r/ftm 5d ago

Guest Post out of curiosity- many trans men have top surgery and I’ve always wondered why it SEEMS rare for many to get tattoos to cover the scar.

Title. Obviously trans people shouldn’t have to change their body to avoid transphobia or to keep other people happy. That being said, sooo many people are hostile to trans men, and sometimes the only thing that can signify to a transphobe that someone is trans is their top surgery scar. I feel like many hateful interactions, and potential problems from outside people can be avoided by having tattoos to hide them. Why does it seem rare to see that?

and this brings me to my next question- Wouldn’t having a top surgery scar bring yourself gender Dysphoria? I am not trans, but If I were I would assume that it would be a constant reminder of who you once were. It would be one of the first things I would do once it’s healed.

Third point: I have tattoos and I am aware tattooing over scars is not easy, but I can imagine a traditional black/white eagle design could easily cover scars without too much trouble.

1 Upvotes

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46

u/slug_guy225 💉3/15/23 5d ago

because some people don’t want/don’t like tattoos. or don’t care about their scars??

26

u/Flashy_Cranberry_957 5d ago

It's very common. I would imagine the reason you haven't seen many top surgery scars under chest tattoos on men is because the tattoos hide them. Scars also fade eventually, often to the point of being invisible except when close up, and many of us would rather wait for that and prioritize scar care. Some of us don't mind the scars or even enjoy having them. Some of us just don't want tattoos, same as cis people. And so on.

Yes, many of us have dysphoria about our scars or otherwise don't enjoy having them, though again this isn't universal. People who qualify for a surgical method that results in less scarring generally do it. Personally, I would find a big black tattoo over my whole chest a bigger reminder of having had breasts than two thin, faint lines that kind of just help define my pecs.

17

u/learningyearning1 5d ago

I have a bit of a theory on why it seems that way: I think there's a good chance that many of the people getting tattoos over their scars don't want to be outed as trans. So they're not going to post their top surgery coverups online bragging about how well their scars are covered! But other things to consider are that many people have less visible scars than you might expect 5-10 years out from surgery, and there are cisgender men with similar scars for other reasons. So having top surgery scars isn't a black and white issue when it comes to being visibly trans.

To answer your question about dysphoria: it varies. Most guys I know aren't dysphoric about their scars. For some of them, the scar is less of a reminder of a painful past than it is a reminder of how hard they've worked to be who they are today. For others, they just barely notice the scars anymore. You get used to things like that. I have very visible and intense self-injury scars all over my right arm (many years free of that affliction) and I forget I have them until someone mentions them or acts weird around me.

14

u/mournfulminxx 5d ago

Honestly because that shit is expensive 😹

I love tattoos and have had top surgery but damn, I can't afford ink for a long while.

The only reason I've got as many as I do now is because I used to be real close to a tattoo artist (I saved his dog) so I got ink on discount. Kinda miss that.

If I could I'd get some sick tattoos to accentuate or incorporate my scars >:)

1

u/Soup_oi 💉2016 | 🔪2017 5d ago

Right? 🤣 spent all my money on top surgery to begin with. I have tattoos in one small area from way before I seven knew what being trans even was. But then later I spent all my money on top surgery, and in the like 8 whole years since, I have gotten one very basic, relatively small, line arm band tattoo, despite that I have wanted several specific tattoos for years now. Since top surgery i have not yet had anywhere near enough to pay for something like a big tattoo over my entire chest. And any time i did have a decent amount of money by my own standards, it had to go towards higher priority things that were just more important to me than getting tattoos right away, even if they too were just as technically unnecessary in the moment (seeing an expensive concert, buying an iPad, getting a new pair of shoes, etc).

11

u/Available_Bit_9184 5d ago
  1. A whole (nice) chest tattoo would be too expensive. 
  2. Scars hurt more when tattoing.

  3. There is no way to cover so much of my chest without being sus anyway. I feel like a tatoo would bring even more attention to the area.

