What is a Paramedical Tattoo?

For people who have scarring, suffer from skin pigmentation issues, or have even lost a body part, the lasting physical effects can weigh heavy on an individual’s mental health and how they feel about their appearance. In these situations, a paramedical tattoo may be able to help.

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Also known as restorative tattooing, paramedical tattooing is the process of disguising the physical effects of medical trauma, hair loss, or stretch marks by using tattoos to transform the effected areas of the body. Paramedical tattooists have been trained to specifically deal with this kind of work and are extremely skilled and knowledgeable about their craft.

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What are paramedical tattoos used for?

People choose to visit a medical tattooist for all kinds of unique, specialist reasons.

These are some of the most common.

Areola restoration

When a patient undergoes treatment which involves losing the breast and nipple, like in the case of a mastectomy, the effects of the surgery can put a toll on that person’s self esteem. Losing a part of your body can be traumatic and although breast implants are an available solution, the lack of areola can leave patients feeling incomplete.

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A paramedical tattooist can help solve this problem, by creating a detailed tattoo of an areola on the chest. The tattoo is matched to the patients skin tone and the result is a natural-looking, 3D nipple and areola.

Scarring

Whether someone has scars from surgery - like a cesarean section, cleft lip procedure, or top surgery - or they’ve been left physically scarred by an injury, paramedical tattoos can be effective. In these cases, skin-toned pigments will be tattooed onto the scarred area, so that it blends into the surrounding skin. As a result, scars become barely noticeable.

This process can also be used for those who want to cover the appearance of stretch marks and clients will usually be required to attend top-ups every 12-18 months, as the pigment can fade. However, for people who struggle with confidence, due to their scar’s appearance, this is often a compromise they’re happy to make.

Hair loss

For individuals who suffer with hair loss, Scalp Micro Pigmentation (SMP), a form of paramedical tattooing, is available to help create the illusion of hair follicles. Cancer patients, people with alopecia, plus those who have naturally thinning hair or pattern baldness, can benefit from this type of paramedical tattooing. During the treatment, micro-needles are used to layer tiny dots onto the affected area, in different shades, to replicate the appearance of a shadow on the scalp. The result is that existing hair looks thicker and for clients who are already bald, the result will be a buzz-cut style, with follicles evenly distributed across the whole head. This treatment can also be effective for individuals who are concerned about sparse facial hair.

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Ultimately, paramedical tattoos can be a life-changing part of someone’s recovery process, or they can be the answer to a problem that’s been affecting their self esteem. Either way, it’s important that potential beneficiaries are aware that paramedical tattoos are an option.

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