Tattoos
Whether they’re from surgery, acne, or stretch marks, scars have the ability to tell deeply personal stories – or serve as painful reminders of the past. Tattooing over scars provides a creative, more personal way to reclaim confidence and build a new chapter that is free from reminders of the past.
While most scars can be tattooed safely, the process requires patience and an experienced tattoo artist who understands the inner workings of tattooing scars and how scar tissue reacts to ink.
In this guide, learn about the optimal conditions for tattooing scars, the types of scarring that can be tattooed successfully, and the pain levels compared to tattooing unscarred skin.
Yes, you can tattoo over most scarring on the skin as long as certain criteria are met. Your scar should be fully healed to ensure the process is done safely and to prevent complications from occurring.
Flat scars are generally more suitable for the tattoo process compared to keloid scars due to the presence of raised skin and reactive tissue. However, most scarring can be successfully covered with an experienced tattoo artist and the right design.
Regardless of location on the body, acne scarring can be successfully tattooed once the scar has completely healed. You should ensure all surrounding skin is acne-free before tattooing to help protect your body from harmful bacteria exposure.
Additionally, it can be incredibly painful to get tattooed in an area with substantial acne scarring or active breakouts.
Surgical scarring is a popular type of scar to cover with tattoos, specifically mastectomy scars. The process is generally safe as long as the scarring is fully healed and often provides an opportunity for people to heal emotionally from medical trauma.
A standard scar represents scarring from simple stitching that has minimal-to-no raised scar tissue. These scars are usually shallow and linear, allowing them to be tattooed relatively easily compared to other scar types.
Although stretch marks don’t resemble typical scars, they are classified as scarring and experience a variety of physical changes over time. Their pattern is often unpredictable and fluctuates as the area heals.
Tattooing over unhealed stretch marks can retraumatize the skin and further extend the healing process. All stretch marks, regardless of location on the body, should be fully healed before getting tattooed for optimal results.
Every scar type must be fully healed before getting tattooed, but healing timelines vary greatly based on the scar and your body’s natural healing process.
A fully healed scar, often referred to as a mature scar, will usually appear white or skin toned. Not only does this represent optimal healing, but it also signifies the area is ready to be tattooed if desired. Any scarring that is pink, red, or purple should not be tattooed because the area is still actively healing.
“If you want to cover a newly formed keloid scar, wait at least a year until it’s completely healed. For deeper or larger scars, you might have to wait much longer than that, like 3–5 years. Tattooing a keloid scar that’s completely healed reduces the risk of worsening the scar.”
– Healthline
When planning your scar cover-up tattoo, it is important to approach the process with patience. Properly healing any scar takes time, especially if you plan on tattooing the area in the future.
If a scar is tattooed too early into the healing process, your tattoo can become distorted over time.
Tattooing over scarring is typically more painful than tattooing unscarred skin. However, the pain level depends on your scar’s healing status, depth, location, and your personal pain tolerance.
All scar types experience nerve sensitivity to some degree, which can impact the pain you experience during the tattoo process. Additionally, scarring from medical stitching can decrease the skin’s elasticity, making it harder to tattoo and potentially more painful overall.
Considering covering your scar with a tattoo? Removery proudly partners with thousands of talented cover-up tattoo artists worldwide to help clients approach scar cover-ups and old ink with confidence.
Get in touch to learn more.
We’re on a mission to give you the most straightforward, easy and efficient laser tattoo removal experience. Your estimate will be entirely bespoke to your tattoo; the size, the colors, the ink. It won’t take long and afterwards you’ll have a plan to finally get rid of your unwanted tattoo and get back to being you.
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