However, in adults, stretch marks appear due to several reasons;

• Rapid weight gain or weight loss
• Pregnancy
• Weight training
• Rapid muscle growth
• In the case of Cushing’s disease or Marfan syndrome

When stretch marks first start appearing, they’re generally red, or reddish-brown. In some cases, they’re also purple or pink. The color of the stretch marks generally depends on one’s skin tone and the amount of stretching that the skin is undergoing.

Also, at first, stretch marks tend to appear as raise skin and can be slightly itchy and uncomfortable. However, over time, the color fades and the raised skin sinks beneath the skin, slightly lighter in color than your skin tone. That is why stretch marks are often compared to scars.

Also Read: Should You Lose Weight Before Getting a Tattoo?

Stretch Marks and Tattoos

Can You Get A Tattoo Over Stretch Marks?

Technically, yes, you can get a tattoo over your stretch marks, just like it is possible to get a tattoo over healed scars. However, not all stretch marks are the same, and there are a lot of factors that affect the final decision to get a tattoo over stretch marks. It is important to evaluate the stretch marks, their location, and whether a tattooist can execute the tattoo over such skin condition.

For example, if you want to conceal the stretch marks, the tattooist needs to develop a proper method of achieving such an effect. They also need to come up with a proper tattoo design and ensure the stretch marks ‘disappear’ without skin damage.

So, overall, one should be able to get a tattoo over their stretch marks, but some factors need to be considered before such an attempt.

What Do I Need To Consider Before Getting Tattooed?

• The stretch marks’ condition – if the stretch marks have freshly appeared, or are raised, the possibility of getting a tattoo would be minimal. It would be extremely hard for the tattoo artist to tattoo over such skin, and it would be also very painful for you to sit through such a tattooing session.
• The color of the stretch marks – if the stretch marks are red or purple, it would be hard to conceal them with a tattoo. Such color of stretch marks also indicated that they’ve freshly appeared, so they’ll also be painful to tattoo, as mentioned before.
• The width and length of the stretch marks – if the stretch marks are wider, it is harder to conceal them with a tattoo. The reason for this lies in the inability of the tattoo ink to fully cover or conceal wide stretch marks. In such cases, it is better to work around stretch mars rather than to cover them. Also, if the stretch marks are bigger or of a particular shape, it might require more work and design planning to cover them with a tattoo.
• Potential, future body changes – if you’re planning to gain muscle or start a pregnancy, it might be better to put off the stretch marks tattooing. That is because the current stretch marks will change as your body changes, especially in the stomach, thigh, and buttock areas. It might also be better to lose weight before tattooing the stretch marks. During weight loss, your stretch marks might shrink, so it will be easier to work on them and cover them with a tattoo.

So, Who Should (or Shouldn’t) Cover Their Stretch Marks With a Tattoo?

As we mentioned, it is possible to get your stretch marks tattoos, but only if they’re fully healed, non-raised, non-colored, and relatively narrow and small.