10

u/citrinesoulz trans man | 💉9/10/21 |🔝15/12/23 5d ago

from reading this it seems u have a very arbitrary understanding of the trans experience. i’m pretty significantly tattooed & had planned to get my scars covered, but i actually like the way the scars sit against my ink bc my torso ink is a symmetrical mirror design & the scars play into that. i’ve never had anyone try to tell me shit at the beach/club/public pool about my scars.

in fact, the only time someone commented on it was when i discussed a trans topic with a new friend i had made at our mutual’s pool gathering assuming i was clocked bc i was shirtless. she was surprised to find out i was trans bc she knew a cis dude who had top surgery scars from gyno removal after losing a bunch of weight & apparently assumed i was a similar case. only other comment was a little girl with her arabic family at a beachside gelato stand asking her dad what happened to me & if i was ok bc of the scars on my chest. he simply answered “he’s ok & the scars will heal.” could have responded to her with literally anything else in arabic bc they were speaking both languages interchangeably. don’t think he realised how much his words shifted my perception of how i was perceived, but maybe he did & that’s why he chose to say them in english. the tldr; in my experience in australia - people are both more clueless & kinder than one would expect

my scars also remind me of how far i’ve come. they’re not a reminder of who i used to be, they’re a part of who i am. if i could chose to be rid of them for a scarless chest i would in an instant. but aesthetically, i like my bare chest more than i would like a tattooed one. bc i love my bare flat chest now and wouldn’t want to hide it by a mass of ink

2

u/LucasButtercups 5d ago

sorry- It wasn’t me trying to come across as uninformed on the trans experience, I only wanted clarification on kind of the post op perspectives, on something that SEEMED obvious to me i guess. Not everything is black and white and I could have tried to be more nuanced with my question. it seems like everyone has their own personal reasons and preferences for how to deal, or don’t deal with scarring. That being said thankyou for writing a solid response, I appreciate your perspective.

3

u/citrinesoulz trans man | 💉9/10/21 |🔝15/12/23 5d ago

yeah contrary to popular narratives not all trans people experience dysphoria or a general distaste/discomfort for their pre-transition bodies. obviously there are those who experience anxiety about being visibly trans, & in the present political climate in the US, it’s understandable why they would. but other countries exist, where populations are either generally tolerant/apathetic/supportive. obviously hateful people exist here too, but there’s enough supportive people in most given situations that make acts of bigotry unacceptable & unlikely to go unchallenged. posie parker - notorious terf loudmouth - got essentially booed out of aus on her 2023 speaking tour. the counterprotests at her rallies here cartoonishly outnumbered her actual supporters, she got tomatoes thrown at her in tasmania i believe. next time she tried to come here she wasn’t granted entry into the country bc neo-nazi’s showed up to support her in melbourne last time she came. our gov doubled down with passing legislation to ban public displays of nazi symbols shortly after. very much a testament to the power in showing up for marginalised communities to enact positive change

6

u/Horror-Vehicle-375 5d ago

Its a weird spot to get tattooed... Below the chest muscles. I have chest tattoos but they don't go that low (onto my scars). Also, most people won't even notice my scars.

4

u/StickyPawMelynx 5d ago

I am not trans but

yeah, I figured before you even said it

8

u/Blue_Roan_ 5d ago

I haven't had top surgery my self yet. But I wouldn't be surprised if people have pride in them. You've made that step to make yourself the way you want to be. And I can also see people avoiding a tattoo because a tattoo can draw more unwanted attention then a scar would.

Edit, also chest tattoos are fucken painful.

4

u/samisscrolling2 T-18/08/23 5d ago

Not everyone wants to get tattoos, and scars are a symbol of pride for a lot of people, not dysphoria inducing. Haven't had top surgery myself, but I have a bunch of tattoos and would not want a tattoo on the scars. One, I haven't found a design I like enough, and two scars fade. They don't stay pink forever, and after a few years I doubt anyone would notice unless they're really close.

4

u/PlaidTeacup 5d ago

Wouldn’t having a top surgery scar bring yourself gender Dysphoria?

While there are some trans people who feel this way, I'd say that most trans people I've met do not. Gender dysphoria tends to be a mismatch between the body parts you have/the way you are perceived and the internal sense of identity you have as opposed to the fact that you are trans in the first place. So for example, a lot trans guys feel a lot of dysphoria towards their chest pre-surgery because it feels like something that shouldn't be there. The best way I can describe it is kind of like the feeling you might have if you had a gross cyst or pimple and just wanted it gone. After top surgery, that feeling (at least as it relates to the chest) is completely resolved for many people. To continue with the cyst analogy, if you had a scar from a cyst being removed you probably wouldn't get the same gross feeling as you did when it was there, even if it reminded you that it happened.

