Inked Mag Staff
December 9th, 2016
Stretch Marks “Camouflaged” By Tattoos
A tattoo artist from São Paulo, Brazil is totally changing the game for women embarrassed by their stretch marks, offering them an alternative option to expensive laser treatments for reducing…
A tattoo artist from São Paulo, Brazil is totally changing the game for women embarrassed by their stretch marks, offering them an alternative option to expensive laser treatments for reducing the appearance of stretch marks on their buttocks, breasts, stomach or thighs. Rodolpho Torres uses a tattooing technique he calls “stretch mark camouflage,” in which he fills the lighter lines of the scars with flesh-toned ink to blend them into the rest of the skin and make them less noticeable.
Stretch marks are a type of scarring on the skin caused by a tearing of the dermis associated with rapid growth related to pregnancy or significant weight changes, and this tearing results in lesions with an off-color hue that clearly stands out against the rest of the skin. Stretch marks are very common among women, and there’s certainly nothing wrong with having them, but many women feel insecure about their stretch marks and wish they could make them disappear, or at least appear less visible.
While these stretch mark scars, also known as striae, may diminish over time, they will not disappear completely, and it is a constant struggle for some women with stretch marks caused by pregnancy or significant weight loss to reduce their appearance using creams, lotions, microdermabrasion or laser treatments. Stretch marks may even cause an itching, burning sensation for some people, as well as emotional distress, but, for the most part, they are simply considered a cosmetic nuisance.
Young women are most often affected by stretch marks, typically during pregnancy, and many seek treatment from a dermatologist to reduce the appearance of the lesions. However, there is no proven treatment to make stretch marks disappear, nor is there any evidence that creams and oils applied during pregnancy can prevent or reduce the formation of stretch marks. Some women may even go under the needle to get a cover-up tattoo masking their stretch marks. On the other hand, Rodolpho Torres’ “stretch mark camouflage” tattooing technique can make the scars appear less visible almost immediately, and once the tattoos heal, the skin has a more even appearance overall.
Stretch mark camouflage isn’t the only type of tattooing Rodolpho Torres does, although to look at his Instagram account, it’s obvious he stays pretty busy reducing the appearance of stretch marks in clients using flesh-toned ink. Torres inks regular tattoos as well, and is known for his light hand capable of creating delicate, fine-line tattoos on clients’ bodies, much like the famed Dr. Woo of Hollywood’s Shamrock Social Club.
Watch the mastery here and click through the slideshow to see the results.
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