Stretch marks have always been an aesthetic issue. They are natural skin phenomena that no one appreciates. Flawless skin with a natural glow seems to be the most appealing skin condition everyone wants. You see models showcasing fine fashion every day in the media, and you want that flawless skin too.
Unfortunately, there are so many creams and ointments developed over time that never seem to work. However, in recent times, there has been an increasing demand for concealing stretch marks with tattoos. The ultimate question in the minds of those who are yet to try out this method is, can tattoos cover stretch marks?
Stretch Marks- All You Need to Know
Since there is almost no medical evidence of specific treatments capable of removing stretch marks, it is best to understand what they are and how they appear. Here are some of the few things you need to understand about stretch marks:
What is a Stretch Mark?
Stretch marks, also known as Striae distensea, are natural skin conditions that pose as stripes or streaks of varying width and length formed over time. This condition is not peculiar with the female gender, even men have it too. They are often a result of the skin’s being unable to restore itself after an alteration in the growth process.
You will naturally find stretch marks appearing after sudden weight gain, weight loss, pregnancy, or puberty. The marks could appear tender, swollen, and red depending on the skin texture and color. However, they are almost always painless.
Why do Stretch Marks Appear?
The sudden shrinkage or excessive stretching of the skin are the key causes of stretch marks. When this happens, the elastin and collagen that are meant to support the skin are ruptured. Stretch marks don’t appear suddenly after this rupture but appear when healing starts, and the ruptured collagen and elastin are restored.
Other external factors may result in stretch marks, such as using corticosteroid-based products on your skin directly or having other underlying health issues like Marfan syndrome and Cushing’s disease. However, it is important to understand that those common day-to-day activities, pregnancy, and very natural exercises may also lead to stretch marks.
How to Get Rid of Stretch Mark?
Before you read any further, ensure you consult with your doctor to know if you may commence any medication to remedy the stretch mark on your skin. It is important to note that no medically proven medication has been developed to help stretch marks fade. This fact hasn’t stopped so many beauty companies from developing creams, ointments, and other suggested products that may help with this condition.
While these products may not help, they may effectively remedy early stretch mark detection if you apply them directly to the marks and massage deeply into them. Other natural remedies like almond oil, cocoa butter, and olive oil may also help eradicate this early.
Tattoo and Stretch Mark
Many tattoo techniques and designs have been developed over time as an alternative to buying tons of cream that wouldn’t work. We shall explain some of these techniques using some frequently asked questions below.
Can You Get a Tattoo Over Stretch Marks?
Since you can get a tattoo over a healed scar, it is equally possible to cover your stretch marks with tattoos. The tattoo artist may have to get all creative in helping you blend the stripes formed by the stretch into holistic tattoo art.
Alternatively, a tattoo artist may explore the art of disguising your stretch mark with colored inks that match your skin. This cosmetic procedure explores micro-needling on the stretch areas to reactive a skin healing mode. This mode produces new collagen on the surface of the stretch marks, making them puff in a manner that smoothens the grooves.
Once the skin has been reasonably smoothened, the artist may then use skin tone pigment ink over the stretch mark areas for a more natural skin tone feel. This procedure is relatively new and gives a natural appearance to your skin other than having the traditional tattoo option of drawing interesting art and images over stretch marks.
What if your Stretch Marks Formed Recently?
If your stretch marks recently formed, you may opt for stretch mark remover like retinol creams and other ointments instead of tattoo. Simple laser treatment may also remedy the early detection. One of the most recent and popular remedies is the platelet-rich plasma therapy.
The therapy uses plasma extracted from a patient’s blood together with an ultrasound device over the stretched areas. However, not all methods are safe for pregnant mothers and those with underlying health issues, as earlier mentioned. Consult your doctor before you commence any external treatment on your stretch mark.
How Much Will It Hurt to Ink on a Stretch Mark?
The sensitivity around scared or stretched skin tissues is quite high, making places with marks susceptible to pain when tensioned. Also, it hurts considerably when getting tattoos. However, the level of hurt is dependent on a couple of other things, such as the area where one is getting the tattoo and an individual’s tolerance level when it comes to pain.
Considering that stretch marks appear in quite sensitive areas of the body, such as the belly, breast, armpit region, and thighs, it is possible to experience a reasonable level of pain. This may be varied by individual tolerance to such conditions.
Things to Consider Before Getting Inked
What is the Cause of the Stretch Mark?
This is very important in knowing whether you need to get inked or explore other means. If you are suffering from any underlying condition that makes you gain or lose weight faster, it is important to look out for and treat those issues before getting inked.
A regular visit to the dermatology will help you detect new stretch makes in time. This may also afford you the ample time to seek early remedy against the stretch mark.
Fresh Marks May Appear Even After Getting Inked
Getting inked doesn’t put an end to the possibility of your skin getting fresh stretch marks. After getting tattooed, it is possible to see an area of your tattooed skin sprouting new stretch marks when you gain or lose more weight. However, for the new tattoos, early remedy alternatives might be explored to get rid of them.
Color of the Stretch Mark
Your marks’ color will determine whether or not they are fresh and how painful tattooing over them will be. Also, if you have reddish or purple marks, concealing them with a tattoo may be a little difficult. This may translate into longer hours with the tattoo artist trying to get the area covered and more pain you may have to bear.
How Wide and Large Your Marks Are
Except you don’t mind getting a large portion of your skin covered in ink, it is practically impossible to cover up wide stripes covering a very large skin surface on your body, especially with the traditional tattoo. For stretch marks covering a wide portion, concealing the area with a skin tone ink procedure may be a wiser option.
Is Tattooing Stretch Mark Very Expensive?
It is quite impossible to estimate how much a tattoo will cost. This is because the cost is dependent on so many other factors, such as location, the artist, the design, the procedure, and how large the skin area affected by stretch marks is. You will agree that the cost of someone trying to tattoo over the marks on her breast may be different from that of someone trying to get her entire belly tattooed. Other factors that may vary the price may include the quality of the ink opted for and medical monitoring necessary to ensure the total healing of the tattooed area.
Can All Tattoo Artists Work On Stretch Mark?
The skin texture of areas covered with stretch marks is different, and not all tattoo artists are used to this. It takes an artist with experience handling stretch marks to provide you with the kind of restorative care you need to transition from marks to art. Your healing needs to be monitored and you may need a specific design tailored to your skin pattern that most tattoo artists may not be used to. Therefore, you must ask questions.
Conclusion
Not only can you tattoo over the stretch mark, but you can also give your skin a completely different lift and boost your self-confidence with the new skin-tone inking procedure. However, before you visit that tattoo parlor, do your homework first. You may not need any tattoos if your stretch marks are still very fresh. Getting a medically prescribed ointment or cream may make your skin as good as new.
If you must get a tattoo, ensure you use a tattoo artist who has handled a similar case or has experience dealing with stretch marks. Don’t worry. You may experience a little pain while under the needle, but it will be worth the endurance much later.