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Tattoo over scar (not smp)

J

Jimbob13

member
New to this site. Had 4 transplants around 15 yrs ago leaving a strip scar at the back of head ear to ear around a finger in thickness. Recently tried smp into scar with not much success. I am currently looking at the option of a tattoo design to cover the scar and shave back of head to zero guard. Has anyone tried anything like this or seen it done as I have researched online and not seen anyone trying it which is making me doubtful it will work. Thanks for any advice or feedback? Picture is added of scar



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Shera

Shera

Member
Hi Jimbob,

A tattoo is a bit extreme and you may regret it later. I saw a patient recently who did similar and now wants laser to remove it.

Have you considered having beard grafts placed into the scar to help disguise it.

Kindest Regards

Shera - UK Representative and Patient Adviser for Dr. Tejinder Bhatti
UK Email : [email protected]
UK Freephone : 0800 634 8588
WhatsApp Call/Message: +44 7708 018667

I am not a medical professional. All opinions are my own and my advice should not constitute as medical advice.
 
J

Jimbob13

member
Hi. Thanks for response. I have quite a few tattoos anyway so don’t mind the tattoo aspect of it. It’s just whether it would hide the scar completely with no one knowing there was a scar there. Don’t want to end up having it done and can see I’m hiding something. As I say the scar is quite old and flat. Do you think it could work personally ?
 
J

Jimbob13

member
Also. With reference to the patient that you saw who had the tattoo to cover scar. Did it work successfully in hiding scar. ? What is the reason he wants it removed. Surely a tattoo looks better than a big strip scar going across back of head. Would be interested to chat to this patient before I do it just in case i am making a big mistake. I have researched the net and not come across anyone who has attempted this ?
 
Prohairclinic

Prohairclinic

Prohairclinic FUE and SMP
Your scar seems to be too wide for SMP. We would have adviced against.
IMHO you best bet is to go for a scar revision to make it thinner and then use SMP again (NOT regular tattoo ... you will regret this).
 
J

Jimbob13

member
I’m not prepared to go back under knife for scar revision as my trust has gone with surgeons and there is no guarantee that the scar won’t stretch out again and end up worse off. It’s ok to say you will regret it but you don’t say why. Regret it because tattoo on head ? Or regret it because tattoo won’t cover scar. ? Can you elaborate?
 
J

Jimbob13

member
Your scar seems to be too wide for SMP. We would have adviced against.
IMHO you best bet is to go for a scar revision to make it thinner and then use SMP again (NOT regular tattoo ... you will regret this).
Can you elaborate or why I would regret it please ?
 
W

wylie

Valued member
Listen to what these people are saying, they know what they are talking about. I had multiple scars, much worse than what I'm seeing with yours. I am now happy with the way my hair looks and I shave my hair as short as possible in the back (I think it's a #1 guard) Here is my advice, take it or leave it:

1) Get beard hair added to the scar. There is no substitute for growing hair in concealing a scar. It works better than anything.
2) After you have hair growing, I would recommend temporary SMP into the scar and then you can shave your hair as short as possible.

That is the only reasonable option I see if you want to shave your hair as close as I shave mine. I had roughly 8 scars from 90's era transplants and never thought I would be able to cut my hair this short, but then I discovered beard hair into the scarring and temporary SMP. The rest, as they say, is history.
 
J

Jimbob13

member
Thanks for you reply. I take any advice on board. Have you any pics so I can see the results of this. I do understand this is an option but why would you write the tattoo option off completely ? Have u seen anyone with it done ? And what are the reasons you think it won’t work ? . Yes it’s not hair but my hair would be shaved to nothing and a tattoo covering everything. I appreciate your advice but what are your reasons for a tattoo not working. Surely it’s just another option even if it’s not one that suits everyone ? Thanks
 
J

Jimbob13

member
Plus as I stated before due to previous Transplants my trust has completely gone with the industry and the fact that I would have to start moving to the face to get hair doesn’t really appeal to me considering the state of back of head. Don’t want to end up in more mess than already am. At least with tattoo option the worst that can happen is doesn’t cover as well as I hoped and just grow back of hair longer. As I say appreciate any feedback tho
 
J

Jimbob13

member
Listen to what these people are saying, they know what they are talking about. I had multiple scars, much worse than what I'm seeing with yours. I am now happy with the way my hair looks and I shave my hair as short as possible in the back (I think it's a #1 guard) Here is my advice, take it or leave it:

1) Get beard hair added to the scar. There is no substitute for growing hair in concealing a scar. It works better than anything.
2) After you have hair growing, I would recommend temporary SMP into the scar and then you can shave your hair as short as possible.

That is the only reasonable option I see if you want to shave your hair as close as I shave mine. I had roughly 8 scars from 90's era transplants and never thought I would be able to cut my hair this short, but then I discovered beard hair into the scarring and temporary SMP. The rest, as they say, is history.
Listen to what these people are saying, they know what they are talking about. I had multiple scars, much worse than what I'm seeing with yours. I am now happy with the way my hair looks and I shave my hair as short as possible in the back (I think it's a #1 guard) Here is my advice, take it or leave it:

1) Get beard hair added to the scar. There is no substitute for growing hair in concealing a scar. It works better than anything.
2) After you have hair growing, I would recommend temporary SMP into the scar and then you can shave your hair as short as possible.

