Turning a scar into art

Henriette Lamprecht It was 8 October 1983, the day a little spark would forever change her life. A spark at a fuel station in the dusty town of Khorixas that turned her body into an inferno, leaving the teenager with burnd covering most of her body.This tiny spark made her the strong, proud and confident woman she is today – compelling her to appreciate life, living it to the full, love and laughter her daily choice.Now, more than three decades later, the scars that formed on her left arm that fateful day, have been replaced by a piece of art – a document and statement of a devastating life event, turned into a proud testament of who she is.More and more people turn to tattoos to turn scars of past trauma into something beautiful, a silent reminder of how far they have come – and survived.To tattoo artist Andy van Zyl this is nothing new since he has worked his particular brand of artful magic on scars, among others, on the wrist after an attempt at suicide, or on a woman who had a breast reconstruction after a mastectomy.Wrist scars usually stem from adolescence, when people are young and haven't found their feet yet, says Andy. “But once they do, the scar may be a constant reminder. Many of these survivors want something put over it, but still leave some kind of mark to prove to themselves and the world that they've survived. That area which they used to look at and see a bad memory, is now a 'wow'. It's like wearing your heart on your sleeve: You show on the outside what's inside.”Andy also helped a woman who had a mastectomy and reconstruction to tattoo an areola and nipple on the reconstructed breast. “I matched the skin, colour and size with the other breast and in the mirror it looks like a nipple. It made her feel confident.”The needles he uses are imported from South Africa. He explains that a set of solid needles are attached to a machine. The pigment sticks to the needles, and is then applied to the skin. The needles are in a variety of sizes depending on the tattoo, colour, outlines and shading required.The pigment he uses at the moment is imported from the UK. The pigment he began his career with in the 80s was in powder form and mixed with mouthwash. “Mouthwash is 97% alcohol and tattoo application was quite painful back then. Also, the needles were not what they are today.” Bug pins or ethnomology needles to pin butterflies and insects to walls which do very little damage, were used then. “People started using it in Europe and in America, and we started using them again today.”Andy admits there is a world of difference between earlier tattoos and those of today.One big difference is that infusion pigments are used today, which originate from America.“We really have come a long way in cutting out harmful things. There used to be many things people were allergic to, like red colouring, because it has a small amount of mercury in it.” He says it is impossible to take all the mercury out of red, because of the mineral the colour is made from. “But the current infusion red has as much mercury in it as is in the oxygen we breathe.”Andy does a test patch on a client's skin to see if he or she reacts to it. If not, it doesn't mean a person won't ever become allergic to it.EVOLUTIONTattoos are one of the oldest things in the world, and they constantly evolve, Andy says. “The oldest mummy ever dug out of the polar frost that had skin on, was a woman who had 53 tattoos. So the art has always been around. Back then there were as many beliefs about tattoos as there are today.”According to him, one such belief was that tattoos could heal. “Most of the mummy's tattoos were in areas where you could see she had inflammation, like in the joints. The biggest misconception and immediate perception of a person with tattoos is that “you're defiant”, but Andy refutes this, saying from doctors to teachers have tattoos.Some people get inked because of peer pressure. They see others with it and think it's cool. He sees them coming when they enter his shop. “They usually want stars or infinity signs or some other mindless bull. You can spot them from a mile away. I tell them to think carefully about it. The first guy that got the infinity sign thought it was a brilliant idea and shared the photo. Months later, hundreds of people have seen it and you keep bumping into people who have exactly the same tattoo as you do!”The big thing is to not look or be like everybody else, Andy says. Instead of putting somebody in a box, a tattoo should say “you can't put me in a box, I'm an individual, I am different”. “That's what we try to do – promote a single design for every customer that won't be repeated.”There are tattoos that are purely decorational, which is also great, Andy says.PHOTO ALBUMHis own tattoos are like time stamps in his life, reminding him of where he was at a specific time, place, and what he got up to.“It's like paging through a photo album. You carry it with you. Also, it is the only thing you will ever buy and take to your grave!”He admits that he regrets the tattoo on his left arm.A lot of thought was put into it originally. It consists of images by a fantasy artist whose tattoos include dragons climbing out of eggs. “It was absolutely amazing and I got a bunch of them on my arm. In the UK I saw this guy who had zebra stripes on his arm and thought it was a great idea to incorporate too. “Unfortunately I trusted the tattoo artist a bit too much. He clearly had never seen a zebra in his life!”The worst tattoos are for women with flabby, big breasts. Andy explains that, for example, one's arm “has bone that sits on the inside” and the skin can be pulled tight so there is some resistance. “With breasts, there is no such resistance and the needle doesn't penetrate well or cleanly, so it bounces back all the time. However, you can compensate for this.”Armpits are the most painful to have done, so too the sternum which has many nerve endings.WEIRD AND WONDERFULOn a lighter note, Andy says there's quirkiness in everyone and in every profession.“The strangest tattoo I have ever done was for a UK-based marine called Leggy. His wife had died of cancer, leaving him with two children and his life going in all kinds of directions. Leggy got a tattoo and a piercing in his nether regions, which he said signified celebrating that which had happened in his life, didn't kill him. He survived maybe a bit too much!”Some people laugh when they get tattooed. “Don't know if it's a nervous thing. Also, men cry more than girls,” Andy shares.“Women have an extremely high pain threshold and are also emotionally stronger. They can handle pain and the idea of getting a tattoo a lot better than men.”The least painful areas are the bits that are exposed all the time, with the legs being the least painful spot. “There is a certain amount of pain, but it is not like being cut open or getting burnt.” He says that he wouldn't spend more than three hours working on one area though.“As soon as the brain starts experiencing pain, it starts releasing endorphins. After a tattoo, you feel the effects of your brain flushing you with these 'drugs'. At the same time you feel down to earth and grounded.”Many different methods are used by tattoo artists all over the world for maintenance and after care. “In Europe at the moment, it is the wet healing method. They basically cover the tattoo in cling film or something similar which is replaced on a daily basis. Here it wouldn't work as you would sweat too much.”After the first three days, the tattoo forms a “bump” because of the needle pricks. “The bump is the fluids under your skin trying to push out. It will continue for about three days during which you wash all the plasma and everything off that comes out so it doesn't sit on your skin or start decaying.”Then a dry scab forms which needs to be covered with special cocoa butter made in South Africa when you shower. “It is all natural and the main ingredient is bees wax. We're trying to get away from anything that is fossil-based because it can influence the pigments.”His tattoos don't define him, Andy says. “I would still be the same person without it. A tattoo won't change your personality, it doesn't change who you are. If anything it makes you stronger because you have to face all these people who have these comments and opinions about you even though they don't know you.” • buzztattoonamibia@gmail.com

Turning a scar into art

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Republikein 2026-02-03

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Turning a scar into art

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Republikein 2026-02-03

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