Brazilian Stretch Mark and Scar Camouflage Tattooing

• Can I have my scar camouflaged by tattooing?

 

Being able to receive this treatment will depends of several factors:

• Type, colour and age of the scar,

• Skin or medical conditions.

 

For camouflage using skin tone tattoo ink, the scar or stretch marks need to be lighter than the surrounding skin. We won't be able to treat dark or red stretch marks or scars with this method. But in this case, we can provide alternative procedures like enlightening dry-needling treatment or derma pen microneedling using serums – these treatments will gradually soften and lighten the scar tissue.

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If you have red stretch marks you need to wait till the skin finishes its healing until they go white. We usually treat stretch marks that are at least 12 months old for just needling, or 2 years old for tattooing.

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Please note that stretch mark tattoo ink camouflage and micro-needling are 2 different treatments which require different techniques and different needles.

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Some clients will need to have micro-needling done first, before progressing to tattoo ink. This is to relax the skin and scar and promote some healing. Usually 2-3 micro-needling sessions will be needed first. You will be advised if you should have micro-needling first.

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Note that there are certain conditions under which we can not provide this treatment such as pregnant or breastfeeding women or person with bleeding disorder. Our pigments contain some traces of metal such as Chromium or Titanium Dioxide which are proven to be safe in the skin. But if you have any known allergies to these metals, we will not be able to carry out the treatment. Also, if If you suffer from keloid scarring, then this procedure is not right for you.

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All this point will be discussed during the initial consultation.

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• Is this treatment suitable to all skin types?

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Usually, yes!  

If the stretch marks are lighter than the surrounding skin, then it doesn’t matter what skin tone you are. We can treat skin types I-IV on the Fitzpatrick scale.

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The only things to consider are:

• If you suffer from keloid scarring (usually more prominent in darker skin types), then this procedure is not right for you.  

• If you have dry, flaky skin, the ink will not hold well in all areas.

• If you have very light skin, it is difficult to match colour since your skin is almost translucent so the ink is likely to be visible in the skin. Microneedling would be a better option in this case.  

• On darker skin types prone to hyperpigmentation, there is a risk the treated areas will be darker than the surrounding skin for a long time after treatment.  

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All this questions will also be answered during the consultation/colour match test.

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• What is the treatment?

 

We will create the skin tone ink to match the clients skin tone, together with mixing solution (which also helps prevent colour change). A small patch test is initially performed to see how the ink takes. If this result is satisfactory, then a full session will be booked. The ink is essentially tattooed on the skin like a regular tattoo, using a shading technique. This ink is inserted in the top layers of the skin.

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• Pre-treatment preparation:

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Please try to follow the points below:

• Have a good scrub on the area to be treated in order to remove dead skin cells.

• Avoid alcohol and caffeine for 24 hours before (and 24 hours after) treatment.

• In the few days prior to treatment, moisturise or oil your skin so it is in good condition. Dry, flaky skin would not take the ink as well and the results could not be as good.

• Make sure you eat before your appointment as this will help with pain thresholds and feeling well for treatment.

• On the day of the treatment, do not use any lotions or oils on the area you want treated as this can interfere with the ink placement.

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• How long does the treatment take?

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The Patch test is a pre-required part of the treatment. The colour matching of your skin tone and mixing the pigments can take up to 40 minutes before the treatment itself but is it is an extremely important process and it will require you to work with us on agreeing the final colour to be used.

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After that, it can take anywhere from 2-5 hours per area, depending on the size being treated. Also note that due to the amount of ink your body can take in one session large areas cannot be done during a single visit. You will need to book one appointment per area to be treated (it can be grouped for small areas).

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Everything will be clarified during the pre-consultation when receiving photos of the area to be treated and we will be able to provide a better idea of the time it will take.

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• Is the treatment safe?

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Yes! 

But like any tattoo procedures, you need to to consider some factors.

• The therapist you use, and his/her experience and training.

• Our premises follow government guidelines regarding sanitation.

• All equipment and furniture are sterilised after each client and new, sterile needles are used.

• Inks and needles are high quality, purchased from the renowned supplier.

• Aftercare performed once the work is done is of also extremely importance to avoid infection, which can lead to scarring and other complications.

• Tattooing over any scar tissue poses a greater risk to the finished work than regular tattoo on undamaged skin.  

• Because our pigments contain some traces of metal such as Chromium or Titanium Dioxide you have to mention if you have any known allergies to these metals (we will not be able to carry out the treatment in this case).

• If you have to have any MRI / X Rays on the treated areas in the future, you must let the physician know about the ink in your skin.​​

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• How many sessions will I need and what to expect at the end of the 1st session?

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The number of treatments depends on the condition of the skin, the area to be covered and on following the aftercare advice.

• For stretch marks the average is usually 2 sessions.

