What I Took Away From the SCARS 2026 Conference in Milan
- Sophie, Permanent Makeup Artist
- Jan 20
- 2 min read
I’ve just come back from the SCARS 2026 conference in Milan. An international congress focused entirely on scars, wound healing, and how they are treated.
Not a Beauty Event. Not a Tattoo Convention.
This wasn’t my usual world.
The room was full of dermatologists, plastic surgeons, laser specialists, researchers, and clinicians working in regenerative medicine and wound care. People presenting data, long-term studies, histology slides, and treatment protocols refined over years.
There were talks on:
the role of inflammation, vascularity and collagen disorganisation
lasers, microneedling, PRP, injectables, and combined treatment approaches
what genuinely improves scar quality long-term, not just appearance short-terrm
the emotional impact of scars
the future of scar treatments
It was very evidence-led and precise.
I was invited Mended Skin™ to attend the conference. They are a specialised marketplace connecting individuals with significant scarring to expert practitioners, cutting-edge medical devices, and breakthrough scar treatment products. They empower patients with the knowledge and resources to find the right treatments and practitioners for their unique needs.
Why This Matters for Scar Camouflage Tattooing
Scar camouflage lives in this strange in-between space, a tattoing technqiue but definielty not just tattooing.
What really landed for me in Milan is how much scar behaviour underneath the skin affects pigment outcomes on top of it.
Things like:
how stable the collagen structure is
how active the blood supply still is
whether the scar is still in an inflammatory phase
how thick or fibrotic the tissue has become
All of that changes how pigment sits, spreads, fades, or holds. It reinforced that good scar camouflage isn’t just about colour matching or technique.
It’s about timing, scar maturity, tissue quality and knowing when not to treat yet.
What I’m Bringing Back Into My Practice
A few things are already shaping how I’ll work going forward:
Being even stricter about scar readiness and healing timelines
More structured aftercare and long-term skin support
Clearer boundaries around which scars I will and won’t treat
Better explanations for clients about why waiting is sometimes the best treatment
Why I’ll Probably Go Again
The conference wasn’t flashy or easy, and it certainly wasn’t the kind of thing you’d post for likes. Being there reminded me why this work matters and why it’s worth grounding every decision in knowledge, not just trends or intuition.
Scar camouflage is still developing as a practice, and I want my approach to develop with it, informed by research and understanding, not only by experience.
Curious to know more?
If your scar is over 12 month old and you'd like to find out whether it is suitable for camouflage tattooing, I offer free, no obligation consultations at my Brighton and Peacehaven studios or via a video call.
We’ll look at your skin together, talk through the process, and make sure you feel completely comfortable before deciding anything.
Fill in my form here, or send me a email or DM and we can go from there. I can't wait to help you with your scars.
Instagram & Tik Tok @inkedbeautybrighton
If you aren't in my area i'd recommend searching for local practitioners through the Mended Skin website..
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