Do tattoos cover scars?

Scars Covered by Tattoos

People have varied philosophies when it comes to scars. Some wear their scars with pride, even referring to them as battle wounds or seeing them as symbols of survival. Others do not like seeing a daily reminder of past battles. These people may tire of answering awkward questions or only purchase certain types of clothing that cover their scars.

Regardless of how you view your scars, you may have thought of getting a tattoo to either draw attention to your past wounds or to hide the injury from sight, but how do tattoos over scars look? Does it work to ink the area?

The short answer to this question is “it’s complicated.” There are many factors to consider when attempting to tattoo a scarred area.

Has the scar healed?

Tattoo artists have a difficult time working with scarred tissue, especially when the wound is relatively new. If the wound is still inflamed, red, or irritated it is too sensitive to ink. For this reason, it may be necessary for you to wait until the wound has time to heal before visiting a tattoo studio. How long will that take? It depends on the wound. If you had a severe and deep injury, it might take years for the skin around that area to settle. Less severe scars can be inked within weeks or months of the trauma.

How big is the scar?

If a scar is particularly long or wide, it is going to be harder to cover with ink. If you have a substantial injury, you will need to give your tattoo artist grace if the work doesn’t turn out exactly how you envisioned. After all, any artist working with a damaged canvas may have a more difficult time completing his or her artwork.

How deep is the scar?

If your scar is particularly deep, the tattoo artist may have a difficult time placing the ink in precisely the right spot and because of this, choosing a precise design may not be the right choice to cover your scar.

What color is the scar?

Scars change color through the healing process. Don’t assume that the current color of your scar will be the same ten years from now.

Know the risks of getting a tattoo over a scar

Tattoo artists who have tattooed on and around scars say that this type of tattoo can be tricky to administer. Scar tissue holds ink differently than healthy skin does. Some areas of scar tissue may not take any ink. Those areas may look less defined than ink on healthy skins. In infrequent circumstances, a tattoo can break open an old scar and cause bleeding. Of course, if the scar has been given a long time to heal, this is less likely to happen.

So, you want a tattoo. What’s the first step?

You understand that a scarred area can be tricky to tattoo, but you are ready to attempt the process. Now, you need to begin your search for that perfect tattoo artist to ink your skin. As you visit with potential artists, ask if they have experience in tattooing over scar tissue. Ask to see before and after photos of this work. Look at the walking billboards you encounter in your daily life. Ask others about their tattoo artists. You may find that the artists you most admire come with a hefty price tag. Save your money and hire the person who you feel most comfortable with to do the job.

Design ideas

Talk over your philosophy of design with your artist. Let your artist know if you want a design that enhances your scar and draws attention to the wound or whether you would like to conceal your skin imperfection.

After the artist understands your wishes, the fun part begins: picking the design.

One professional tattoo artist said that designs with texture and depth work the best over and around scarred skin. Intricate patterns also seem to work well over scars. You may consider a natural pattern with flowers, leaves, or trees. These organic patterns can mask scar tissue easily. Some artists even use the main scar ridge as the trunk of a tree or a stem of a plant.

You may also want to look to the stars to find the right tattoo design for you. Swirling stars and clouds can cover up scars easily.

You may also want to look at the shape of your scarred area to see if it reminds you of any pattern that may have significance or importance to you.

If your artist has worked on scarred areas before, he or she may have ideas of what types the designs work the best.

“In the Black Hat Tattoo, our team of artists are used to deal with various tattoo designs to cover any type of scars and are available to answer to all the questions you have. Feel free to reach us”