Anyone Tattoo Over Their Scars?

That sounds like a really neat idea & I think the Flamingo would be wonderful.

Sorry I dont have answers to your questions.

Pam

Gryffin I didn't see this post earlier! I, too, want a tattoo. I saw one when I googled "mastectomy scar" so I could be prepared. My husband thought it was wonderful, too. I've always wanted one anyway.

I loved the flowery one....

The flamingo will have to be flying to cover both scars won't it? Did you know that a flamingo has black stripes underneath the outer edge of it's wings?

Let me know if you find out anything more. I'm excited again! I am wondering about the pain but probably as my scar is still tender.  I also have a VERY tender rib that is puzzling my surgeon. We will wait another month to see if it still hurts.

My partner is a tattoo artist and won't touch scars until they are silver in colour and fully healed, with no infection having occured previously. If you can wait as long as you feel comfortable doing, that is best for your body.

I think it's a wonderful idea

Good Luck

Binney, what about arm tattoos? Can they set off LE (in those who are in for it) ? I'm not planning one..just curious about the science. Actually, if I'd known more about LE I would have been tattooed with an LE warning before I had the ops.

Ooh, lots of good points!

Kerry, the lymph system drains in quadrants (think: chicken quarters), so on your operated side your arm chest, back and side are at risk. For bilateral surgery (even prophylactic mastectomy), it's both "wing quarters".

Barbe, I do agree the BMX is the worst sort of trauma, in every way -- physically, emotionally, you name it! On the other hand, for our lymph systems, it's just the beginning. The BMX sets you up for lymphedema risk, which then exists for life - no one-year or five-year limit on that. That's why women develop lymphedema following a mosquito bite, or a hangnail, or a cut cuticle, or just moving the couch to vacuum. Those are not major traumas, but they're triggers.

There are lots of reasons why this is so confusing. One is that our doctors are not always aware of the reality of our risk, and few consider lymphedema a major issue anyway. They've saved our lives, afterall, so what's a swollen, sore boob compared to that? Unfortunately, surgeons are the worst for owning up to this, and breast or chest lymphedema is often not acknowledged at all. This is one of those deals where you'll want to do your own research.

Another reason for confusion is that all the risk factors for lymphedema are not yet known. Some may have to do with genetic predisposition or inflammatory response, which are very individualized and not currently measurable. Here are the risk factors we do know: breast cancer surgery; radiation; possibly certain chemo drugs; number of nodes removed or damaged; overweight, especially weight gained after surgery; diabetes; other vascular conditions; previous trauma to the chest (including previous surgeries). There are undoubtedly other factors we don't know about yet as well.

Other areas of lymphedema research are equally lax. So we don't know how many women end up with breast lymphedema following reconstruction, or specifically following nipple tats. But there are such women, and a lot of them diagnose themselves because their surgeons don't recognize it. There are a number of women here on the bc.org boards with breast lymphedema following reconstruction, and even some with abdominal lymphedema following reconstruction methods like DIEP or TRAM flap that cut into the abdomen. It is not at all as rare as we're inclined to think -- or wish!

I too have seen lovely, even inspiring mastectomy scar tattoos, with no lymphedema. Most women never develop lymphedema, no matter what they do. But a large percentage do, and most have not been warned about their risk. When it's a surprise it's especially difficult. That shouldn't happen: we should know our risks and make our decisions based on that knowledge. Which is why I wanted to note it here. In the end, of course, the compromises we make with such decisions are strictly our own to make, as unique as we each are!

Here are a couple of lymphedema information websites you might want to check out, if you haven't already:

http://www.lymphnet.org

http://www.stepup-speakout.org

Hoping none of you ever join our "swell" sorority!
Binney

Thanks for that article beachwalker.  Was very good.

I wish they had had a bigger photo of her tattoo.

Pam

I think it is a wonderful idea. I would never do it myself, because I am much too afraid of needles. But if you are brave enough, I think it is great post-BMX choice.

I would also like to revive this thread because there is so little info out there on this topic and I know there are probably others who are as interested as I was.  I had a mastectomy of my right breast in May 2010 when I was 58 and chose not to have reconstruction.  I decided I would rather get a tattoo over my scar than go through more surgeries and all that entailed.  When it had been a year, I consulted a tattoo artist who told me I would have to wait another year to give the scar enough time to settle down.  As the second year anniversary approached, I began to worry and wonder about the risks, and started doing research.  Aside from this discussion, there's not much out there! I had pretty much talked myself out of doing it because I'm usually very risk-adverse.  But then it became harder and more depressing to look at myself in the mirror, so after a few weeks I decided to throw caution to the wind and just do it.

It's my first tattoo and it is gorgeous - a peacock in profile with its tail down that starts at the top of my chest and completely covers the area where my breast was.  I am thrilled with it.  Now there is something beautiful to see in the mirror instead of a big empty space next to my left breast.  So far, I've been lucky and have not had any complications from it.  It was painful while it was being done but well worth it to me.  And it only hurt when she was working on it.  After it was finished, there was no more pain.  I am so happy I went ahead with it.  It has been a tremendous boost to my psyche and self image.  

I'm interested in this, too. I had bilateral MXs without reconstruction. I had radiation on the left. I had been told reconstruction would have to wait 18 mos to 2 years because the damaged skin would be hard to work with. I wondered whether or not tattoos would have to wait the same length of time. It's been 18 months and the skin is pretty much back to normal. I would regularly use exfoliating scrub on it to get rid of that leathery feel. There's only one small spot now that gets rough and dry, so I keep exfoliating it every week.

I think I'm about ready for a tattoo, but don't know what I want it to be. I'm not a girly girl, so no roses or butterflies, but maybe a flowering vine that would cover both scars? Any other ideas? My only tattoos now are on my right ankle and top of the foot. It's Celtic knotwork. I wouldn't mind a Celtic theme to my tats. (I'm not Celtic that I know of, I just love the look.)

Eventually, I would like a back piece down the left side (where the cancer was). I'd like a rather ferocious guardian angel, dressed in somewhat medieval-looking garb, with a Celtic knotwork cross on his surcoat. He'd be holding a sword up in a defensive manner. The idea would be that you'd have to go through him to attack me. His wings would go all the way to the ground. What do you guys think? I'd have to find someone to draw it for me. And a tattoo artist skilled in black-and-grey work.

Crusader surcoat:

Good to see other's are getting creative with their tats.  I had reconstruction, but will pass on nipples and nipple tats.  I have decided to have rose blossoms in lieu of nipples, with vines over the linear scars.  It will be some time until that can be done, so I am experimenting with temporary tattoos that last a couple of weeks each.

Linda - my coworker had latflap procedure and is considering moderate sized angel wings over her scars and all around them.  her scars are still small.

There are some links to some great tattoos in a thread in this forum called "To Nipple or Not to Nipple."  They are not just nipple tattoos, further down the page we got into a discussion of other tattoos.  I'll try to link it here:

http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/82/topic/788983?page=1 

Someone mentioned Celtic tattoos.  One of the links there is to one of a very cool Celtic Bra done after bilateral mastectomy.  Here's a separate link to that one:

http://www.blingdomofgod.com/celtic-tattoo-bra.php

Denise, your tattoo sounds beautiful.

I had a bi-lateral mastectomy in January 2012 - no re-construction- thank you very much.  A group of my friends got together and started a tattoo fund for my chest...if we could post pictures here I would show you what I have in mind...I look forward to your updates.  I live in Vermont so if you are anywhere near by it would be great to get together....