We already published an article about tattoos covering up birthmarks and another one about inking over scars so we figured why not do a piece that combines the two together. After all, millions of people have blemishes on their skin that they’re not excited about and there are plenty of ways to transform them into works of art.

This list by Bored Panda is full of beautiful, funny, and simply genius designs that ‘healed’ old body wounds and marks. And maybe a few mental bruises that came with them as well. So scroll down to check them out for yourself, upvote your favorites, you know how it goes.

#1 The Most Meaningful Tattoo I’ve Ever Done. Scar Cover-Up For This Amazing Woman. I Have No Words To Describe This Process

Image credits: danasha.tattoo

To learn more about these delicate cover-ups, we contacted Jesse Whitley, the owner of Stagecoach Tattoo Co. in Lubbock, Texas. “The most experienced artists can work with or around birthmarks, whereas scar tissue can be tattooed directly over,” Jesse told Bored Panda. “Tattooing over a scar actually breaks down the scar tissue.”

However, Whitley highlighted that the severity of the scar will influence the artist’s ability to make a good tattoo in and around the affected area. “When tattooing over a scar, you have to understand that it is a different type of skin and holds ink differently than normal unaffected skin.”

#2 Check Out This Amazing Before And After Photo By Our Artist, Gustavo

Image credits: empowertattoo

#3 Scar Tattoo

Image credits: camurtattoo

According to health experts, scarred skin is harder and more irregular, therefore it is less able to absorb ink than regular skin.

It’s also possible that the ink will migrate and cause the tattoo to look smudged or unclear. Therefore, it’s vital that people choose an experienced artist.

Everyone’s body is different. That means everyone’s level of pain tolerance is different, too. However, scar tissue is generally more sensitive to the needle. For some, especially those whose scars have caused nerve damage or compression, getting a cover-up tattoo might be extremely painful.

#4 A Camouflage Of Childhood Domestic Burn

Image credits: pinkdermographie

#5 Make The Most Of What You’ve Got

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#6 Lily On A Rock. Design Is Based On The Client’s Birthmark

Image credits: studiobysol

One of the people whose tattoo you see in this list is designer and art director Deepali Masand. We contacted her and Deepali agreed to share her story — the woman gave an honest account of how she ended up with this beautiful cat design.

Everything started when she was 13 and got into a car accident. Deepali’s left arm got stuck between the road and the vehicle, and she ended up with a huge burn-like scar.

#7 I Have No Words To Describe How Much I Was Looking Forward To Doing This Work And All That Are To Come

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#8 Very Interesting Custom Project Around A Scar. I Guess I Could Call It “Scar Upcycling”

Image credits: nein666_tattoo

#9 This Scar Cover-Up Tattoo

Image credits: Yulinka17

#10 This Is Genius

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“Back in 2003, when the scar was still fresh, everyone suggested plastic surgery,” she told Bored Panda. “But as time passed, I got really comfortable with that scar. It had stopped bothering me per se.”

“Then fast-forward to 2018, when I lost my first fur baby. That [also scarred me]. I made an illustration as an ode to his passing for an Inktober prompt called ‘Tranquil.’ But this year, when I was about to turn 30, I decided to finally ink something that was meaningful to me, on me — I had been meaning to get a tattoo for the longest time.”

#11 Sometimes It Is Enough To Cleverly Integrate A Scar Instead Of Covering It

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#12 Turning Scar To Fishbone

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#13 Finally Done Something With My Scar

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#14 This Was Fun

Image credits: pat_theblackcattattoo

The designer said she had an epiphany. “It hit me in the middle of the night. I had to cover my scar with a beautiful memory. I reached out to a very dear and supremely talented friend Arnab that very moment.”

“He also happens to be [an awesome] tattoo and graffiti artist and he was super stoked to hear this idea.”

#15 This Is A 40-Year-Old Scar And We Covered It With Some Cherry Blossoms And Butterflies

Image credits: p.ink.y_pix_kpt

#16 My Nephew Finally Had His Burning Scars Covered With A Tattoo. I Am So Proud Of My Boy! Made Me Smile And Also Made Me Cry Of Happiness

Image credits: ImaGeisha4u

#17 Covered Up Old Self-Harm Scars With My First Tattoo

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#18 Hooked

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“I had a couple of needle pokes on me as experiments but this was my first machine tattoo,” Deepali explained. “The process was pretty seamless, as it was a friend who was going to ink on me. I bestowed the utmost trust upon him, as he’s an animal lover too, and he just reciprocated the same.”

