cover self harm scars
Dealing with self-harm scars, which often manifest as straight, pale lines on the arms or thighs, can be a lasting challenge even after the wounds have healed. These scars may persist for years, serving as visible reminders of a difficult period in one's life. While they can appear anywhere on the body that was affected during the self-harming phase, the arms and thighs are the most common locations.
The emotional toll of encountering these scars can be particularly distressing for individuals who have successfully moved beyond their self-harm struggles, either through personal resilience or with the support of others. Unfortunately, people may feel compelled to comment on or inquire about these scars, creating situations where you might find yourself uncomfortable or unwilling to provide explanations.
In such instances, taking a "day off" from the unwarranted attention by concealing or minimising the appearance of these scars can be beneficial. However, it's essential to note that covering this type of scarring can be challenging. Traditional skin camouflage creams, matched to your skin tone, often prove ineffective in this context.
After years of experimentation, I've discovered a slightly more intricate yet highly effective solution to mitigate the visibility of self-harm scars. While you could attempt to identify the relevant colors independently, many find this task daunting, especially in an online setting or public environment. Therefore, I recommend seeking the expertise of a skin camouflage practitioner like myself, who can tailor a solution to your unique needs and guide you in recreating the effect.
Here's a breakdown of the steps I follow, accompanied by before-and-after photographs:
1. Color Matching the Scars: Start by identifying a color that closely matches the pale tone of the scars, which is typically lighter than the surrounding skin.
2. Base Application: Apply this matching color over the entire scarred area. This technique helps diminish the distinct appearance of individual scars, turning the area into a more uniform patch of paleness.
3. Shade Integration: Find a color one or two shades darker than your natural skin tone, ensuring it complements your undertones. Randomly apply this shade over the pale area, blending it in by pressing with a finger. This step enhances the overall resemblance to the surrounding skin.
4. Realism Enhancement: Add subtle touches that mimic the nuances of real skin, such as a slightly pink tone stippled over the area, randomly drawn freckles, or, as demonstrated below, delicate blue/green veins. Blend these details gently with a finger.
5. Setting the Look: Seal the entire area with fixing powder to secure the creams in place and extend their longevity. A fixing spray can be applied on top of the powdered creams for an additional layer of protection.
It's crucial to recognise that this process needs to be repeated whenever you wish to cover the scars, as the creams should be removed at the end of each day to prevent transfer onto bed sheets. In the realm of skin camouflage, the mantra "less is more" holds true. Minimising the amount of product on your skin reduces the risk of transfer to clothing.
The emotional toll of encountering these scars can be particularly distressing for individuals who have successfully moved beyond their self-harm struggles, either through personal resilience or with the support of others. Unfortunately, people may feel compelled to comment on or inquire about these scars, creating situations where you might find yourself uncomfortable or unwilling to provide explanations.
In such instances, taking a "day off" from the unwarranted attention by concealing or minimising the appearance of these scars can be beneficial. However, it's essential to note that covering this type of scarring can be challenging. Traditional skin camouflage creams, matched to your skin tone, often prove ineffective in this context.
After years of experimentation, I've discovered a slightly more intricate yet highly effective solution to mitigate the visibility of self-harm scars. While you could attempt to identify the relevant colors independently, many find this task daunting, especially in an online setting or public environment. Therefore, I recommend seeking the expertise of a skin camouflage practitioner like myself, who can tailor a solution to your unique needs and guide you in recreating the effect.
Here's a breakdown of the steps I follow, accompanied by before-and-after photographs:
1. Color Matching the Scars: Start by identifying a color that closely matches the pale tone of the scars, which is typically lighter than the surrounding skin.
2. Base Application: Apply this matching color over the entire scarred area. This technique helps diminish the distinct appearance of individual scars, turning the area into a more uniform patch of paleness.
3. Shade Integration: Find a color one or two shades darker than your natural skin tone, ensuring it complements your undertones. Randomly apply this shade over the pale area, blending it in by pressing with a finger. This step enhances the overall resemblance to the surrounding skin.
4. Realism Enhancement: Add subtle touches that mimic the nuances of real skin, such as a slightly pink tone stippled over the area, randomly drawn freckles, or, as demonstrated below, delicate blue/green veins. Blend these details gently with a finger.
5. Setting the Look: Seal the entire area with fixing powder to secure the creams in place and extend their longevity. A fixing spray can be applied on top of the powdered creams for an additional layer of protection.
It's crucial to recognise that this process needs to be repeated whenever you wish to cover the scars, as the creams should be removed at the end of each day to prevent transfer onto bed sheets. In the realm of skin camouflage, the mantra "less is more" holds true. Minimising the amount of product on your skin reduces the risk of transfer to clothing.
The photographs shown here are as a result of consent by the client. I did not ask how the scars happened as this is not information which would help during the consultation; I work with what I can see in front of me on the day. Some people get in touch saying they have self harm scars, others simply say scarring. I do sometimes ask for photographs in advance (never used or shown publicly without consent) in order to give someone a better idea of whether having a consultation could improve the appearance temporarily. This client had hoped to find just one colour to place over the scars to cover them. I demonstrated this to them and they could see how ineffective this solution was. In the end it is up to the client to decide following the consultation, if they wish to practise the technique to achieve the best results. The good news is, skin camouflage creams can be purchased in very small sized pots for less than £4 per colour so ordering them online once the correct colours have been established will not prove too costly.
Please get in touch here if you would like to enquire about a consultation.