Tattoos and Stretch Marks

Q: I have a question, Say you get a tattoo on your chest, above the nipple about 5x5" and you lift weights and gain mass quickly. Will it distort the tattoo?

A: You may get stretch marks toward the armpit where the pectoral muscle meets the deltoid. While I have not seen a tattoo get ripped, I have had to design many tattoos to suit ripped skin like this. It looks like it could, in fact, rip through the tattoo, but this would be in cases with fast weight gain, such as steroid users.

Q: I was just about to get a tattoo slightly under my belly button. Someone told me that after I give birth the tattoo will be stretched, and disfigured. Does anyone know if this is true or not?

Agga99

A: This is true, and not! Take things into consideration, including your physical stature, your mother's body, and how well you take care of yourself. My wife, having worked as an assistant to an Ob-Gyn for the past six years, and I, brought it up to her office staff. We all agreed that a tiny woman has a greater tendency to get stretch marks, and also women who take poor care of themselves during pregnancy can also be a factor. If you moisturize your skin, your tattoo is likely to survive. I have seen several tattoos on the pelvic areas survive pregnancy well, but having seen a few that didn't, I believe the decision should be an informed one. This does not apply to tattoos on the lower back.

Q: I  have a question that I've never seen answered on any faq's, and I'm sure
you guys know the answer, so here it is: can one get a quality tattoo over stretch marks or do they hinder the process? thanks in advance. :)

A:  You can get a quality tattoo over stretch marks depending on how differently textured, and loose these scars are. Most stretch marks are thinner, and less elastic than the surrounding skin, which causes the artist lots of headaches, because in the middle of a line, the skin changes and the machine has a tendency to drag or pull the looser skin. This will cause a blotchy outline. Some people do have stretch marks that seem to be just a slightly lighter color than the surrounding skin, with little change in texture at all. So, if your stretch marks are concave, and loose, this can pose a big obstacle. If they are convex, and thicker, more like scar tissue, this will cause less of a problem..

    While it is not advised that women who are pregnant get tattooed, those of you wanting to lose weight should get your tattoo before the diet. The skin is fuller, tighter, and easier to work with. Those of you who have stretch marks from lifting weights or puberty should avoid these areas as well.
     In some situations, a more advanced artist can help you design a tattoo
that incorporates these marks and make them look less obvious. A gray, cloudy
background, or a blue wispy water may be the answer for you. see if your
artist can help you, he may jump at the chance.

Albert