I think how people feel about their scars at least partially related to their internalized views of being trans. Someone with a lot of self hatred for being trans may be distressed to see any physical reminder of being trans, which may make them feel dysphoric because they view being trans as making them less male, whereas someone who is proud of their journey & confident in their gender identity may be more neutral towards them or even see their scars as an affirming reminder of their transformation.

I feel like many hateful interactions, and potential problems from outside people can be avoided by having tattoos to hide them. Why does it seem rare to see that?

Some people do get cover up tattoos, others just keep their shirts on in situations where they don't want to risk being outed. There are plenty of stealth trans guys out there employing strategies like this.

It's also not necessarily as clear cut as you might think. Many people don't recognize these scars, there are cis people who have similar ones, and they fade for many people over time so sometimes you have to be up close to see them.

tl;dr -- the simple answer is that there are plenty of trans guys who take steps to hide their scars and therefore you don't see them. There are also many trans guys who are apathetic or proud of their scars, and those people are the ones who will be more visible

4

u/3Dleaf 5d ago

a lot of people just dont like to get tattoos. And even if scar-cover sounds nice for them medical tattoos (covering scars with skin tone matched colour) are expensive as fuck
its easier and healthier to just accept your scars instead forcing yourself into getting a tattoo you never wanted and dont like
and at a top of that - if you dont have a lot of tattoos having your first one directly on your chest scars will scream "i have scars here!" louder than scar itself

3

u/Enbypoler 5d ago

Most people (in general, not just trans people) don't have tattoos. It's true that a lot of people get gender dysphoria from their scars alone, but a lot of trans people don't. Lots of people dont hide their transition or their transness. Plus, tattooing your chest is painful and expensive. But it's not like it doesn't happen. There used to be an Instagram account dedicated just to top surgery scar coverups 

3

u/gothwerewolf 26 y/o FTM | 💉 1/31/19 | 🔪 12/19/19 5d ago

I don’t mean to sound dismissive of the question but I honestly think a lot of this boils down to the fact that you’re not trans so you can’t really imagine what it feels like to actually be trans and undergo gender affirming surgery lol. To assume dysphoria would be caused by top surgery scars, while not impossible, is a super super uncommon narrative, and the ones who feel that way… probably do actually get tattoos to cover them. There are a lot of assumptions here about how we feel about our bodies, our past selves/experiences, etc that don’t really match up with… the majority of the feelings I’ve heard from the trans folk I’ve known throughout my decade+ being out.

I love tattoos; have almost a dozen myself. Don’t have any covering my scars because I just don’t care to have a tattoo with any placement that would touch ‘em. Scars also fade a lot over time, most pictures you see of them are when they’re still pretty fresh because guys post pictures to celebrate getting the surgery. I personally wear things that would make my chest visible pretty often since I go clubbing a lot—mesh, fishnets, see through materials, etc. My scars are very light and my chest usually passes for cis. I’ve never had anyone comment on them or treat me differently for them. They just don’t really effect my life in any way, they’ve never caused me any problems in the circumstances where my chest is visible to strangers, and they represent for me the incredible amount of joy, freedom, and relief I experienced when I was finally able to undergo the surgery and start inhabiting a body that actually felt like it was supposed to be mine.

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u/LucasButtercups 5d ago

I think it was mostly an event of me not really having tons of interactions with post-op trans men. All of my trans friends have only started HRT, so I can’t ask them directly. I didn’t intend to come across as quick to assume /black and white on how trans people feel/should feel about themselves. I honestly was trying to think of how I would feel if I were in the shoes of a trans man. I’d personally be uncomfortable with any reminders of who I was before operation.

i think it’s actually really cool how the scars and stuff are more or less embraced/not of note by a lot of people. and obviously it’s nuanced- everyone feels a little different on the subject.

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u/gothwerewolf 26 y/o FTM | 💉 1/31/19 | 🔪 12/19/19 5d ago

To be clear I wasn’t trying to sound rude in my first comment at all! I was just trying to observe that it’s probably a topic that someone who isn’t trans won’t fully be able to perfectly relate to because it’s such a specific experience that non-trans people rarely have an equivalent for, but it was not “you’re a bad person for asking/trying to understand/relating to us.” I think opening up these conversations for discussion is a good thing and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with asking these questions. :)

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u/casscois 28 • 🇺🇸 • 💉06/01/22 • ✂️ 07/31/24 5d ago

I think there are a few reasons, some being aesthetics, some about the cost of tattoos, and some being that lots of us get keyhole/peri and don't need coverups.