“Arnab took inspiration from my illustration and made it his own. We built upon ideas as it went, a Van Gogh-like moon in green and blue inks and a little bit of scar to show through the moon’s crater-like texture. It was meant to honor both the memory of the scar and my cat.”

#19 Got To Do This Rad Wine Glass To Work With A Birthmark Today

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#20 The Process Of Closing The Scars

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#21 My Dog Running Across My Scar

Image credits: FLSTSBrider

#22 C-Section Tattoo Cover-Up

Cúc chose to tattoo chrysanthemum because it’s her favorite color and also her name in Vietnamese.

Image credits: ngocliketattoo

Deepali said she had been warned that it might hurt but everything was finished in a single 3-hour session. “I can rather proudly say that I sat like a rock, more so because it meant so much to me and also the scar area was mostly dead skin.”

“It was so overwhelming to see this tattoo get so much love, those who’d met my cat, Billu, had been touched by him in some sort of way (scratches included), and it almost felt like he’s getting all that love via the tattoo.”

#23 Scars Are Tattoos With Better Stories

Image credits: screaminktattoos_

#24 We Continued A Project That I Really Enjoyed And Was Excited To Do. A Sleeve Of Snowflakes Between Birthmarks That Have Become Clouds

Image credits: nimketattoo

#25 Simple Rainbow Concept

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#26 Scar Cover-Up

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Deepali thinks tattoos are life-altering. “In a weird way, you feel like a different person; more aligned and aware. You also realize that pain is just something in your mind … we can endure much more than we imagine!” And it’s definitely visible in the photos.

It’s we who define and give meaning to our scars. Not the other way around.

#27 Update On My Tattoo That Covers A Bad Nip, An Old Tattoo, And Some Top Surgery Scars

Image credits: gilbertthefishx

#28 Paw Print Tattoo Around A Birthmark

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#29 Birthmark Transformed Into A Cherry

Image credits: electrik_ink_timisoara

#30 After 6 Years, Many Laser Scar Removal Treatments, Scar Strips And So, I Decided To Get A Tattoo Over My Scars And Loving The Result

Image credits: Round-Net-2260

#31 One Way To Work Around A Scar

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#32 Scar Cover-Up Tattoo

Image credits: mrhillstattoo

#33 Something A Bit Different. Outlined A Good Friend’s Of Mine Birthmark

Image credits: jwhitley2041

#34 This Is An Incredible Cover-Up

Image credits: bartzavattero.tattoo

#35 Little Scar Cover From 2013

Image credits: nicowagnertattoo

#36 So My Sister Has Wanted Her Birth Mark Covered For A While Now And So She Wanted This

Image credits: teetattooing

#37 Scar Butterfly

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#38 No Scars Are Impossible, They Just Need The Right Solution

Image credits: jannickewiesehansen

#39 First Session Of A Scar Cover-Up Completed, Still Need To Add Cherry Blossoms And Background

Image credits: nervous_simulation

#40 Birth Mark Tattoo

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#41 Scar Cover-Up. Really Pleased With This Delicate Piece

Image credits: joharrisontattoo

#42 Scar Cover-Up

Image credits: Mrobinson4594

#43 Within 1 Hour A Birthmark Turns Into A Moustache. Oh My God, We Had So Much Fun

Image credits: xris.buck

#44 I Had The Opportunity To Work On And Especially With This Pretty Scar Which Served As A Bench For Monsieur Le Baron

Image credits: lucanetattooshop

#45 Without A Doubt The Most Fun I’ve Ever Done

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#46 Tattoo Scar Cover-Up 3 Years Post-Op

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#47 Scar Tattoo Cover-Up

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#48 Thanks To My Client For Coming In To Get This Floral Scar Distraction Piece

We went with something a little simplistic and instead of trying to hide the scars just tried to incorporate them into the design. The take away is that the blood we have spilled in sadness can water a beautiful garden of joy if you only allow room for growth. Let’s be thankful for this day of life.

Image credits: anthonyinkco

#49 Scar’s Cover

Image credits: archiii_ink_art

#50 Turning Lemons Into Wine

Image credits: uhhhhtaco

Source: boredpanda.com