One of the most common
questions we receive is inquiring whether it is "ok" for people with
Lupus to get a tattoo.
The Lupus Foundation of America
has this to say about the subject:
"There are no specific
problems that have been associated with tattoos in lupus
patients. Keep in mind the small risk of infection with
hepatitis B and C. Occasionally lupus patients have been known
to have a reaction to the tattoo dye but this is very rare.
Remember, if you are on immunosuppressive medication, this may
increase the chances of infection and slow healing of the tattoo
area. As with other procedures, it is best done when you are in
remission or a welled controlled mild disease state. Consult
with your physician prior to getting your tattoo."
Also, if you are on blood
thinners you may not be able to sit for long sessions. The
longer someone is being tattooed, the more the skin is irritated and
the more they bleed, pushing the pigment back out in spots. This
does not apply to small tattoos (under 1 hour) or to black and gray
tattoos.
Kendra has thought about
getting a tattoo for many years but was afraid of the pain and
healing time. For her 30th birthday in January 2008 she
decided to go for it. She wanted to get a tattoo that
represented her passion and work for the Lupus Awareness Cause so
she chose a purple butterfly carrying a purple ribbon. To add
dimension a second color was added to the butterfly. A blueish
teal was chosen in honor of Kendra's sister who has Scleroderma.
Kendra having Lupus and
Fibromyalgia was nervous about the pain, however found the entire
process to be only slightly painful, perhaps comparable to a shallow
sting. Kendra is also on immunosuppressives and
was very diligent about aftercare. The tattoo healed up
perfectly with no infection or complication within 1 week. Since getting the
tattoo, we have gotten several compliments and even a few very
flattering copies. Email us pictures of your Lupus tattoo to
webmaster@cure4lupus.org.
Kendra on her Birthday (tattoo 1 wk. old)
Close-up of the Tattoo
My
sister and I dicide to get ours first tatoo on behave of
my mother. She got diagnosed Lupus a few years ago. Our
Mom is our inspiration. "She got Lupus but the Lupus
don't got her".
My
name is Lauran, I am 19, and my mama was diagnosed with
Lupus quite a few years ago. I just got this tattoo last
night for her, inspired by the Dorough Lupus Foundations
"Wings of Hope" Logo. My mother is my heart and soul and
everyday I pray that there will someday be a Cure for
Lupus. I came across this page and thought I would
share my 13th tattoo and one of my most cherrished,
along with my tattoo of my mothers Handprints on my
shoulders, between them it says Tenga Sopra,
which translates to Hold On in Italian, meaning "No
Matter How Bad Things Get If You Can Just Hold On,
Eventually They Will Have To Get Better". and underneith
that i have "Love, Mama", in my moms handwriting.... She
will always be with me and this disease will never Have
her!!! Thank you for all the information you provide.
All of the People fighting Lupus are so strong...
-Lauran
This
is my new tattoo - it is only a few hours old here. I
was inspired, obviously, by some of the pictures on your
website. I wanted the butterfly colors to be like those
of the blue morpho butterfly, because I had worked with
them in Costa Rica. The tattoo is on my upper left
deltoid, where I can look at it every day as a reminder
of my fight to not let this disease control my life.
I
have always loved wolves and the color purple so I guess
my diagnosis is pretty ironic. I got the wolf tattoo 11
years ago, 10 years before my diagnosis. I was
diagnosed in April 2008 after a severe flare of my Malar
rash (didn't know that's what it was then). I am
learning to accept that I have this disease and got my
butterfly/ribbon opposite my wolf. I have 3 more in the
works, all tied to lupus in some way and will post them
as they are completed.
My
name is Chrissy, I am 27years old! I was diagnosed with
Lupus about 2 weeks ago.... After being scared and
pretty much in denial about the whole thing I decided
that I had to deal with it since I will have it for the
rest of my life! Until now I didnt know anyone who had
Lupus, but I just found out that my moms cousin does
have it and has been dealing with it for some time! I
Just got this tattoo about a week ago, (its my 11th
one!) and it means so much to me! I got the idea from
this website and just had a little bit of changes! I
love it and I have gotten nothing but great comments on
it! It was a very painful tattoo, the most painful out
of all of them but it was completely worth it! I am
going to continue to research about the disease, and
do all i can to help in anyway! Thank you for all the
helpful infor on your website!
Hi
my name is Keith White and my wife has Lupus, her name
is Lori. She is a RN at Connecticut Childrens Hospital.
We have been married now for almost 20 years and I love
her more today then I did the day I met her and I fell
in love with her the moment our eyes met for the first
time.
She is the most caring and loving
person I know and I hate that she has to deal with the
pain and discomfort that lupus and it's treatments can
bring.
I have several tattoos, so finally
this past Friday, I went to my Tatto Artist "Gypsy" from
Body Graphics of South Windsor Connecticut. I showed her
a printout of the Lupus symbols and she came up with a
design for me.
I have attached two photos the first is the design which
I have on my left inside forearm, The purple Butterfly
(Look Closely) and my wife's name LORI in the wings, one
side is as u see it writing and one side is mirror image
so I see her name when I look at it in mirror. The
second is the design when I hold my arm up or the
original flipped 180 degrees, disclosing the WOLF.
