though some people wear scars with pride, others may view scarred skin as a blemish.
While you can tattoo cover up over most scars, it’s not as easy as tattooing over unscarred skin. Therefore, you should find a tattoo artist who is experienced with tattooing over scars or incorporating scarring into tattoo designs. We’ve put together a few things you should think about before hopping into a tattoo artist’s chair.
A Tattoo is Possible, Even Over a Variety of Scars
Tatting over scars can be tricky, so you should figure out what kind scar you have first. In comparison to mastectomy, c-section, keloid, or other scars with significant depth and texture, self-harm scars are relatively easy to cover up.
A scar is the result of broken skin, so inking a relatively fresh scar will not be possible. Even after it has fully healed, skin that is scarred will be more sensitive than your regular skin—so expect your pain threshold to be a little lower than usual.
Think About Why You Want A Tattoo Cover up
Some people find that covering scars gives them back their self-confidence and self-worth. Other people use tattoo cover ups just to conceal skin that looks different. Scars may also be a reminder of a traumatic event in your life or how low you were at that time. Why not turn it into something positive? No matter what your scar’s meaning is, a tattoo is undoubtedly a memorable way to make it look more beautiful.
Understand That Not All Designs Work
Choosing a tattoo design requires you to determine whether you want to hide or highlight the scar. Tattoos can be any design you want, but they will never change the scar’s texture or completely erase it.
Keep Size In Mind
No matter how meticulous you are, you can never be sure how a tattoo will turn out. Sometimes scar tissue can take ink, and sometimes it can’t. Since the ink is unpredictable, it’s a good idea to start with a smaller design to see how it holds up. After you see how your tattoo turns out, you can always add to it.
Potential Risks of a tattoo cover up
As with any tattoo, the risks aren’t serious and mainly have to do with the final appearance of the ink, and how it will settle once the tattoo heals. If you have a keloid scar, or are prone to them, that you don’t ink directly over scar tissue, as this could exacerbate the skin issues.
Occasionally, tattooed patches of scar tissue appear blurrier than normal. Sometimes, scar tissue is so tightly woven that it can completely reject ink particles, leaving blank areas of skin. When this happens to you, you might need to see your tattoo artist again to have them go over your skin again.
Tattooing your scars is, at its core, a form of expression just like any other type of body art, but one that is bound to have a more personal significance. Whatever you decide will become part of a story that you may not have had control over until now. If you’re looking at covering up one of your scars with a tattoo, contact DH Tattooing or book a consultation with one of our artists.
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