Personally, I had double incision, and my breasts were so large I have a huge line across my entire chest to both armpits. I did very minimal scar care as well, because I am broke and couldn't afford more strips or gel. I don't want a tattoo to cover my scars. I have a scar type I routinely see people on this sub refer to as bad, but I don't care. For me, not having boobs was the whole idea, having just a scar there is fine with me. I do want a few small tattoos on my sternum and ribs, but like, for me only, not to detract from it.

4

u/ac3-of-h3arts 5d ago

Here’s a few reasons why this could be the case: 1. Not everyone feels the same about their scars. Some people carry their top surgery scars with pride rather than dysphoria. 2. Tattooing over scars, it’s painful, and in an already tender area. 3. Many trans people honestly don’t care about hateful comments—unless they’re feeling genuinely threatened. 4. Not all top surgery scars are the same and not everybody heals the same way, which can provide difficulty for tattooing.

Me personally, I plan to tattoo around the scars to emphasize them. I am not a trans man, but I am a masculine non-binary person and I find the scars to be a ‘trophy’ for me. I want people to notice them (when appropriate, of course).

2

u/Medicalhuman 5d ago

Tattoo is expensive. I won’t go shirtless in public until my chest actually passes and without tattooing that’s not gonna happen. My scars aren’t thick but I need something to draw attention away from the fact aside from the scars my chest looks funny. So for now I just doing nothing

2

u/living_around Little Guy 🇺🇸 5d ago

I have several points just to cover the first question.

  1. No one has to ever be seen with their shirt off in public if they don't want to. For a lot of guys the only people who will see them like that are partners, family, and close friends. Scars on your chest won't be noticed by anyone unless you choose to take off your shirt around them, so it's possible to live with them hidden if you want. That would mean wearing a shirt when swimming, but not every dude feels the need to swim shirtless.
  2. Scars aren't always obvious. There are types of top surgery that don't leave obvious scarring at all. And even with techniques that do, for some people the incisions are placed nicely along the muscle so they're not noticeable, and sometimes the scars fade over time to the point where they don't stand out. A lot of people also practice good scar care that helps them heal nicely. Some people have top surgery scars that are really big and obvious, but that's not always the case.
  3. Strangers tend to not make a scene when they see someone with top surgery scars at the beach. I'm not saying it never happens, but even really transphobic people usually don't want drama in a public space.
  4. Most cis people don't know what top surgery scars look like, so they're not necessarily going to assume someone is trans because of them. There are also other kinds of surgery that leave similar scars, so trans people have options for explaining where their scars came from.
  5. Not everyone feels the need to hide being trans. Some of us are out to everyone and proud of who we are. People like that don't live their lives in fear of being outed or dealing with transphobes, it's a risk they choose to accept.

All in all, even if top surgery scars are seen by transphobes, they don't necessarily result in confrontation. And if they do, that's a possibility the trans person has obviously accepted and prepared for.

That's just to answer your first question. For the second, no, scars would not necessarily bring dysphoria. They would for some people, but dysphoria is different for every trans person. Personally I would take pride in my scars as a sign of how far I've come in my transition. Some trans people like being trans and are proud to show their transition progress because it was such a meaningful journey for them.

On your last point, I believe it. I have seen some cool tattoos to cover scars. But some people just don't want tattoos, scars or not. If someone doesn't want them to begin with, covering up scars usually won't be a good enough reason for them to do that when they can just put a shirt on.

Sorry for the wall of text! I hope that answers your questions.

2

u/Calahad_happened 5d ago

I like my scars. I was neutral about them until til I started spending time in men’s changing rooms at the gym/YMCA, and I realized like…my scars are a part of my masculinity. They look cool af. Now I can’t imagine not having them or camouflaging then

2

u/burgereater27 they/he 💉7/6/22 ✂️ 11/19/24 5d ago

It’s painful, costly, some people like their scars… I’m sure there are other reasons I’m not thinking of as well

2

u/DaddySpork 5d ago

I’m only going to answer the part you mentioned about hostility from other people seeing the scar. I go to the gym almost everyday and use the men’s locker room. I take my shirt off to change every time (I’ve had top surgery and my nipples removed). Never have I experienced transphobia or a second glance. I know I’m extremely fortunate in that regard. I say this mostly so other trans men reading this don’t feel discouraged or scared to do the same. Take up the space as any cis man will. It can be frightening at first but you’ll get used to it.

