So I'm thinking that when I eventually have top surgery, I'm going to want some badass chest tattoos. Have any of you guys gotten tattoos after top? Is the feeling different? Did you have an issue finding an artist?
Posted Dec 27, 2018, 11:18 PM UTC
I’ve seen quite a few chest tattoos on post op trans people. Depending on how much sensation you have in your chest, you may feel less pain. You’re unlikely to experience more pain. If you want your actual scar tissue tattooed over, that takes ink a little differently but you should have no issues whatsoever finding an artist.
Thanks! I already have several tattoos - if I can handle having the tops of both feet done I feel like chest wont be too bad.
Oh yeah, you’ll be fine haha.
Some artists will reject you because of the scarring, it ruins their art.
However, I plan on getting a chest tattoo next December (tony stark arc reactor) and most of the artists I talk to will do scar coverage but warn that anything on scars won’t take ink well and will be painful.
Lucky for top scars, most of us don’t get feeling for a long while after.
A good artist can tattoo over scars (or work around them) as long as they're at least a year old. Don't go to any artist who says the scars will ruin a piece.
Yeah, I'm worried that on the scars might not take as well but if theres less sensation....that's a plus!
My scars are super skinny and tattooing over them was not an issue. Having my chest tatted was different only in that getting inked on bony bits hurts quite a lot lol
Yeah, the bony parts definitely hurt. Glad I'm out of feet to tattoo! The tops hurt like a motherfucker!
I wonder if there’s a big difference between an untreated scar and a scar that’s had laser removal treatment in terms of how good the tattoo would come out and how well the scars are camouflaged in the end
That's a good question. I wonder if there is a comparison out there in the interwebz already...
it wasn't my chest but the artist who did my sleeve years ago went over scar tissue, and he was actually really proud that he broke down the scar tissue some while tattooing. you can still see the scars but they aren't as prominent as they were, and i didn't find it particularly painful over them. i will definitely get a tattoo on my chest, i already know what it'll be.
Same. I've gotten tatted over scars in various areas, too. Arms + legs (+ sides of the head) in general, aren't so bad but things like knees + elbows are a different beast. Especially when scarring is there already. Got any stomach ink? I think chest would be less painful than tummy tatts, but guess that depends on age + size of the scars(?) I do have ink on my collar bone but that area is free of scars. (Wasn't too painful.) I wonder if going over chest scars are second to nipple sensation; would tattooing around those be a motherfucker?
I have tattoos mostly in places that didnt hurt much...except feet. Fuck that. Never again. Did collar bone hurt??
Damn son! Feet hurt that much? Tatted feet look super cool, tho! Nah, collar bone wasn't too bad. My nerves got weird around in the middle + my foot got twitchy lol but all in all piece of cake.
don't have a stomach tattoo, but my sleeve does cover my elbow. that's something else, you can even feel the vibration right against your bone. i've had both ribs done too, and those were pretty difficult.
i have my back done so other than scar tissue, i can't imagine chest being much worse. it's about the same amount of fat/muscle over the bone, i think, and my back was fine, i breezed through it. i can only imagine the nipples would be pretty sensitive though, especially if you had to have them grafted back on... i may have to make sure i try to avoid them haha.
Haha yeah the pressure on bone is so fucking weird. Do I laugh or cry type shit lol. Yoooo ribs? Sounds like you're gonna blast through a chest piece no problem. I'm feelin the same about when it's my turn - avoid the nip nops as much as possible yeeeee
What will your chest tattoo be ?
stylized lyrics from the band black lab, "see the loss as part of life / instead of life as something i lost." i tend to get stuck thinking of all the time i lost living "as a woman" so to speak, so they have a lot of personal meaning for me
Thanks for all your input so far guys! I'm super excited to plan for the future I didnt think I'd live to see. Seeing the endo today and top referral is in. I'm definitely going to wait at least a year or two before I get my chest tattooed but it's good to hear that it's not much different than any other tattoo I've gotten. I'm prepared for the pain lol!
I have a large piece over my torso. I waited over ten years so my scars were pretty faded and very flat. I waited because I wasn't sure what I wanted to do, but it's advisable to wait at least a year. Longer is better.
There were a few places where I experienced odd nerve tingles, but it was just like any other tattoo, for the most part. For me, my chest was more sensitive than my arms or back. The worst was anything down the center. Going over the scars was easy, except for one spot. Everywhere else on my torso (my stomach, especially) was much worse and actually very painful.
A good artist can deal with scars. I went to one of the best shops in my city, knowing I could trust anyone there to do a great job. And I told him my concerns about wanting to cover the scars before he drew up the design.
If you dont mind, can I see what your chest piece looks like? Sounds like most tattoos, just need to be aware of my body and the design.
I'm not comfortable sharing it because I'm stealth and it's really unique. But it's a large line work-only piece that spans from mid-stomach to my shoulders (mid-bicep on one arm). The style almost looks like etching. There's a lot of open space, but most of my scar tissue is covered by ink. The small bits that aren't covered aren't identifiable as scars in the context.
I didn't want a piece that only covered my scars or drew attention to that area so I chose a design that flows naturally across my torso and still does the job of a coverup. My artist was pretty fast and it took about 7.5 hours (two sessions). It's the first time I've had a tattoo that really hurt, but it was worth it. I'd also never sat for more than two hours at a time. I saw you've have your feet done so you'll probably be fine. Just be aware that the vagus nerve runs down the center of your body. Those areas were the most painful for me. The ribs weren't a problem at all.
No worries man, safety first. It sounds like a pretty badass tattoo. 7.5 hours is a long time to sit but it seems like you're happy with the result!
Thanks. Yeah, I love the tattoo and now I don't feel self-conscious taking my shirt off.