Tattooing Over A Plastic Surgery Scar

Tattooing over a plastic surgery scar is possible and if you plan on getting one, you’ll want to wait until any scar has gone through the healing process. There is a waiting period of at least 12-18 months after you have undergone plastic surgery. It’s always best to speak with a plastic surgeon beforehand to make sure a scar has fully healed.

Covering A Scar With A Tattoo

Lots of people want a tattoo simply to cover an old scar they got through a plastic surgery procedure. They want the tattoo to cover the scar specifically, plus choose the perfect design to cover it. There are several tattoo styles and shapes that will easily cover plastic surgery scars.

Most plastic surgeons are in the business of minimizing any scarring that results from plastic surgery. They take delight in being able to reduce any kind of scarring with patients. Plastic surgeons definitely want any scars to look natural.

There are patients who want something to cover what they feel is an imperfection. The scar affects their psychological wellbeing. They’re probably thinking, I want to find local tattoo shops near me to satisfy the need to cover my scar.

How To Get The Best Results

If you want excellent results, you’ll need to look at the scar itself and what defines it. Does it have ridges? Is it flat? Is it colorless? To achieve the best results, you’ll want to take into consideration the nature of the scar, the tattoo artist, and the design of the particular tattoo that you have in mind.

Scar Tissue And Tattoos

Heavy scars aren’t comparable to regular skin. A scar can be dense, which makes it difficult for the area to absorb and hold on to tattoo ink. When you place a tattoo over a heavy scar, you may have lines that are less distinct, and any colors used along with shading usually require further sessions to get the full effect. With a tattoo artist who is less than experienced in dealing with scars, any results might be questionable. You should probably speak with a plastic surgeon about the healing of a scar and the time necessary for planning on covering the scar with a tattoo.

The best thing to do is to locate a tattoo artist in any of the Philadelphia tattoo shops who have considerable work experience with tattoos and scarring. You want someone who knows exactly what they’re undertaking in covering a scar. Anyone who is not experienced enough will probably blow out the lines of the tattoo. A tattoo artist needs to be experienced, particularly with trying to cover a scar.

You want to remember that when a tattoo is done right, a tattoo artist will take away attention from the scar rather than covering it up. A tattoo that’s placed over a scar won’t change the textural aspect of the skin. If you view the tattoo with eyes wide open, you’ll still see the scar.

That’s one reason you’ll want to make the scar part of the tattoo’s design.

Is Tattooing Over A Scar Possible

Tattooing over scars can be problematic. Because the process requires an experienced tattoo artist, it’s best to meet with one who has considerable knowledge concerning tattoos and their ability to cover any scars. A tattoo artist will want to ask questions that involve what sort of goals the person is seeking. They’ll also want to assess the scar. Depending on its age, color and prominence, it will be difficult to make the scar disappear altogether. Concealing the scar and blending it in with the design and diverting attention away from the scar is the goal.

Depending on the type of scar an artist is dealing with will help determine the right concealment. Obviously, a self-made scar is easier to cover than one that has depth to it along with texture. It’s hard to make comparisons with different scars with significant attributes. Dealing with scars from mastectomies, C-sections and other related scars requires different actions. There are usually three types of scars that both plastic surgeons and tattoo artists deal with. They include:

• Hypertrophic Scars – This type of scar comes from burns and surface injuries. Hypertrophic scars are elevated and are redder and thicker. They usually heal within a year’s time, and tattooing should only occur after that time. Pain is usually limited, though the scar can show irritation during the process. Any care after the procedure is crucial and protection of the tattoo and the scar tissue is essential.
• Keloid Scars – Keloid scars happen after a fairly serious injury and should heal within 3-5 years. It’s only after that period that tattooing can happen. They are often thick and red in appearance and take on an asymmetrical shape. If a tattoo is going to cover a keloid, the scar must be completely healed. If it isn’t, the scar could reopen and serious irritation could occur. Keloid scars are hard to cover, so any tattoo design should be large and more intricate. Most tattoo artists recommend finding a tattoo design that integrates the scar as opposed to one that simply covers it.
• Atrophic Scars – An atrophic scar is one that is soft and found beneath the surface of the skin. They can be stretch marks, scars from burns, deep cut scars, chicken pox, and acne scars, or scars from surgeries. These type of scars are easier to tattoo and rarely carry any risks. You may see discoloring with these scars, so you want a tattoo covering that contains many colors or a tattoo with textural effects.
• Amputation/Skin-removal Scars – These more serious scars result because of the removal of a body part. Once the resulting scar heals, the remaining skin is smooth and is easy to tattoo; however, any of these parts could have serious nerve damage and may be too delicate to receive a tattoo, plus the pain issue is real with this kind of tattoo.

If you’re having difficulty dealing with any of the scars discussed here, and aren’t sure what to do about them, contact Oracle Tattoo Gallery at (215)-638-1601. They’ll be happy to answer your questions and provide you with information. They want to help you understand the difficulties that tattooing over scars can present.