See How Tattoos Can Heal the Wounds Left by Bullying

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Most tattoos are intended to stand out and draw attention; their very presence on human skin serves as an invitation for people to stare and take notice. When paramedical tattooist Basma Hameed creates a tattoo her intention is the exact opposite of most artists, ideally no one will ever notice her work. Hameed works with people who have suffered scarring and loss of pigmentation in their skin and by tattooing them she is able to virtually erase the damage. After being tattooed patients are able to put the physical reminders of what was likely a traumatic event behind them and get on with their lives. That is why 17-year-old Samira Omar is the perfect candidate for Hameed’s unique brand of treatment.

Omar was the victim of a horrible bullying incident while living in the United Kingdom. She was left with scarring all over her head, neck and arms after allegedly being beaten by four classmates that she thought had been her friends. In the below video by the CBC Omar describes her wounds from the attack in great detail, one can’t help but imagine that memories of the attack come racing back every time she sees the scars in the mirror.

It will take a series of sessions for Hameed to completely tattoo away Omar’s scars, much like how you can’t have a full back piece done in a few hours. Omar will have to wait a few more months before getting tattooed, her skin is still healing from the vicious attack. In the meantime she will be able to cover up her scars with specially designed makeup that Hameed has developed.

Part of the reason that she is so dedicated to helping out girls like Omar—the 17-year-old will not be charged for any of the treatments—is that Hameed has first hand experience with being scarred. A cooking accident burned much of Hameed’s face when she was a small child. After years of being told that there was nothing more that could be done to help her face Hameed learned paramedical tattooing. Her first patient? Herself.

In the following video you can see the way the process works and the effects that it has on the patients who receive it. If you want to learn some more about Hameed click this link.