That is the only reasonable option I see if you want to shave your hair as close as I shave mine. I had roughly 8 scars from 90's era transplants and never thought I would be able to cut my hair this short, but then I discovered beard hair into the scarring and temporary SMP. The rest, as they say, is history.
would be nice to get a response to previous questions if possible as seem to get a lot of people just writing there thoughts on here then when asked questions about it don’t seem to ever hear from them again ?
 
Shera

Shera

Member
Hi Jimbob13,

Sorry for the delay, I managed to chase up my patient who has kindly provided a few pictures for you to view of a tattoo to disguise his FUT scar.

A bit different but it does give you some idea as to how the tattoo will somewhat cover the scar but also you need to consider that it will fade and it is for life.

Kindest Regards

Shera - UK Representative and Patient Adviser for Dr. Tejinder Bhatti
UK Email : [email protected]
UK Freephone : 0800 634 8588
WhatsApp Call/Message: +44 7708 018667

I am not a medical professional. All opinions are my own and my advice should not constitute as medical advice
 

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J

Jimbob13

member
Hi Jimbob13,

Sorry for the delay, I managed to chase up my patient who has kindly provided a few pictures for you to view of a tattoo to disguise his FUT scar.

A bit different but it does give you some idea as to how the tattoo will somewhat cover the scar but also you need to consider that it will fade and it is for life.

Kindest Regards

Shera - UK Representative and Patient Adviser for Dr. Tejinder Bhatti
UK Email : [email protected]
UK Freephone : 0800 634 8588
WhatsApp Call/Message: +44 7708 018667

I am not a medical professional. All opinions are my own and my advice should not constitute as medical advice
Thanks for reply. Appreciate this guy sharing photos so I can see an example of it. If I’m honest without offending the tattoo is pretty bad and artist hasn’t fully gone in on scar area with ink. The parts that are covered like the leaf on the side has covered scar. I know you say it’s for life but think if I had to choose between big scar on back of head or a bit of art if it worked I’d go with that. My design would be more like the attached pic to try and completely ink the scar and it f fades over time just get touched up.
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J

Jimbob13

member
Just to add to previous post. How long did he wait for scar to heal before tattooing and how old is tattoo. ? The ink that has covered scar doesn’t seem to have taken that well and not a lot of design is actually on scar itself. The scar is also very thin in comparison to mine so hair into that would stand more of a chance of having a good result than into mine.
 
Bigmac

Bigmac

Administrator
Staff member
Hi Jimbob13. Welcome to the forum. If I were you, I would have grafts placed into the scar, either beard, scalp or a combination of both. They should grow well and help blend/conceal the scar.
A tattoo could work if you are ok having the shaved look for the rest of your life but people often change their minds and decide to grow their hair. I have tattoos on my arms, one covers some scar tissue. The ink in the scar tissue is a slightly different colour, I remember the tattooist mentioning that scar tissue is difficult, he had to go in deeper and warned there is a possibility it may fade quicker or not take the same as the rest of the ink. Maybe pop into a reputable tattoo studio and ask their opinion about tattooing into scalp scar tissue.
 
J

Jimbob13

member
Hi Jimbob13. Welcome to the forum. If I were you, I would have grafts placed into the scar, either beard, scalp or a combination of both. They should grow well and help blend/conceal the scar.
A tattoo could work if you are ok having the shaved look for the rest of your life but people often change their minds and decide to grow their hair. I have tattoos on my arms, one covers some scar tissue. The ink in the scar tissue is a slightly different colour, I remember the tattooist mentioning that scar tissue is difficult, he had to go in deeper and warned there is a possibility it may fade quicker or not take the same as the rest of the ink. Maybe pop into a reputable tattoo studio and ask their opinion about tattooing into scalp scar tissue.
Thanks for reply. My tattooist seems to think it can be done but as with everything else it’s hard to trust people especially after everything with hair Transplant that’s why I’m trying to research as much as possible. I understand people are trying to say get hair transplanted into scar but this involves taking more grafts and going under knife again which I don’t feel I can do as trust in industry has gone and have yet to see perfect results from hair into scars. I was just hoping if back of head was kept shaved down to zero guard with good design covering scar and down back of neck with good detail on tattoo it could possibly work as although scar is quite wide it is flat white and fully healed ?
 
Bigmac

Bigmac

Administrator
Staff member
The industry has a lot of reputable clinics, unfortunately, like all industries, it is littered with bad ones too. A small FUE procedure is different to going under the knife again, it`s fairly quick and heals very quickly. I have had FUE grafts placed into a vertical scar from an accident, I`ll dig out the images, they grew and worked well.
Maybe ask a few more tattooists for their opinion.
 
J

Jimbob13

member
That would be good if u can. I am currently on a few tattoo forums aswell and have messaged quite few artists. Most seem to say if the scar fully healed and flat should be ok. Just wish I could find results of people having it done which is making me question it a bit as can’t find anything. The pictures on this post from shera are are the only ones I have seen of someone trying it which don’t fill me with confidence but don’t know if that’s just because the design wasn’t right for it. I am currently booked in to have it done next week but keep going back and for with it as getting mixed responses
 
J

Jimbob13

member
These are the sort of options I would be working with to try and cover completely....


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Bigmac

Bigmac

Administrator
Staff member
Those are pretty serious tattoos which could impact on future employment options, not that they should but there is a chance they would.
 
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