Tattooing surgical scar

Emergency bowel removal after major perforations August of last year has left me with a rather large abdominal scar (approx 3 1/2 inches by 7 inches think oval with pointed tips) strongly considering tattooing as concealment. Already have a few pieces of ink but nothing on scar tissue. Anyone ever covered a large scar like this, suggestions/precautions above and beyond regular tattooing? Artist I have gone to in the past isn't comfortable tattooing a large scar like this and is no longer local to be able to give recommendations. 

The artist I use in Florida has done it, he is amazing but in Florida 

footie

Hi there ,

I personally wouldn't recommend it, it hurts on the stomach without a scar could only imagine how much more pain it would be with a scar. And you need to consider how long our your surgery has been. The stomach skin is very sensitive and You don't want any type of infection either. Question were you closed up after surgery , or did you have a wound vac, or were you left open to heal by itself from inside out ?

So are you wanting to get a tattoo to cover and hide  the scar , to embrace the scar with a tat around it or have you always wanted on there?

Staples for about 2 weeks, wound vac for 3 months, and medicated dry dressing the last about 3 months. I have always been slow healing on chest/belly injuries so Drs said as expected healing progress. 

Kind of both, I'm debating between having it look like an animal is ripping it's way out or doing something showing the innards of a machine.  I've had the loose idea of inner exposure somewhere on my body for a while.

Hi BS,

  A good tattoo artist will tell you to wait at least a year before you try to tattoo over a scar.  It's said tattooing a scar is more painful, and the deeper the scar the more pain involved.  Haven't had it done to myself, but that's what they say.  Scar tissue is a bit messed up........so blowouts are more probable than with unblemished skin, and of course the colors of ink used will have to be adjusted for the different skin color of your scar.  So obviously you need a very skilled artist who has experience with such.........but I'm sure you know that already.  The other thing to consider is are you sure they won't have to go in again thru that scar if your previous condition needs them to?  Reason being surgeons don't like cutting thru tattoos if they can help it, but won't compromise the surgery by avoiding cutting thru it.  Then if cut thru it may heal to look like a total mess.  Most surgeons don't even close their own incisions, so you may have a junior surgeon performing the closing.....who won't care about your tattoo at all, just his ability to properly close.  And lord knows those guys are NOT plastic surgeons.........at least judging by the ugly scars they gave me. 

So sure, you can tattoo over scars with the right artist, just make sure it's not going to be a high traffic area in the future!  And let us know what design you choose. We talked about this subject a few years back and there were some really good ideas throw out there for ostomy related tattoos, so it'll be fun to widen the canvas and see what others come up with!  Hope it works out well for ya!!

;O) 

Words of Encouragement from Ostomy Advocates I Hollister

I myself can say from first hand experience from being left open to heal by itself from the inside out. I wasn't able to wear the wound vac, major problems. So if you had the wound vac and then also packed it with saline soaked gauze. I would definitely say don't not do any type of tattoo. Pick a different spot on your body . But don't mess with you abdomen it's been through way to much already. 

G-Day Blaine,  You could also wear your Scar with Pride like we all do. Regards IGGIE

Yesss iggie ! I know I wear mine proud !! I don't want to cover it 

Get the zipper tattoo that looks like your stomach is being unzipped and you don’t have to actually have the scar get inked. 

Sorry IGGIE, those are scars won fighting for your country, not this one.

Pinterest shows a bunch of tattoos hiding scars. Lots of women have tats over breast removal scars.