Some tattoos are more special than others. Scar tattoos are one such example as they represent healing, acceptance, and resilience. We all weather difficult situations in our lives and for many, that involves needing surgery to address a health issue. For others, scars from self-harm or even an attempt at taking their own life are lasting reminders of pain that has been overcome.
Scar tattoos serve as reminders of endurance and overcoming those tough times. They turn the pain that exists or existed near the scar into a beautiful work of art and statement of strength, grit, and determination. We wanted to get a better idea of the possibilities and limitations of scar tattoos or scar cover-up tattoos so we turned to social media to discover the latest and most dramatic designs. Now, we would likе to shаrе them with you. You are going to love the way these artists have transformed scars into gorgeous tattoos.
Modest Koi Cover-Up
Let’s kick things off with a modest scar tattoo in the shape of a koi fish to help cover the unique shape of the scar. In the photo to the left, you can see that the scar is nearly impossible to see. For some, complete coverage is the goal, and for others, they want the scar to peek through. There’s no right or wrong way!
Straight Down the Line
Here’s a rather long scar that starts at the upper thigh and extends down to the knee. A stylish Mandala-inspired design cleverly covers most of the scar. We love the bejeweled look of the decorative lotus at the top and the lightness of the feathers below.
Floral for the Win
For deeper scars, scar tattoos that have elements that seem to dip in are a smart idea. In this example, we see the center of the flowers placed right into those deeper intentions on the skin, giving the tattoo a 3D feel.
Really, They Do the Work
Florals are the name of the game when it comes to scar tattoos. They provide the most excellent coverage while also symbolizing life, growth, and inner beauty. For this large leg scar, the tattoo artist has used delicate lines to bring it to life.
Draped Over the Shoulder
There’s a scar right beneath this person’s collar bone and the cascading florals create the perfect shape to mask it. Find yourself an artist with experience with scar tattoos and you could walk away with a piece that really camouflages the existing mark.
Feathers and Flowers
In addition to flowers, feathers are also great candidates for scar tattoos. Anything with an organic shape that can be manipulated for more coverage is going to be your friend. We likе the addition of white ink highlights to help brighten up this wrist tattoo.
A Positive Message
“Love yourself,” this scar tattoo says to the left of a flower that is covering up a mark on the shoulder. We can think of no better excuse to get a positive affirmation than a scar tattoo. Messages of love, strength, and enduring are all welcome here.
Sweet Cherry Blossoms
Cherry blossoms are mildly popular among scar tattoos (we will show you another example as this list continues). Take a look at how the artist has created a branch in the exact shape of the scar. It looks natural and organic and you would never know a scar was beneath it.
Floral Camo
Where did it go? Placement is a huge deal when it comes to scar tattoos. It’s often a better idea to have a tattoo that extends beyond just the scar to help hide it (if that’s the goal). The artist who completed this design understood this by creating a tattoo that starts further to the left of the scar and that falls down a few inches beyond it as well.
Butterflies
Here is a scar tattoo from France. We find scarring on the hip and thigh here that is perfectly covered by some beautifully colored butterflies. While black and grey ink are the standards for scar tattoos, they are not the only way to go. We encourage you to explore color options with your tattoo artist if you’re not married to the idea of just black ink.
Breathtaking Coverage
We find a good deal of scarring on the abdomen in the above example but the scar tattoo turns it into a masterpiece. We find robust blooms, decorative elements, and even birds. They all look so natural even though we know each one was intentionally placed for coverage.
A Little Can Go a Long Way
For small scars, you do not need to go huge to cover those little babies up. Small scar tattoos can get the job done without much commitment. You would never know these little, circular scars were there, would you?
With Tribute
As promised, here’s another scar tattoo that uses cherry blossoms for coverage. What makes this one stand out to us is the addition of “Momma” among those flowers. The person who shаrеd the image offered no explanation but we feel it’s likеly that this could be a memorial tattoo that is related in some way to the scar.
Clever Shapes
As we mentioned, placement is a big deal for scar tattoos. This artist understood the assignment and created a bird in a shape that mirrors that of the scar. The flowers follow that same C-shape making the scar all but disappear.
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A Big Bloom
We must tell you that any tattoo is painful in the armpit. This person was a real trooper by getting this very bold flower design there. Like, this is some serious dedication. We think the end result is stunning and we hope it was well worth it for this individual who took a risk that really delivers.
Warm It Up
There are two sorts of techniques that tattoo artists use for scar tattoos. One is to use delicate lines to disguise a scar underneath. Another way to go is to crank it up with bold, dark, colors that can perform the same take. These moody black flowers sure are handsome.
So Subtle
We find the texture inside the botanical elements of this scar tattoo really covering the thin, long scars beneath. Bold black lines paired with those minute details really make this design dynamic.
