If you've ever gotten a tattoo, the last thing you probably want is for it to be completely undetectable. After all, the point is usually to mark your body in some way that is uniquely your own. But what if a tattoo could be used for healing? That's the mission of tattoo artist Basma Hameed. She runs her own tattoo shop, but her craft is anything but typical. What makes Hameed's practice special is that she uses color that matches the pigment of skin, in order to hide scars and discoloration. She also gives treatments to patients who cannot afford her services free of charge. Hameed's practice is known as a paramedical tattooing treatment, and she is sought after around the globe, seeing patients with a variety of needs, from people who have burned themselves while cooking to victims of bullying and violence.
Hameed was once herself a burn victim, which was how she got into the practice. She was burned badly in a cooking accident, which resulted in her seeking more than 100 treatments in order to find results.
"I was told by my plastic surgeon that I needed to take my money and go on a vacation....but I felt like that wasn't the end of the road," Hameed tells CBC.
She decided to take matters into her own hands, and learned this practice completely on her own, which resulted in her creating a brand new face for herself. Now, she has two clinics (one in Toronto, and one in Chicago), and is using her skills to change the lives of others. To learn more about this incredible woman, check out this video from CBC News.
Image: Getty, Basma Hameed/Instagram