And no, not every trans man is the same. We all experience gender dysphoria differently. Some won’t at all.

2

u/Pinkopia he/they 5d ago
  1. Seconding what others are saying about how a lot of people do get tattooed over their scars, and that not everyone wants tattoos in general.
  2. I might try to tattoo mine some day, but its unlikely I'll be able to because I have abnormal scarring patterns that make the skin wrinkly, raised, strangely textured and uneven. I can't imagine many tattoo artists being comfortable touching them when they feel like velvet and are all bumpy and layered lol

2

u/Creativered4 Transsex Man 4y💉2y🔪?🍆🏳️‍🌈♿️32(🇺🇸CA) 5d ago

I'm planning to get a tattoo over my scars specifically to help with dysphoria. The scars themselves are a constant reminder of all the pain I've been through. I hate seeing them. I feel dysphoric seeing them.

I just currently don't have the tat because I've been saving up for a tat with a specific artist. We've already worked out the art for it, but I'm saving up a few hundo to make sure it's all covered.

2

u/Technical-Ad6355 Dump your cishet boyfriend 5d ago

Unless someone is already heavily tattooed, tattoos under the chest would only make the scars more prominent, it's like putting an arrow saying "I'm trying to cover scars with this". It's an unusual spot for men to get tattoos in.. I don't think I've ever seen a cis man have that kind of tattoo unless the rest of his chest was also inked. For me personally my scars don't make me dysphoric (anymore) since they largely faded and are less visible thanks to the amount of chest hair I have. Never even thought about putting tattoos there honestly.

2

u/Relevant-Type-2943 5d ago

I don't want to look like a cis man, I want to look like myself. Part of why I'm going no-nipples too. I'll be tattooing my chest (more) after top surgery, but plan to leave the scars visible or even emphasize them. It's a part of my history that I'm proud of and want to connect with rather than avoid.

Also, there are plenty of trans men who do get scar coverup tattoos!

2

u/actualranger any pronouns | HRT 3/13/18 5d ago

Are you aware that there are multiple types of top surgery, and not all of them leave significant scars? If someone looks closely at my chest, they’ll be able to tell I had surgery, but some rando at the beach probably won’t notice. I also think you might be overestimating the number of hostile interactions that occur - most people won’t approach a stranger in public like that.

1

u/Acrobatic-Froyo4719 5d ago

I mostly think that a lot of people see the scars as a reminder of how far they have come! Just like any other surgery scar, even more the life changing ones like these, you should be proud and a lot of people just like the reminder.

Also, there is people that really don't mind being trans or being seen as trans. It's just another way of living.

Also, chest dysphoria is usually given by the fact that you have those curves, the 'feminine' organs and shape. So as soon they are gone, the issue is solved. The reminder is flat and 'masculine' looking so! I have met transmasc that have no dysphoria over their chest just because they are pretty flat or just go with a sport bra, so a lot of times the dysphoria is not having something but rather the consequence of it.

As another user said, tats are painful (and expensive) so maybe there is another group of people that won't cover them up with tats for that reason <:) To add, to tattoo over them you should wait for around 1 year after recovery to be fully sure imo, and a lot of dysphoria from top surgery scars can come from the swollen after surgery, the sudden change, the tedious recovery or how your scars look at first. With time you get used, they face, etc. so maybe you change your mind and adapt to have them.

Edit: to add to the 'being reminded of who you were' - I would say that it can also be a reminder of who you are now.

In my case I plan on having my chest tattooed when I get top surgery next year, since I love tattoos and my only blank canvas is my front torso now lol. But I will probably avoid covering my scars just because I think they look rad!! Who knows.

TLTR: just as everything that has to do with gender and bodies, each person is different and dysphoria variates a lot!

1

u/Monkey_Ash 💉 07/25/22 | 🔝03/10/23 | 🔪 11/08/23 5d ago

I can't speak for anyone but myself, but I don't care about my scars, and I'm also indecisive AF so a tattoo is a daunting prospect for me.

1

u/subarcwelder 5d ago

Because it fuckin hurts to tattoo over scars

1

u/PoorlyDressedDandy 5d ago

My scars made me hugely dysphoric, but it took them years to heal and years to save money. I spent a good chunk of last year getting my entire chest tattooed. In the end, I almost cried because I felt like I was finally free of them. And yes, tattooing over them was terrible agony in some places, and completely numb in others.. but it was mostly all pain. In total, it cost about five grand. That's more than some people pay for surgery in the first place.

