History Main / TattooConcealsScars

* ''Literature/TheStormlightArchive'': Slaves in Alethkar are branded on their foreheads to convey their status to anyone who sees them. Slaves who've been freed usually opt to cover the branding scar with a tattoo which includes the date they were granted their freedom.

* In ''Literature/TheLostSymbol'', the villain, Mal'akh, is injured when he is shot after murdering his grandfather and attacking his father and aunt. While he survives and escapes the scene, he falls into a deep depression, as he took an incredible amount of pride in his muscular playboy physique, which the scars on his chest now ruin. After hearing about this trope, he's prompted by a tattoo artist to find a symbol that means something deep to him. He ends up covering nearly his entire body with mystical tattoos, leaving only a small empty space on his forehead for his final planned mark, the titular lost symbol.

* Invoked in the reality TV series ''Series/{{Inkmaster}}'' where one of the recurring challenges is to apply a cover-up tattoo on a scarred area. In addition to the usual challenges of quality, speed and client satisfaction, contestants also need to content with the specific hurdles tattooing a scar tissue brings.

** Those MadeASlave to the [[AristocratsAreEvil World Nobles/Celestial Dragons]] are given a unique SlaveBrand known as the "Hoof of the Flying Dragon". The majority of the members of the Sun Pirates consisted of former slaves freed by Fisher Tiger (who himself was also a former slave), and when they joined the crew, their mark of slavery would be altered into a tattoo of a Red Sun, which was also the crew's Jolly Roger. This was primarily done in order to prevent the Marines and Bounty Hunters from being able to tell who was a former slave, as all of the crew members who were not former slaves were also given the Red Sun tattoo such as Jinbe and Arlong.

** Those MadeASlave to the [[AristocratsAreEvil World Nobles/Celestial Dragons]] are given the SlaveBrand known as the Hoof of the Soaring Dragon. The majority of the members of the Sun Pirates consisted of former slaves freed by Fisher Tiger (who himself was also a former slave), and when they joined the crew, their mark of slavery would be altered into a tattoo of a Red Sun, which was also the crew's Jolly Roger. This was primarily done in order to prevent the Marines and Bounty Hunters from being able to tell who was a former slave, as all of the crew members who were not former slaves were also given the Red Sun tattoo such as Jinbe and Arlong.

* ''Manga/OnePiece'': Two examples:

** At the end of the Arlong arc, Nami gets a tattoo of a pinwheel and tangerines (which respectively symbolize her surrogate father and adoptive mother) in order to cover up a scar from where she stabbed herself in the arm during a FreakOut in an attempt to deface the tattoo that had previously been there.
** Those MadeASlave to the [[AristocratsAreEvil World Nobles]] are given the SlaveBrand that is the Hoof of the Soaring Dragon. The majority of the members of the Sun Pirates consisted of former slaves freed by Fisher Tiger, and when they joined the crew, their mark of slavery would be altered into a tattoo of a red sun, which was also the crew's Jolly Roger.

* Kingston of ''Webcomic/CirqueRoyale'' has full body tattoos that cover all but his hands, feet, and face. They in part cover up the scars he got in a bombing [[spoiler:that also killed his parents]].

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People get tattoos for all sorts of reasons. Sometimes they are mystical symbols, sometimes tribal markings, and sometimes simply a form of artistic expression. Occasionally, however, tattoos are used for the practical purpose of disguising pre-existing permanent markings, such as scars.

This ''is'' practiced in real-life, but is a trickier process than tattooing on unmarked skin. Tattooing on top of scar tissue can be very painful. This may even cause the wound to reopen if it is done improperly or if the scar has not fully healed (a process that can take months). They also cannot correct the actual physical texture of the scar tissue, only distract from it with shapes and colors.

** At the end of the Arlong arc, Nami gets a tattoo of a pinwheel and tangerines (which respectively symbolize her surrogate father and adoptive mother) in order to cover of a scar from where she stabbed herself in the arm during a FreakOut in an attempt to deface the tattoo that had previously been there.

* {{Inverted}} in ''[[Literature/KushielsLegacy Kushiel's Mercy]]''. Sidonie is placed under a mind control spell by the ArcVillain, which is based on a mark placed between her shoulderblades. To ensure that the spell can't take effect again after her lover Imriel breaks it, she has him cut the mark off of her, leaving a small scar after the infection heals. Sidonie has her back tattooed with a sunburst that highlights the scar rather than concealing it, as a symbol of their love for each other.

* In ''Literature/TheLostSymbol'', the villain, Mal'akh, is injured when he is shot after murdering his grandfather and attacking his father and aunt. While he survives and escapes the scene, he falls into a deep depression, as he took an incredible amount of pride is his muscular playboy physique, which the scars on his chest now ruined. After hearing about this trope, he's prompted by a tattoo artist to find a symbol that means something deep to him. He ends up covering nearly his entire body with mystical tattoos, leaving only a small empty space on his forehead for his final planned mark, the titular lost symbol.

[[folder: Live-Action TV]]

* In volume 2 of ''Webcomic/EnnuiGo'', Izzy gets shot in the shoulder by Asher during a murder attempt. Shortly afterwards, she's shown to have covered the bullet wound with a small star shaped tattoo.
[[/folder]]

* * ''Series/DeathInParadise'': In "An Unpleasant Homecoming", Monique has a tattoo of flowers over part of her scar from being burned in a house fire as a child.

* In volume 2 of ''Webcomic/EnnuiGo'', Izzy gets shot in the shoulder by Venus during a murder attempt. Shortly afterwards, she's shown to have covered the bullet wound with a small star shaped tattoo.