• For other scar types the average is 2-4 sessions.

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Note that it is very difficult to know how many treatments will be needed, as you cannot tell how deep the stretch mark is in the skin, or how well your skin will retain the ink. There are no guarantees that this treatment will work on everyone, although it is very rare for it not to work.

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As mentioned above, following the aftercare protocol is extremely important to get the best chance of a successful result. The body healing response plays a big part in the final result, but which is not something we can control on our side!

Straight after the 1st session, you will be a little sore, swollen and red and it will settle down over the next 1 to 2 weeks and then you will have dark scabby skin.  As the skin heals, the stretch marks may still appear dark for some time (especially on darker skin types) before eventually revealing the final colour.  

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Note that results after the 1st session vary and some people will see a significant improvement whereas others may not be able to see much difference. On lighter skin types, the ink dilution has to be higher in order to avoid unnatural results. On close inspection of the skin, the therapist will be able to see what ink retention there is and if necessary will make any adjustments needed to increase retention on the second session. Please also note that session 1 is always more conservative in order to avoid over-dilution in the skin. This allows the therapist to see during the following session(s) if any colour adjustments are required and build the ink up further, with less dilution.

 

There is no point in having just 1 session this is a multi-session treatment and you have to be patient.  As we will explain during the consultation, we cannot control how well your body retains the ink. Ink retention is down to your body’s immune system and following the aftercare advise.

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• Does it hurt?

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The treatment is similar to normal tattoo procedure. We do not use numbing cream as this interferes with the skin texture and ink insertion during treatment and can affect the results but we recommend taking some paracetamol before treatment if you have a low pain threshold. Please do NOT take aspirin as this will affect blood clotting at the treatment site.

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• How does it look after treatment?

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There will be redness and swelling in the area but this is normal. You need to use a cold compress to bring the swelling down. This will subside over the coming days and weeks and will then naturally scab over as a sign of healing. But you can go back to work! However avoid any exercises causing sweating or rubbing on the area for 7 days.​

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And please keep in mind that the results are not immediate! You may notice a difference depending on your original skin tone / stretch mark contrast. The final result will only be visible once the skin is completely healed, which usually takes around 60 days. Note that it might take longer if you suffer from hyperpigmentation, up to 90 days.

And taking care of the treated area will help producing better results. Your treatment area will scab like any regular tattoo treatment and it is important to leave your skin alone (no itching!!) during this process to avoid any scarring.

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• What is the aftercare ?

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You should follow the below points as much as possible to get the best and fastest healing process:

• Use an SPF of 40+ (even in a cloudy day as the sunrays still affect badly the skin!)

• Prepare some cold compresses when you get home.

• Avoid sunbeds, saunas for 1 week, exercise/workout for 1 week, swimming for 2 weeks.

• Avoid showering on the area treated for 24 hours.

• The area will naturally scab as it starts to heal – do not scratch it if it itches! This is extremely important. If you scratch it and it starts bleeding, not only will you lose some pigment, but you may cause scarring.​​​​

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• How long do the results last?

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Stretch mark camouflage is a penetrative skin treatment using permanent tattoo ink. This means that the results last indefinitely, provided that the correct after care procedures are adhered to. As with any tattoo ink, this will fade slowly over time, but the inks we use should not change colour.

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With stretch mark tattoo camouflage, the dilution of the ink is increased for a natural result, meaning they do not last as long as a regular decorative tattoo.  The longevity of results varies greatly depending on many factors such as a person’s immune system, sun exposure, products used on the skin, and following the aftercare post treatment.

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On average the results last anywhere between 3 and 7 years. But touch ups are available if needed. Please remember that we cannot predict how the skin will deal with the ink and how quickly it will fade, so we can only discuss about averages. The pigment doesn’t last as long as a traditional tattoo due to the dilutions required for natural results.

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And also, keep in mind that needling the skin (even dry - without ink) can help improve the appearance of stretch marks, so even when the ink fades, they should appear better than they were initially before treatment.

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• What happens if I got suntan before treatment and what about after the procedure?

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This is a big No-No before the treatment!

We need to match the ink to only your natural skin tone and require that our clients postpone their treatment until their tan has faded. This ensures that we are able to custom blend an ink pigment colour that will look most natural whether you are tanned or not tanned.

 

We advise that you do not sun bathe for at least 90 days after the treatment. For best long term results we recommend that you apply a high protection SPF to the area treated prior to any sun exposure. The treated area will remain the same tone as the pigments that were applied. Therefore if your natural skin darkens with a tan, you would see a slight variance between your natural skin and treated area. However as we blend multiple tones of pigment using our unique blending technique, the variance is minimal and much less noticeable than the colour of the stretch marks before the treatment was done.  The sun may fade the which is why we recommend using a high SPF, but sunlight will not change the pigment colours that we use.