Scars are sometimes an inevitable part of life. These permanent marks on the skin can be a reminder of something tragic that occurred in life. They could have been caused by an accident, a major surgery, or another event that was life altering. Japanese tattooing over scars, as well as other tattoo designs, has provided people a way to cope with their scars.

Whatever the choice may be, there are a few things to know about before attempting to cover a scar with a tattoo of any type. The risk is small, unless the wound is fresh and becomes infected.

In the case of a fresh scar, tattoo artists generally won’t administer a tattoo of any size on a fresh scar. Another reason why it isn’t a good idea to tattoo a brand new scar is that the pain will be intense.

If the scar is an extremely thin layer of skin over a sensitive area, a doctor might tell the patient not to have the scar tattooed. It’s a good idea to listen to the doctor’s advice on this one. There could be another medical reason behind the doctor’s hesitancy in okaying the administering of a tattoo on top of a specific scarred area, so don’t go against what this medical professional suggests.

The doctor might also suggest the patient not receive a tattoo at all on the scarred skin. This is generally due to the location of the scar. Sometimes disturbing the area can be detrimental to the patient’s health, which is why the doctor advises against it. This warning should always be heeded.

Tattoo ink doesn’t cover a scar the same way it does regular patches of skin. The ink might run together, or bleed as they say, and cause the design to look smeared or blurry. The scarred skin is often a different color too, which causes the ink to appear a lighter or darker color depending on the intensity of the scar. It’s best to talk to the tattoo artist and see what the verdict is there.

A woman who had a mastectomy or skin cancer of some sort might decide to treat herself to a tattoo to cover the scarred area where surgery took place. Even skin grafts can be tattooed over to hide them from view. Tattooing over a scar can make it virtually disappear, as long as it’s done right. For example, a dark or monochromatic tattoo might be lighter where the scar is, so it’s better to apply a tattoo that has different colors and more fluidity.

Japanese tattooing over scars or applying any other type of design over a scarred area of the skin might be a bad idea if you are only doing it because someone else wants you to. You should make the final decision, since you will be the one living with it the rest of your life.

You can now turn a scar into art with Japanese tattoos! Check out our site to learn all there is to know about Japanese tattooing over scars.. Free reprint available from: Japanese Tattooing Over Scars – Hiding Scars With Ink.