Can you cover keloid scars with tattoos?

For those who are doctors or tattoo artists or just know or have an opinion on it, can keloid scars be covered with tattoos?





I went to a tattoo artist and asked about scars, to which they told me that they could be covered if they weren't active scars. I believe keloids are usually active and will keep changing, but can tattoos still be put on keloids and then just redone when they start to fade or shift because of the keloid activity?





I'd really like to get one on my keloids, but I'm sure that they are still fairly active scars. Thanks!

Can you cover keloid scars with tattoos?
Helena is actually wrong. Scars and Keloids are different to tattooing. A good artist WILL NOT tattoo over keloided skin. The fact that you have skin that keloids will tell a good artist that your skin scars up easily. Tattoo artists business is widely based on reputation and most will not do a tattoo they know is going to look awful because when you show it to people they will presume it was the artists fault. The keloid can pretty much eat the tatoo and the process can make your keloided tissue grow to a wider area.





A lot of this depends on your skin and the scarring itself. Keloids are caused by the misformation of collagen bonds in the skin while healing. in regular scars they are criss crossed whereas in keloids they dont cross properly and just keep forming trying to complete the chemical bond.





Go see a good artist and talk with them specifically about your keloided area. make sure they take a good look/feel at it, and ask about their experience with doing that kinda thing. many artists have experience with burn victims that could be useful in this area. Happy hunting.
Reply:no i wouldnt do it just because it will make the tattoo look awful if you have to keep getting it redone or done over it wont look like what you wanted and may regret that you got it put there in the first place. Second its hard to cover scares with tattoo because the ink wont take well in those spots and itll once again not look like you wanted
Reply:Unfortunately they are something you can't do much about..I have them on a few of my tattoos..I did get the color retouched and they look a little better, but to me they still look a little "washed" out..Maybe it's just me..
Reply:Here's what you do. A keloid is just a scar that keeps producing MORE scar tissue, even after the wound has healed. A tattoo can effectively cover the kelooid, however the keloid does have the ability to keep changing/growing. So, before getting the tat, go see your physician and ask about having some steroids shot directly into the scar. This works like a charm! The keloid noticibaly shrinks and the steroid stops the overproduction of scar tissue. Then go get your tattoo.





Hope this helps!