No judgment here! It is great to be able to carry your scars with chest-thumping pride. Yet, at times, you might want to cover them up with, say, Tattoos. Yes, tattoos are good. They look great and are, in a way, similar to scars.
Getting tattoos designed over your scars might sound straightforward only when it isn’t. While the process itself, or rather the final design, might exactly be what you wanted, tattooing over blemishes does require massive forethought.
Throughout this discussion, expect us to cover every aspect of tattooing over a scar—including talks regarding patience, steps to follow, choice of the artist, choice of tattoo, pain-specific expectations, and also the exclusive aftercare regime. So without wasting any more time, let’s dig deep into the basics.
Prepare Yourself, Well in Advance
The first step to getting any kind of tattoo is preparation. And the step becomes all the more vital if you plan on doing it on an existing scar. A good process here would be to start with a few dermatological consultations followed by visits to the tattoo artists, just to check on the ink and machines they use.
You also need to understand that a scar, in general, takes close to 6-months to heal. Thus, if you have one, give it time to heal before you subject it to something as demanding as a tattoo.
Gianna Caranfa, one of the leading globally recognized tattoo artists, believes that it is good to give a cut at least a year to heal before planning a tattoo around it.
Choose the Right Tattoo
If you plan on re-scaring a scarred surface with a tattoo, you might have to weigh in on the possible options far more carefully than usual. Scar cover-up tattoos aren’t easy to choose and are even harder to execute.
Also, before you seek tattoo consultations, assess the severity of the injury (that caused the scar in the first place), placement of the same, age of the blemish, and also the color. These details will help you find the right tattoo that best conceals the aberration if you consider it as one.
Yet, not every tattoo you like can be used to replace your scar. First of all, your scar might not be in a state to go through the rigors of a large tattoo. And secondly, you might not want to get a massive design inked on you in the first place.
So keeping both these factors in mind, here are some of the better tattoo choices to cover up that scar of yours:
1. Cross Tattoo
You can get a cross tattoo anywhere, depending on the placement of your scar. From fingers to wrists, a cross tattoo, all thanks to its straight lines, can cover every known scar. And yes, even your favorite star, Selena Gomez, sports one. Hey, not that she is trying to hide a scar there!
2. Sunflower Tattoos
Imagine getting breast surgery done! And while the scar is certainly worth flaunting, a sunflower tattoo can be a great choice if you plan on shrouding it. And if you aren’t sure as to how it is done, check out Vanessa Hudgen’s profile to know more as she flaunts the tiny sunflower tattoo with pride.
3. Letters
Nothing hides deep scars better than standard letters. However, to make the design impactful, it is better to choose the words carefully. If ideas aren’t coming in, try and take inspiration from Shay Mitchell’s evergreen ‘Honey’ tattoo that quite clearly looks bespoke yet effective.
4. Notes on the Neck
Do you have neck scars? I hope not! Yet, hiding them is easy enough if you choose to go with notes, just the way Halsey has her’s done right. Notes on the neck are wavy and great. The lines are sharp yet not too much. And the blacks would just compliment the white tank-top in the best way possible.
And that’s it from my repository when it comes to picking up the right tattoo design to cover up a standard scar.
Choose the Right Artist
Regardless of the design you choose, it is important to place the tattoo perfectly over or around the scar. And that is why it is important to connect with an experienced artist— who can gauge the depth, color, and texture of your scar and plan the next step accordingly.
Without complicating stuff, you can even opt for someone you are comfortable with. And if you are unsure, try and sift through portfolios to get hold of the best artists in the business.
Set the Expectations Straight
Design, artist, and portfolios: it certainly seems like a honeymoon phase. Well, it isn’t. Tattooing on a scar is and will be even more painful. Also, if the scar is a new one, the pain will be out of this world. Scarred areas tend to be more sensitive than usual. And that is why they feel pain more than on a regular skin surface.
Also, if you have pronounced scar tissue, it is necessary that the artist you connect with uses a top rated tattoo starter kit comprising high-end ink choices, best-in-class machines, preparation gels, and more. It is known that a state-of-art kit or even just a machine can help minimize the pain considerably.
But that’s not it! You should also account for some aesthetic and health risks along the way, including an existing scar getting re-exposed and ink getting into some unattended areas. And keeping these aspects in mind, it is necessary to consult a dermatologist before, while, and after getting tattooed.
Manage the Aftercare Regime
Tattoo aftercare is arguably the most important aspect of making the tattoo last longer, and that too without getting infected. Multiply this ‘importance quotient’ by at least 10— and now we have the aftercare seriousness that is required to attend to a scar-adjacent tattoo.
While a dermatologist can guide you the best in this regard, it is necessary to ensure that you choose creams, lotions, and gels having no chemical agents, parabens, or perfumed entities.
Wrap-Up
Getting a tattoo made on or around a scar isn’t easy. It requires a great design choice and a comparable artist to pick up the task. And while the above-mentioned discussion presents an overview of the entire process, it is necessary to get into the depths of each pointer to understand, execute, and streamline the process to perfection.