tatoo

jinky

Is it safe to get a tatoo on your upper back on the same side of your le arm? I would like to get a pink ribbon. le hugs jinky

hugz4u

Good question as I get acupunture on my back and I have Truncal involvement also. I am wary of the needles but I see my girl unwrap each needle so I know it is sterile but am still uncertain. I don't do it in my arm or hand. It is the only thing that works on my whiplash, no other choices so far.

Are you the Jinky that posted how to wrap pictures? If so thanks, They helped me as I am so visual.

jinky

I posted but don't see my reply to you. Yes I am and if everyone learnt to wrap they would have so much more control of le.  Glad I could help you.le hugs jinky

hugz4u

Jinky, How are you? I see you just had a cancerversay April 4th. So many years  dancing with NED! That is great. You show em girl that you are still kicking!

Yes, I thought I would need to learn to wrap because I am scared to fly and now I just might do it seeing that I have the art and craft of wrapping! I don't want to be tied down to my MLD girl, if I flare somewhere. I want to be free! So I learnt it, to put in my LE toolkit. The other day I had a red webspace and I pulled out my wraps and wore them for a few hours and VIOLA! red gone! Just call me the little wrapper.

Regarding TATS. I didn't get tat nipples yet as I am scared of puncturing the breast and starting something. It is only that I have no choice that I get acupuncture on my truncal side.  

I wish some girls would come on the board and give there Tat expereiences. 

Jejik

I was told not to get a tattoo on the same side as my cancer side, but I have a hope tattoo in ribbon writing on my right wrist. I think the problem with doing it on a side you have no lymph nodes is that you have no protection if you were to get an infection because that is part of what lymph nodes do. I am not sure if it would be different since you want it on your back. Good luck!

Nitocris

Hi,

More information about tattooes:

http://www.fda.gov/forconsumers/consumerupdates/ucm048919.htm   - "Think before you ink" - interesting article from FDA web site (I did not know that there could be MRI complications because of tattoo ink).

http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ByAudience/ForWomen/ucm118568.htm  - "Tattoos and permanent makeup" FDA

From the book "Living well with Lymphedema" - p 122  "Getting a tattoo on lymphedema-affected tissues is not recommended for these reasons: (1) the procedure involves multiple needle sticks with equipment that may not be sterile; (2) 90% of the tattoo dye goes tino the nearby lymph nodes and stays there; (3) the tattooed image will be distorted by the lymphedema swelling; and (4) the laser treatments required to remove a tattoo could be harmful to tissues already damaged by lymphedema".

The FAD article also mentions the fact that some pigments migrate from the tattoo site to the lymph nodes.  As we don't have lymph nodes anymore on our LE site, where does the ink go?

Tattoo on the upper back;   when we do self-massage, we move lymph from the arm , around the shoulder toward the neck area.  Some lymph fluid might stay in the upper back area, stagnating under the skin, thus provoking distortion of the tattooed image.  Plus, the repetitive "sweeping" movement in that area might provoke a faster dilution of the ink, sending it in the surrounding tissues. (fading of tattoo).  There is no scientific proof of this, I am just  "guessing".

To be on the safe side, I would avoid a tattoo on the affected upper quadrant (front and back).  Better safe than sorry.

hugz4u

Nitocris. You have some interesting thoughts for me to ponder over. Thanks.

hugz4u

Nitocris. You have some interesting thoughts for me to ponder over. Thanks.

hugz4u

That was really weird I had to double post then had to delete my post to get off the page. I wonder if it has something to do with the small body of writing. Maybe not enough characters.  

jinky

Thank you so much for helping me to realize I don't really need a tatoo that much. I need to be well. le hugs jinky

jinky

http://www.lymphnotes.com/article.php/id/211/      hugs jinky

Nitocris

Thank you very much for the link Jinky. Great that Lymphnotes put all the information in one article. Hugs.