Ak: A tulip

Ak is a woman in her late 20s. She has a tiny tulip tattoo on her chest to cover up a scar from chest acne she had in her late teens. She didn’t like the way the scar looked and would often cover it with makeup. Although she was worried about getting a tattoo, Ak shared that “the scar bothered [her] more than the idea of a tattoo, so [she] decided if [she] was going to be marked up, it’d be on [her] terms.” She said she wanted a flower, and the tattoo artist chose a tulip. Ak was pleasantly surprised by this because her late grandmother was born in the spring, which added meaning to the tattoo. Since getting the tattoo, Ak feels more confident and has purchased tops that show off the area she used to hide. She shares: “I think tattoos are beautiful because they help you express personality, remembrance, appreciation, and love.”