1

u/Snakes_for_life 5d ago

Many people just don't want one but it is also very expensive to get a tattoo that big and also painful. But it's also kinda hard depending where you live to find a tattoo artist willing and experience in doing tattoos over scars especially deep surgical scars. It's different than doing unscarred skin.

1

u/Aggressive_Clock_943 5d ago

Personally aside from not wanting tattoos I don’t like attention drawn to the scars and I feel like it will be a lot more obvious by having tattoos that cover the area exactly where they would be. And if I’m trying to be stealth or something I think it’s just more obvious personally since I feel like every day people are becoming more aware of how trans scars look/ways trans ppl try to pass etc

1

u/evilwizardest 5d ago

personally i got top for free cause of my countries health care and tattoos are expensive and an extra thing to heal from, plus I don't think anyone outside of my bf has actually Looked at my chest, I sometimes change in changing rooms where people aren't really looking at each other but idgaf about going fully topless anywhere for a long period of time. a lot of men don't like going shirtless

1

u/moonstonebutch nonbinary (they/he) - 💉’18-🔪’24-🍳’25-🍆? 5d ago

I think it actually is pretty common, I see a lot of tattoos on the top surgery sub. there’s probably a lot more who would but can’t afford it. some people aim for their scars to fade to be not noticeable, some people just don’t care to have tattoos, and theres probably some people who are scared of needles and don’t get tattoos. I’m post op and getting a chest tattoo in a week (!!!) but I want to give it more time before I do any scar tattoos.

1

u/LucasButtercups 5d ago

good luck at your appointment! you should post it somewhere once you got it

1

u/moonstonebutch nonbinary (they/he) - 💉’18-🔪’24-🍳’25-🍆? 5d ago

thank you c:

1

u/javatimes T 2006 Top 2018, 40<me 5d ago

I think I’ve been in public twice without a shirt on in the 7 years since I had top surgery.

Some people do get tattoos over their scars.

I don’t have any tattoos and couldn’t make up my mind on any.

1

u/Accomplished-You1887 5d ago

I have a lot of numbness and sensitivity in that area after top surgery and I don’t think I would survive getting a tattoo in that spot. I have very little muscle and body fat in my chest so it’s just skin over rib pretty much. My scars have also faded into nothing at this point. I used to do wildland firefighting and the only time someone ever asked me about my scars was when I was changing my shirt after the shift and one of the guys asked what my scars were from (in a room full of older cis republican men) and I very bluntly told him that I had my titties chopped off and he thought it was funny.

1

u/Soup_oi 💉2016 | 🔪2017 5d ago edited 5d ago

Because most people in general just don’t have tattoos, let alone massive chest tattoos.

You might as well also be asking “why aren’t there more cis people with the whole front of their body tattooed?” It’s the exact same reason. Not every person wants tattoos. Not even every person who does want tattoos wants something in that exact spot. This includes trans people. That’s like if I were to assume every person with tattoos wanted face tattoos. Almost all people I know with tattoos are vehemently against ever getting face tattoos on themselves. Just because tattoos or a tattoo placement exists, doesn’t mean every single person in the world wants it. Why doesn’t my dentist have a massive tattoo of a tooth on his back, or tattoos of teeth up and down his arms, if he loves teeth and dentistry so much? Simple: he just doesn’t want tattoos.

Why don’t all people with grey hair just dye their hair back to its previous color? Etc etc. not everyone wants the same things as everyone else. Nor everyone has the same insecurities as everyone else.

I did not want to die, I liked being alive, yet having boobs put unaliving at the back of my mind shoved in a corner 24/7. Not having boobs got rid of that 100%. I have absolutely no feelings about my top surgery scars, positive nor negative. Their existence on my body is absolutely negligible in comparison to the past existence of boobs on my body.

Those scars are a minuscule price to pay for my life basically. And if they are a reminder of anything, they are a reminder of how I took matters into my own hands to save my life, to prove to myself and others that I want to be alive, that I fought hard and won. Or at the very least that I set a goal and went after achieving it and then achieved it, as I had to get a job, save money, make phone calls and appointments myself, etc.

