Protective coatings with one or more additives dispersed therethrough are disclosed. A protective coating may comprise a poly(p-xylylene), or parylene. An additive may be configured to cause the protective coating to contrast (e.g., visibly, etc.) with features or components that are exposed beyond a periphery of the protective coating. Additives that provide other characteristics are also disclosed. In addition, methods for applying protective coatings according to this disclosure are disclosed, as are inspection methods.