I
got my tattoo 2 days ago. You may not be able to see it
but my sons name Clayton, is in the ribbon to symbolize
my fighting lupus so i can be there for him. Suzy
I
was diagnosed with Lupus in 2004, after being sick for
over a year and seeing many many doctors. I was
devastated. My Aunt Penny died in 1990 from
complications of Lupus and I had grown up hearing the
horrors of Lupus. My grandmother never got over her
death. I have learned to manage my Lupus and live a
somewhat "normal" life (my grandmother died a year
before my diagnosis). I am a full time police officer
and the happy mother of three. I got the tattoo just
after my 31st birthday (on my upper back) in honor of my
achievements over the past 4 years and in memory of
Penny.
Carrie
Just
got my tattoo 2 days ago, i love it no bad effects so far. I
really love this web site and the merchandise for purchase,
keep up the good work
KIM
Hi
my name is Emily. I have Lupus and Antiphospholipid
syndrome. I am 30 years old and have been ill for over 10
years. On February 13th it will be 10 years that I have been
on Anticoagulants. 9 years ago I was told there was no hope
of ever getting off them. At the time I only had one tattoo.
I had been told not to get tattoo's by many of my Dr.'s and
the pharmacist who doses my Coumadin. However I was also
told I would never live through a pregnancy (I have since
had 2 children James is 5 and Anya is 4 months old). They
are my lil miracles. So this shows Dr.'s don't know
everything. A few years ago one of the Dr.'s said the reason
we have to tell you no is because their are no studies on
blood thinners and tattoo's. So right away I went and got my
first tattoo since being on anticoagulants (blood thinners).
It is my Anticoagulation Patient tattoo. I have since got 5
more for a total of 7 tattoos. I thought I was done with
them but after seeing everyone else's lupus tattoo's I am
rethinking that. Maybe for my next birthday I will get a
lupus tattoo. Thanks, Emily
I have been on Cytoxan (1996 - 1999)
and Cell Cept (Feb 2007 - Present) for Lupus Nephritis and
so I got this butterfly on my back right side, where my
kidney is located. The tattoo is also the approximate size
of a kidney. Basically my symbol saying Lupus will not win!
I continue to survive :)
~Alonna
I have systemic lupus and have still gotten tattoos.
I currently have three and am working on the fourth.
I've had no adverse reactions.
Symbol of my Lupus The Purple Ribbon and Breast Cancer
Pink Ribbon for my Sis and Mom . Blue & yellow in
Butterflies for Ethan (DownSyndrome).
I have two one my back of my shoulders.. and two on my
neck, both in support of Lupus. The first one is Chinese
lettering that says Wolf, done in purple, and excellent
shading. The other is an orange ribbon.. now I know some
ppl say that the lupus ribbon is purple however I have
seen an orange ribbon as well so I got one too lol...
This is
what I call my Lupus tattoo because shortly after I received
this tattoo. I was diagnosed with Lupus. I was having a
lupus flare the day I received this tattoo and did not know.
Although it is not as big, bright, or as beautiful as it was
I can tell by the colors whether my day will be flare free
or not.
Kesha Dan
"All things happen for a reason"
MY MOM PASSED WITH LUPUS AND NOW I HAVE IT. I HAVE BEEN IN
DENIAL FOR YEARS ABOUT IT. BUT NOW I'M HAVING TO FACE IT
HEAD ON...MY TATTOO IS LARGE AND TAKES UP MOST OF MY RIGHT
THIGH...I GOT IT THAT BIG BECAUSE IT IS A VERY LARGE PART OF
MY LIFE NOW MORE THAN EVER...I JUST WANT TO LIVE.....
TANYA
Hi this is Kim, I was one you inspired
to copy your tattoo. I know it isn't exactly like yours but
it's still nice. I chose my calf area! Thanks for the
inspiration! Your fellow Lupie, Kim
My name is Margaret. In July of 2007 I
was told that I have Lupus. I was scared and confused. For
months I thought the Lupus would destroy me. Later that year
I went home for Christmas and gave myself this gift.
The butterfly is hovering, ready to fly away. This image was
inspired by a picture of a woman holding this butterfly with
both hands. My daughter and I saw it as putting it in Gods
Hands!
Just saw some really good pics of lupus tattoos thought i
would send in mine...now mind you because of the lupus and
steroids i was on at the time it healed really poorly and i
am wanting to go back and get it redone...
Deanielle Durant
I debated and searched for something unique and personally
designed.
I got my tattoo after having amazing
labs after such a long time!
I'm not in remission but I am very well
controlled and got the o.k. from my physician to go for it!
I got my tattoo July 2, 2008 on my
upper left shoulder.
I had no reaction and healed up nicely.
This is the only tattoo I will ever get. The symbol of this
bitter sweet diesease.
I got the purple shading as a symbolic color of our ribbon.
I
thought I would share my tattoo with everyone that I had
done on my foot. My mom has been dealing with Lupus for
about 15 years now.
~Candice~
Hi
my name is Nikki and I have had lupus since 2004. I did not
want the traditional butterfly so I went for the wolf and
added the diagnostic code
I'm 18 years old and I was diagnosed
with Lupus 4 years ago. I just recently got my tattoo and I
didn't experience any type of complications. The name in the
middle of the ribbon is my name.
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be substituted for medical advice. Always
consult a physician before making any medical decisions!
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is a philanthropic organization. It is not a 501(c)3 non-profit
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to 501(c)3 organizations, however it is a for profit business independent
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