hey yall...Just curiosus if any of you know anything about Tatoos in relation to cf. I really really want one, and asides from the normal risks, preoblems, etc.... just wondering if there could be any OTHER possible complications specific to having cf (example, medications/ location on the body/ infection- ANYTHING at all).I want to make a nice informed decision! Oh and by the way... i want to get a rose with the numbers "65" on it! (amongst other designs)...Thanks... Maisy
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Tatoos
- Thread starter anonymous
- Start date
Hi,some time ago I heard, that there are often metallic pieces in the tattoo colors.They can heat up and cause burns when you have to do special medical examinations. Doctors don´t do some examinations when somebody has a tatoo.As we with cf need lots of examinations, especially when you need a transplant later, I would not tatoo my skin (I have thought of it,too, but then I found this article...). I don´t know the english words for the examinations, but it is something similar to x-ray...Maybe you should ask your doc.ByeUli from Germany
there are no metallic particles in regular tattoo ink. i dont know about other inks but i dont think anyone would be getting into those [ id advise not to either] getting a tattoo is fine. make sure you go a reputable artist. check that they put a sterile needle on the machine and that they pour the ink into individual palettes instead of 'double dipping' into the original ink bottles. if you have sensitive skin put ice on it afterwards, it will help alot with the swelling. ive never heard of a doctor refusing to do examinations etc because of a tattoo, unless they are 70 years old and thinks people with tattoos worship satan or something.
Emily and I have both had tattoos (Emils has CF) and we both had no problems, but will tell you, that whenever you think of it, put bacitracyn (sp?) on it. UYou can never use too much and you don't want to risk infection. We have used the same place for tattoos and ear piercings and one navel piercing and have never had any infections or problems of any kind so be sure to trust whoever you are letting do the work
I have had Tattoos for almost 20 years, and with limited exception, there have been no issues related to my CF. One of the tattoos that I have is a a 'short sleeve' on my left arm, it encompasses the arm from my shoulder to my elbow. Several years ago, I was laying on the table in radiology awaiting the placement of a picc line. When I answered that I was right-handed, the technician began preparing my upper inner left arm, directly on the lotus flower tattoo. Luckily, I was not sedated and I was able to vocally make it clear that there was no chance that a picc would be placed through my ink and that my non-tatooed right arm would do nicely. Also, when I was listed for lung transplant, my doctor suggested that I get whatever tatoos I planned on, because it was contraindicated post transplant. What has been previously mentioned regarding trust in the Artist and knowledge of their sterilization/safety practices cannot be overstated, it is tantamount. Good luck. John.g.
AbsintheSorrow
New member
Watch me be a little uninformed for a minute here.... did you mean that your doctor wants you to get any tattoos before transplant, because it's not a good idea to afterwards? If so, do you know why?
AbsintheSorrow
New member
PS-- I do have a tattoo and have no trouble with it. And Maisy? I was just thinking about getting a second tattoo... my design idea... a red rose with "sixty five" beside it. Hehehe. Great minds think alike! <img src="i/expressions/rose.gif" border="0">
Emily,Geez, watch me be a little uninformed, as well. Yes, my doctor did want me to get any potential tattooing done before transplant, but the exact reason for which I do not know. The times that it has come up are usually during an exam, when I am shirtless and he is listening to my lungs. I think, at that point, my mind would usually be in 'breath deep' mode and thus, when the comment was made, my otherwise natural instinct to question him was preoccupied. I guess I figure that it has to do with one's immune system being so severly chemically compromised, but I'll be darned if I know for a fact. Good question, anyone?John.g40 w/cf
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Guest
There are several reasons why they say tattos before xplant. My center told me the same. One is they do not want you puting anything unnecessary into your system (ie tattoo ink), Pre xplant might have been fine yet post could come near coausing reactions. Also the normal risk associated with tattoos as far as hepitis and other diseases. You would be able to fight them off better pre xplant (espically if you never really thought about it before) than post with your immune system being so comprimised.I have seven tattos, The oldest is 10 years and the newest is about 2 months. Me and 4 of my friends designed a tattoo and we all went and got it. We had to do it before I was transplanted. My center warned me though in the unlikely event that I did get Hepatis that I would not be able to get xplanted. I felt that if, I did , it was the Lord's way of saying it was not ment to be. I have never had any problem with my ink and my health. Except for my parents threating to kill me after I got my first one (I was 17). <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-frown.gif" border="0">
AbsintheSorrow
New member
The place I use is really clean, they make little individual paint bowls, and don't double-dip directly into the paint bottles. The needles are sterilized and good stuff like that. So is that before transplant thing only because they're worried about people getting tattoos from dirty places?
