I want a new tattoo!

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SSTARR
SSTARR Member Posts: 5
edited June 2014 in Life After Breast Cancer

For those of you who have tattoos, and have gotten any since treatment,

A friend of mine wants to get me my next tattoo. But I was wondering...can I get an arm tattoo on the affected side? It was only my right breast that was affected. And they only took out the sentinel node, which was clear. I know I'm not supposed to have my blood pressure taken on that arm, or have blood drawn from that arm. But what about getting a tattoo? I finished my chemo a few months ago, so infection is no longer an issue. Now I'm just getting the Herceptin every three weeks. I'd ask my onc, but he's an older man who probably doesn't think women should get tattoos in the first place. I know he seemed a little put off by the ones I have when he first examined me. Women who get reconstruction get their nipples tattooed right over the area they had the cancer in, so it doesn't seem like it would be a problem to get it on the arm. Any thoughts?

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited June 2009

    SSTARR...Though I'm a big fan of tattoos and have three already, I've read some strong warnings here about getting them in your affected side and, so have steered clear of that. If you want to know, specifically, how problematic it can be, I'd suggest that you check on the Lymphedema board or PM our resident expert, Binney. Maybe you can think of a more creative place for your next tattoo? It would be really horrible to get something that you love, only to have it cause you to develop a chronic, painful condition, ya know? This, of course, is just my own take own the issue...

    ~Marin

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  • SSTARR
    SSTARR Member Posts: 5
    edited June 2009

    Thanks for the response. I was at my doctor's this morning and got a chance to ask his nurse. She said not to get it on the affected arm. If any organism got in, it would not be able to be filtered out since I'm missing the lymph node. She said the other arm was fine, just not the one on the affected side.

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