Can Stretch Marks Alter Tattoos?

If you are thinking about getting a tattoo, but worried about the effect stretch marks may have on it, there is some important information to consider.



First is what will the effect an existing stretch mark have on a planned tattoo. Second is whether future stretch marks on certain areas of the body will affect tattoos that already exist on the body. The third is how to eliminate existing stretch marks and prevent the onset of future ones in order to not worry over them from the beginning.



Existing stretch marks vary in their effect of an end result of a tattoo. The two main factors that can ultimately determine the degree of the effect are simply the size and the age of the stretch mark. How do these stretch marks get their size? They result from a rapid stretching of the skin usually following rapid fluctuations in weight from pregnancy, muscle building, or rapid gain or loss of fat. Severe pulling forces on the skin will overcome the dermis' elasticity. When the elastin of the skin is broken, these unsightly lines appear. The amount of elastin torn in the process will determine its ultimate size.



At first the lines will have a reddish or purple tint, and afterwards gradually fade to a lighter range. What is important to note is that if the stretch mark is light colored with little variation from the surrounding skin texture, the tatttoo will most likely be able to cover it without to much of a problem. The deeper and darker stretch marks are those that one should be very cautious of when deciding upon a tattoo. The ink could look and spread differently throughout the area of a larger stretch mark which results in an inconsistent looking tattoo.



Then there is the foresight of not getting tattoos where future stretch marks might appear. In some cases, stretch marks forming over a tattoo can break the alignment of the tattoo, causing the image to look distorted. Common areas for stretch marks are the abdomen, arms, lower back, breasts, and thighs. For instance, it is a good plan avoiding the stomach area if you are planning on getting pregnant. In any case, new stretch marks can easily affect existing tattoos, therefore consideration as to where they are placed should be a key factor in the decision process. The other way around this is to use skin care products that are proven to prevent the onset of stretch marks.