Stories of September: Lee Ozeki

There is so many to choose from but this one struck the heart strings.

My client and her mother came into The Studio to see if there is any way we would be able to hide the scars of the past. A lot of the time this is a sensitive area to ask questions, but they have to be asked. Questions like when the last time self harm happened? How old are the scars? And what their expectations are for covering them?

After the consultation is over, the mother and daughter are happy and ecstatic. She will be able to have her life back without the need to hide her arm under clothing. Without the fear of people looking at her and seeing these scars all over her arm. It’s never easy dealing with issues like mental health and we all deal with it our own way. Even with myself, I have fought with depression for years. I’m always seeing myself making excuses to not to go out or keep myself locked away. We all have those skeletons in our closet. But for this woman, I am hoping to give her a new life and enjoy it without people gawking at her arm.

Post consultation: I have all the areas that I need to focus on.

Now it’s time to get to work on the art. And then? It’s the waiting game. The time comes and  the day of her appointment is here. I wake up excited knowing that today will be a life changing day for someone. For me, knowing she will be able to be free of the struggle she has been dealing with makes me happy. I show her the design. I can see in her eyes that she’s nervous and a bit unsure because my designs look like basic line work. After explaining the plan, she understands and we get going.

Apply stencil. Wait to dry. Start tattooing.

The pain is intense when going over scars. At times, it got to be very painful. But after a few sprays of numbing spray, she’s comfortable. I keep going at the tattoo, seeing each scar disappear like an old memory forgotten. 4 hours pass and I am finished with the last few details. She looks down and sees her tattoo the water in her eyes builds up into tears of joy. Her mother comes in and sees what I have done and burst into tears too. I watched her hug her little girl that she has always wanted the best for. As the two check out the tattoo and thank me for doing this, I am beyond happy and that is enough for me.

Being able to change someones life for the better is always an amazing feeling. That’s why this tattoo is the tattoo I picked for the year. Trust me it was a hard pick, but this one is amazing. With all that said, I am offering 20% off self-harm scar cover ups. If you suffer from this come to The Studio and book in a consultation. Let’s see what I am able to do for you.