Before You Get a Tattoo

Now what would a woman or for that matter a man with diabetes want with a tattoo? Unless your diabetes is extremely well managed, you will run the risk of infection and poor healing. I don't care if it is for beauty, self-expression, or any other reason. If you are one that insists on having a tattoo, make sure you know the facts before and after the tattoo. Make sure you know the types of tattoos, the tattoo risks, FDA's role, and tattoo removal options.

There are at least five types of tattoos:

Permanent Tattoo: A needle inserts colored ink into your skin. Permanent tattoos last a lifetime.

Permanent Make-Up: A needle inserts colored ink into your skin to look like eyeliner, lip liner, eyebrows, or other make-up.

Henna: Plant dye called henna or mehndi is used to stain your skin.

Black Henna: Developed from henna, may contain hair dye or other dye to darken the stain and make it last longer.

'Sticker' Temporary Tattoo: A tattoo design is on a coated paper. It is put on your skin with water. Temporary tattoos may last up to 3-4 weeks. Sticker tattoos last hours to days.

When it comes to tattoo risks, these are five of the most frequent:

1. Infections and serious illness, like HIV or hepatitis, from unclean tattoo tools, practices, or products
2. Allergic reactions to the inks or stains can cause skin problems, such as rashes
3. Other skin problems like increased chance of sunburn, bumps, redness, or scarring
4. Swelling and burning of the tattoo when you get an MRI test
5. Pain and high costs if you want to remove a permanent tattoo

Contact your state or local health department for tattoo safety information to reduce your risk. Tell your doctor about any tattoos you have before any medical procedure.

There are four points to know about FDA's role:

• Has not approved any inks for injecting into your skin.
• Has not approved henna or hair dye for use on your skin. Some people have reported serious skin problems after using henna or black henna.
• Does not regulate tattoo parlors.
• Does monitor problems from tattoos and permanent make-up.

Please report problems online to FDA or call 1-800-332-1088. The online address is -

https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/MedWatch/index.cfm?action=consumer.reporting1

Removing tattoos is another problem.

Permanent tattoos can be hard and painful to remove. It may take several treatments that cost a lot of money. Talk to your doctor about your options. Remember you may not be able to completely remove your tattoo, and you could get a scar when you remove your tattoo.

Laser Removal - The FDA approves certain laser devices to remove tattoos. Lighter colors such as yellow, green, and red are more difficult to remove than darker colors such as dark blue and black. It may take 6-10 treatments to remove a tattoo. Some side effects may include bleeding, redness or soreness.

Surgery - Tattoos can sometimes be removed by cutting out the tattooed skin then sewing the skin back together. Other times, the skin can be sanded down to remove the tattoo.

Ointments and Creams - The FDA does not approve tattoo removal ointments and creams or do-it-yourself tattoo removal kits. These products may cause skin rashes, burns, or scars.

As a person with diabetes, please be careful and take my suggestion to not have tattoos put on your body if you have diabetes.

Problems – Diabetes and Tattoos

Since I don't have tattoos, I admit I don't understand people that insist on having them. When I blogged about tattoos here and a doctor's insistence that they be standardized for those of us that have diabetes, I was a little snarky and asked the doctor to stay out of our lives. Now there is more on tattoos and one of the better articles about people with diabetes obtaining tattoos.

The article starts with a discussion about a young woman with an infection from her tattoo. What is not said is the level of diabetes management and whether proper care had been taken. People with diabetes are predisposed to staphylococcal infection.

Tattoos are popular, and teens do like them. However, the tattoo application process and aftercare can be long, painful, and stressful. This can be problematic for people with diabetes. Both blood pressure and blood glucose levels can rise while the tattoo is being applied. Add high blood glucose levels because of unmanaged diabetes, and the risk of infection increases.

Factors to consider before obtaining a tattoo:

Tattooist quality The tattoo studio should be licensed and/or accredited. The patients should also research the company's reputation, hygiene, and safety practices.

Safety and awareness The tattooist should be informed of the patient's diabetes so they can tailor both the procedure and aftercare information. Always walk away from a business that does not show the proper concern for a person with diabetes.

Placement Certain areas should be avoided including those with poor circulation, such as:

• Buttocks
• Shins
• Ankles
• Feet
• Common insulin injection sites such as arms, abdomen, and thighs.

Tattoos in these places usually take longer to heal, which can lead to complications and infection.

Other Risks

• Allergic reactions - reaction to the substances used in the inks and equipment.
• Skin infection - the tattooed area of skin may become infected if the studio and/or tattoo equipment is not clean or proper aftercare is not applied.
• Scarring - tattoo application can cause the formation of an oversized scar known as a keloid, which can be irritable and slightly painful.
• Blood-borne diseases - if the tattoo needle or ink has not been sterilized, there is a risk of blood-borne illnesses such as HIV and Hepatitis B or C.
• Wound healing - abnormally high levels of blood glucose could delay healing of the tattooed skin and increase the risk of infection.

If the patient feels unwell or sees any sign of infection after the tattoo has been completed, they should seek immediate help from their doctor or diabetes healthcare team.

If you are a person with diabetes that just has to have a tattoo, be sure you at least go prepared and follow the information above.