Triggering (SH): Tattoo over scars.

[RainFlower]

I tagged this as triggering just to be safe. I know how hard it can be to stop cutting, and I dont want to hurt anybody.


I have eleven scars on my wrist from last year. I havent cut since last summer, but every time I see my scars I feel insecure and weak. I feel sick knowing I could do that to myself. I want to get a tattoo over my scars.
i was wondering if anyone has done this, and what they have had tattooed over their scars.
Or, if anyone has any ideas for a tattoo, id love to hear them!!
Thanks

[Maloo]

Some scars can be tattoed over, some can't. You first need to find out if yours can be, so you should go talk to an experienced tattoo artist.

[TheCrowing]

^^^ More severe or prominent scars cannot be tattooed over.

But.. I'm working on a half sleeve on my left arm (where I always SHed) and in honour of the butterfly project, I got 6 butterflies coming off of my shoulder towards my lower neck. Each butterfly represents 1 year of struggling with SH. So 6 years.

I also plan on getting a small outline of a heart over my wrist.

[llamasliketoparty]

I cut a lot on my breasts and I am planning on getting a tattoo of a heart (possibly anatomical) surrounded by razor wire on my left breast. I also want to get a butterfly with tattered wings and the date I last sh'd on my right hip. Those are my plans. lol

[RainFlower]

yeah I know not all scars can be tattooed over. But I want to have some plan of what I want for a tattoo before I go in to talk to somebody about it.
my scars arent really bad, but I realized after I layed out tanning at the creek a couple times that the sun is making them more noticeable :/ thaaaaaats aggravating. Lol


I was thinking I might want the word 'Beautiful' or 'Beauty' on my wrist. But I dont want people to see it and not get it and think im vain or something stupid.
I dont exactly want it to cover up my scars completely, but just to see it and remember that nothing is worth hurting myself. Im not really sure how to put that into a few words on my wrist though lol

[TheCrowing]

Originally Posted by RainFlower

I was thinking I might want the word 'Beautiful' or 'Beauty' on my wrist. But I dont want people to see it and not get it and think im vain or something stupid.

But if that's what you want, it shouldn't matter what other people think. You know why you have it, you know the story behind it. And I doubt that people would think that you are vain, because it's so vague, in a sense. If people don't know you have SHed, then having that tattooed on you can really mean anything. And for those that do know, it'll mean that much more.

[Maloo]

I'm not trying to be a killjoy, but wouldn't it be better to find out if it can be done first, rather than getting all excited over something that might not be possible?

As for the tattoo idea, if you want it to be a more private thing, what about getting ''beautiful'' done in a different language? One that means something to you.

[LlamaLlamaDuck]

I've considered this idea myself. Some of the ones I've thought about are "Love" "Strength" "Hope" and "We have hope" but the idea of maybe having beautiful, or any other word, in a different language is good. Just make sure you do your research first. My mum told me about a guy who went to get his name tattooed on him in Chinese and ages later someone who actually spoke the language told him he had "Supermarket" tattooed on him.

[lea-x-fallen]

how about today is a new day?
but beautiful soudns like an amzing idea. in whatever language and its nto vain, i want vanity on my hip because i lvoe the word and im not vain so you knwo. your choice and body

[TheCrowing]

My friend actually just sent me a picture of her new tattoo a few hours ago. She used to SH pretty severely, and she got "Believe in yourself" tattooed on her arm, but the "Be" and "you" were colorful, while the rest of the words were black. =P

[Stargazed.]

I've cut myself since I was 12 years old and recently I got a tattoo on my right wrist that says "Believe". I plan on getting another one on my left wrist that says "Hope". Then I plan on getting butterflies, or some other meaningful symbol of self-harm, on my ankle because I also did a lot of cutting there on my legs. Good luck with whatever you chose and hopefully it's meaningful. (:

[Coreless_Serenity]

I think you have a good idea for a tattoo, and if people think you're vain then they are the stupid ones. Judgemental people aren't worth worrying over anyway. Get whatever you want. Whatever is meaningful to you.

I self-harmed for about 9 months, I cut my arms and my legs. But I don't scar easily and I only have one scar on my thigh. So when I'm 18 I want to get a tattoo over it that says "The Shadow Proves The Sunshine". Maybe consider a short quote or just one word, like Hope or Live. Something that maybe has helped you through your experience with self-harm. Good luck.