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Guest
They are also worried about you putting any forign chemiacl on or in your body. Your immunesuppressed and chemiacaly overlloaded (with all the drugs) could come near adversely reacting to something that may not have caused any problems before. On another board, one center did not want a girl doing self tanners becasue of the chemiacals. Myself I think that is a little overboard but I could see the reasonablity with having an adverse reaction to the ink.
just want to say I got a full back tatoo done 12 months after my double lung tx, and I have also done some piercings,most the problem with doctors not wanting tatts or piercings post tx is the risk of infection, anything inwhich your skin is broken does leave you open to infection. But as long as you are vigilant in keeping whatever clean then there shouldnt be a problem, oh and one other thing is, the pred (steroids) does make your skin thinner over time, so thats another reason they dont like them.But I never had any problem with my tattoo or my piercings.
<i>Text</i>I am 19 years old, and I have six tattoos. I do have Cystic Fibrosis, Diabetes, and the many other medical conditions that come with the CF baggage. I have had absolutely no problems with any of my work. I don't know if there are supposed to be more problems with people that have CF, but I certainly haven't experienced any. I am getting more too. The main thing to be aware of is the place you go, just make sure you have seen their work, and what they do (cleaning/sterilizing). There are certain things you have to make sure to do after getting a tattoo, so upkeep te maintenance. And plus, your doctors are always right there I'm sure.<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif" border="0">
HollyCatheryn
New member
I have 2 tattoos and none of my CF team has said anything about them except that they look nice. Now, being a young woman, when I got mine I wanted to be careful about placement because I know the tendency for weight gain and stretching especially if you ever get pregnant. I also wanted mine in places that wouldn't show unkess I wanted them to show. So, I got one on the bony part of my lower back where it meets my pelvis, in the middle. The other is on the bony part of my back between my shoulder blades. Neither was affected by my pregnancy ( I didn't want a butterfly on my tummy to turn into a pterydactyl or a little pony on my breast to turn into a giraffe - these things are permanent!) with either weight gain or stretch marks. HollyCatheryn
The MRI mention in a thread on tattoos sparked a question in my mind about the relationship between the two. Which in turn caused me to take a quick look around for an answer. Here are two links that might help anyone that developed the same question:http://tattoo.about.com/cs/tatfaq/a/mri_scan.htmhttp://chemistry.about.com/cs/howthingswork/f/bltattoomri.htmThe gist of the articles is that older inks may have contained some metallic properties, but modern inks (during the last 20 years), probably do not contain metals. It is the metal that reacts to the MRI, (Magnetic Resonance Imaging). Obviously this would also be a problem for anyone with metal plates or, for instance, a pacemaker and alternative diagnositics to the MRI are used in those cases.John.g.
AbsintheSorrow
New member
Okay, so then I assume that a tattoo less than a year old is more than likely safe from this metal problem? I only got mine last August. <img src="i/expressions/rose.gif" border="0">Thanks. <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
HollyCatheryn
New member
Usually when you are having an MRI done, the tech will ask you if you have any metal plates, screws, jewelry, fillings, etc. If you say yes to any of these, then they ask you the type of metal. For me, I have a metal plate in my forehead - the result of a very invasive sinus surgery - but, it is made of titanium alloy. Same stuff as the space shuttle and as is used in many more recent procedures. It is non-magnetic. I can go through metal-detectors in airports (for example) without incident and have also had MRI scans with no complication. Hope this helps.HollyCatheryn
I got my first tattoo on May 6, 2004 and before I did, I consulted my CF doctor. Just in case, you know? She said that as long as the place is clean and all the precautions are being taken, tattoos don't disturb CF. And she actually liked my tattoo.The real good thing about getting it was that it makes me feel much better about my body - and having CF and anorexia nervosa, it's a big deal. I feel prettier, sexier. Somehow, it gave my self-esteem a bust.And now that I know it's not as painful as I thought it would be, I'm planning on getting more <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">