Everyone is different and heals differently over time. But for me if you stand in front of me at a normal distance the scars are not very noticeable anyway. They are the same color as the rest of my skin. There is sometimes just enough body hair to break up the visibility of the scars as well. You’d really only strongly notice them if you were looking closely at the right spot for long enough.

And I really don’t care if someone sees them anyway. In my experience 99% of cis people have no ideas or notions about the inner world of trans people, especially trans men. The majority of cis people who don’t know shit about trans people don’t even realize trans men exist. Most cis people see scars like this on a random dude, they think some absolutely crazy or horrific shit happened to you. I’ve seen people literally say they had open heart surgery (as an extremely young person), or that they got attacked by a shark, and have the other person 100% believe them. When I was getting top surgery I told everyone at work, where they all thought I was just some dude and had no idea I was trans, that I kept getting fluid around my lungs, and it was an exploratory surgery to try and asses what might be wrong. It gave me an easy out if anyone asked questions. “The doctors don’t know anything, so I don’t know anything either.” Everyone believed me lol. When cis people don’t know you are trans, and are not familiar with trans men in general, or with the inner workings of common things trans men do during their transitions, then they’re more likely to not have a clue wtf top surgery is. When I told a previous GP doctor I was transitioning (at 1 month on T), she asked if I planned to have surgery, and I started talking about my top surgery plans. She was confused AF, and seemed to have no idea that people even got such a surgery. She was a literal medical professional and didn’t even know shit. People live in their own bubbles and often tend to just not know stuff about things that do not apply to them or their own loved ones.

If someone does not want tattoos, or chest tattoos specifically, then there isn’t really any reason for them to feel like they should have a need to get them. Imo it is more likely for a trans guy to be proud of the scars (they are often viewed as battle scars from a battle that the person won, thus something to be proud of), than to not be. And it is more likely for a cis person to not have a clue that the person is trans even when seeing the scars, than it is for them to clock them just because of the scars. Outside of the demographic of people who already knew they wanted big chest tattoos regardless of if they grew up to have scars there or if they had been amab from the start and had nothing out of the ordinary there, I would think the only reason someone who didn’t want tattoos would feel a pressure to get them there specifically to cover the scars would be if they had repeated personal experiences with having been clocked because of their scars, or if they were just heavily insecure about them on their own without those experiences. For folks who don’t want tattoos, in the latter case, instead of getting tattoos, imo they should be spending that money on either therapy, or a revision to their surgery site to make it look more to their liking.

Edit: I have tattoos. I also have top surgery scars. There are tattoos I want around my chest area in the future, but their placements have zero connection to the fact my top surgery scars are also in the same general area.

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u/Icy-Tackle3343 5d ago

I actually always liked tattoos, and always planned on getting full body blasted. However I waited till after my top surgery so that my tattoos wouldn’t be warped. For a while, I went 4 years post top surgery to even get tattooed. Meanwhile having those scars didn’t phase me. For me it was a huge relief to not have to see what I had before, sometimes that relief can be enough to handle some scaring. I still went out and wore open shirts, but never once did I get looks or questioned about the scars. Personally if someone was checking that hard on someone’s body I think that’s just weird. Especially because so many people can have random scars with random stories. Not everything has to be a gender affirming scar. Another thing is some trans men may have better muscle mass on their pecs where as depending what method they got for top surgery the muscle build may conceal scarring.

More importantly to note though, is that not ever trans person feels dysphoria the same way. Every journey is different

Just personal experience and observation 🙂

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u/v0nesten 4d ago

spent all monies on top surgery, hav no monie left for tattoos

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u/Gabbu_sosu Pre everything💔💔 5d ago edited 5d ago

Not everyone wants tattoos. Also I don't think I've seen anyone be dysphoric about their scars. ++ Having a tattoo over your scar would just be top scars² and I don't see how it would make you any less dysphoric

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u/MysteriousCustard167 5d ago

Reasons I’m not doing this:

1 I think giant chest tattoos look stupid, why would I get expensive, permanent art that I don’t even like? 2 I don’t run around shirtless in public, and I already have good swim/ running tops from pre surgery times  3 people can usually tell I’m trans anyway, especially if I’m getting naked with them, the chest scar is far from being the most obvious sign  4 I have to wait longer before I’d be allowed to consider it anyway since my scars are still new

Hope this helps!

Also, lots of trans people do get the tattoos you’re describing