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Tattoo artist giving away services to cover up self-harm scars

Posted at 4:57 AM, Nov 28, 2017
and last updated 2017-11-28 08:52:49-05

A Mesa tattoo artist wants to turn dark reminders of the past into artwork to be proud of. 

Kenneth Shaw, owner of Next Wave Tattoos in Mesa, is offering his services for free to help people cover up self-harm scars. He told ABC15 of the thousands he's tattooed, around a hundred friends and clients sought his work for that reason. 

"They're a completely different person," he said. "They're able to be more confident and have more self-esteem." 

Shaw said the loss of a childhood best friend to suicide stuck with him through his life. He got the idea to launch the project from an Australian artist. 

According to HealthyPlace.com, around two million cases of self-harm are reported in the U.S. each year. 

Those interested in the service can contact Shaw through the project page on his website