Can you get tattooed over a scar

Get the details on stick poke tattoos, including why you may want to skip the DIY versions. It can take as long as 2 years for a belly button piercing to heal completely. During that time, you're at risk for infection. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Medically reviewed by Deborah Weatherspoon, Ph. Why people do it. Does it hurt more? Other considerations. What will it look like? How to find a reputable tattoo artist. The bottom line.

Read this next. Medically reviewed by Stacy Sampson, D. Thinking About a Tongue Tattoo? Medically reviewed by Debra Sullivan, Ph. Read This First. Medically reviewed by Jenneh Rishe, RN. Lavriv says you should also consider what the tattooing process will do to the scar, and that follow-ups are absolutely necessary when tattooing scarred skin. I always ask my scar cover-up clients to come in for a short touch up session to see how everything settled. If you plan to leave some of your scar exposed, consider that it could get a bit feathered around the edges and smaller lines may appear less defined.

Some spaces may not even take the ink at all. Because of the different skin texture in scars, there is a way higher chance of blowouts, blurring, [and] spotty healing. Next up: How to take care of a tattoo, according to a rapper and tattoo artist. American Society for Surgery of the Hand. Scar treatment.

Updated Thank you [email] for signing up. Please enter a valid email address. Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for Byrdie. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page. One of the most effective tattoo numbing products currently on the market is Zensa Numbing Cream , which contains the highest level of Lidocaine allowed by the FDA for over-the-counter use. The feedback left by thousands of customers for this product is nothing short of exceptional.

Just follow the instructions supplied with the cream and apply shortly before your tattoo appointment is due to begin so that you can look forward to a less painful and more comfortable tattooing experience.

The amount of cream you get in a tube also ensures you have more than enough for a large tattoo. Besides, once the tattoo is complete and you have an awesome new tattoo to show off, everything you felt during the procedure will be completely and instantly forgotten about. As with all forms of body art, each individual tattoo will come with its own element of risk, and more so if the tattoo is being done over a scar.

The main potential risks all relate to the appearance of the tattoo and how it will turn out visually once fully healed. Scar tissue will also hold the ink differently to how healthy layers of skin would, and therefore you may find that areas of the tattoo could look less defined and more blurry than normal.

Some parts of the scar tissue may not even take on any ink at all, leaving areas of fading and patchiness. There are several practices by you or your tattoo artist that can lead to tattoo scarring:. One common cause of scarring occurs if your tattoo artist overworked your tattoo or has gone too deep into the epidermis. When a deeper layer of your skin is damaged, this prevents your skin from healing normally instead, it heals as a scar. Scabbing after receiving a tattoo is normal, but if you continuously peel at this tattered skin, then this can cause substantial scarring.

Also, beware of scratching as that could unconsciously peel away at your skin. If you neglect the sanitation of this sensitive area, your tattoo will be susceptible to scarring. Bacterial infection can have unpredictable results, but one of its most eminent consequences is tattoo scarring. Everyone's skin adapts to tattoos differently; thus, some people have skin that is more susceptible to scarring than others.

If you know your skin has a hard time healing from wounds and blisters, then this may be something you need to consider before getting a tattoo. These reasons stress the importance of going to a trusted tattoo artist , as well as being aware of the proper procedures you should take after obtaining a new tattoo.

Read also: Tattoo Aftercare Instructions. Luckily, tattoo scarring is not the end of the world, as there are a plethora of different ways out there that you can use to fix or prevent this issue:. Using a moisturizer will not remove your scar completely, but it will do a substantial job in reducing redness and approving the overall appearance.

Most importantly, by using moisturizing products for tattoo healing you will reduce the risk of getting scar tissue.