The chest, particularly the central upper chest over the sternum, is a technically feasible location for surgical tattoo excision, especially for a tattoo measuring 2” x 1”. However, this area is considered high risk for keloid and hypertrophic scarring due to the skin’s tension, frequent movement, and relatively thin subcutaneous tissue. Keloids are more likely to develop on the chest than in other body areas, and recurrence rates after excision alone can be quite high—sometimes up to 100% without additional therapy.
