 |
| Peggy at work from my point of view. |
When you're that young, and back then it was the 90s (think fashion with belly-bearing shirts, navel rings, low-cut jeans), it was crushing to me that I had such a striking mark. It was bright red for almost a year. I bought geriatric tank-inis to cover up what I thought was an eye-sore, and carried my scar around like a ginormous wart. Suffice it to say, it took me years to own that I had it -- looking at it in disbelief.. Eventually I got used to it. And now I have a drawer-ful of Brazilians bikinis, which you may have caught on Instagram. But a girl's relationship to a big scar is complicated. Scars scar you. They're hard.
Now my scar is a story, a battle wound in a sense. It's faded over time and a part of me. But I can't say I'm not still self-conscious. I'm subject to vanity, just not wanting it to be there, like any other human being - and then there's being a beauty and style expert, which doesn't help matters. My daughter asks about it all the time, and I explain, "Mama had surgery because she was sick," and she responds, "Did it hurt?" So sweet but a poignant reminder nonetheless.
Well, as I've come to be more at peace with my scar, I decided it was time to symbolize it. Reconstructive surgery can cost tens of thousands of dollars, so I thought why not a more reasonable decorative tattoo? A way to personally beautify my scar and to reclaim what had happened. I could maybe look down and see something I'd created, instead of just seeing a healed wound. I started with a tattoo at just the bottom area, where the scar was the darkest and most prominent, leaving room for future consideration for the rest of the scar, as one should never rush into any permanent body art.
The result? Rather than feeling like I had a marked abdomen, I felt like I had a pretty, and young one, for that matter.
Reclaiming Your Scarred Skin with a Tattoo:
 |
| I printed out the Maile leaf pattern and cut it to a desired size, taped it on and photographed it to get a sense of how it would look. |
 |
| Here, I am ready to be inked. With an artist you trust, it's sometimes good to get their opinion on your design, placement and color. |
 |
| Day 1 of healing, my Maile leaf inked by Peggy Jordan. |
--N.C.
Disclaimer: Nuy Cho has no affiliation to any of the beauty companies mentioned on www.nuybeauty.com.
Posts
