I hate my tatoos

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Susantc
Susantc Member Posts: 33
edited June 2014 in Radiation Therapy - Before, During, and After

It's been two years for me since my DCIS. I had my lumpectomy and radiation and am taking my tamoxifen. I just can't get over how much I hate my radiation tatoos. I have very light skin and they look like ink smears on it. Several times people have asked me what they are, and I have ended up sharing information I had wished to keep private. I am wondering if anyone has had their's lasered off. I know this is petty, but I have a friend who is a medical aesthetician who has offered to do it, and I am very tempted. Am I missing something or would it probably be okay to do it now? I would appreciate any opinions out there. Hope everyone is well.

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  • NancyD
    NancyD Member Posts: 3,562
    edited July 2011

    See if your friend can reduce them, but not remove them entirely. My rad onc said they were to remain in order to let other drs know where you were radiated. Fortunately, mine are small specks, smaller than some of my freckles, lol

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  • apple
    apple Member Posts: 7,799
    edited July 2011

    I'd certainly see about it.. my tattoos are practically invisible.. small dots.  maybe your radiologist can suggest what to leave (if necessary).

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  • Elizabeth1889
    Elizabeth1889 Member Posts: 1,036
    edited July 2011

    Mine are only three small dots, but I hate them so much that I plan on having them removed after my rad treatments are over.  I know it is wise physically to leave them on for future reference, but for my mental health they just have to go.

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  • CTMOM1234
    CTMOM1234 Member Posts: 633
    edited July 2011

    Susan - I completely agree with your hatred. I was fortunate that my rad onc gave me the option of sharpie markings and stickers rather than tattoos -- and I choose the former for the very reasons you expressed. And although this is such a personal decision, I am certain that I'd be taking that friend up on her offer if I hadn't been given the choice and was tattooed (even if it meant that the blue dots would be replaced with removal markings). I respectfully disagree with the statement that you should keep these tat.markings for the betterment of your future should you ever need rads again (on the other side) or for any other reason. I am not afraid of needles, am not a vane person, and do have a lumpectomy scar that is certainly more noticeable than tiny blue dots would be, so my strong feelings about this I know are not consistent.  So I say "Go for it!"

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  • Leah_S
    Leah_S Member Posts: 8,458
    edited July 2011

    Susan, if you want them off then get them off! Quite frankly, I doubt any rad onc worth his salt would rely on tatoos to decide future treatments - s/he'd want full records.

    I had my rads at a top facility and they don't use tatoos. Somehow I figure if they were really oh-so-important then every place would use them, no question. A lot of places that use them tell you that you can have them removed!

    They make it easier for the techs to align you for daily treatment. That's it.

    Best of luck.

    Leah

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  • nancy2721
    nancy2721 Member Posts: 50
    edited July 2011

    I didnt much care for my rad tats either....to me they were a daily reminder to all of it. I made peace with the middle chest one and the one on my treated side. However, I had the last one on my rib made into a beautiful symbol for strength.....thats all I see now. Strength. 

    Take care ~Nancy

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  • NewatThis
    NewatThis Member Posts: 41
    edited July 2011

    I absolutely hate mine too. I'm with you a thousand percent.

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  • coraleliz
    coraleliz Member Posts: 1,523
    edited July 2011

    Mine don't bother me. I can't really see any reason not to remove them if they bother you. If for some reason in the future you could or should get additional RADs, they could re-mark you. When I asked about my tat that is in the center of my chest being slightly off center, I was told it was a mark they take a measurement from & didn't have to be in the exact center.

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  • stage1
    stage1 Member Posts: 475
    edited July 2011

    This is off the subject, but is anyone experiencing a difference in overall body skin change?  My skin is more tough feeling, I usually have soft skin.  I am feeling little tiny bumps beneath my skin, especially around my face, under my ears.  Am I weird?  I finished rads less than a week ago.

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  • Susantc
    Susantc Member Posts: 33
    edited July 2011

    Thank you all so much for the supportive comments. I'm definitely going to give this removal thing some thought. It is so great to have this Board to come to.

    Diagnosis: 5/2009, DCIS, Stage 0, Grade 2, < 1cm, ER+/PR+, 0/0 nodes 

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  • bunkysmom
    bunkysmom Member Posts: 3
    edited July 2011

    My tatoos are very small and I don't really mind having them. I started my radiation therapy today after lumpectomy for DCIS. I too am going to refuse Tamoxifen...can I ask you why you chose to refuse it?

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  • LivingLifeNow
    LivingLifeNow Member Posts: 68
    edited July 2011

    Most of my tattoos were quite small, but I did have one large one--right between my breasts. My plastic surgeon said he would remove it when he did the implant exchange. No more blue ink, just a small skin-colored dent. I will be sure to let anyone who might need to know that the "dent" is a radiation tattoo in disguise!

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  • Susantc
    Susantc Member Posts: 33
    edited July 2011

    Bunkysmom,

    I did not refuse tamoxifen. I have been on it for two years with very little problems. I will do anything to at least forestall going through this again. My doctors explained that after lumpectomy, the radiation and tamoxifen got me down to close to the chance of the average bear in terms of a reoccurrence. I will take that and move on. Right now I am typing this from a B&B in Beijing where I have come with my husband to visit our son. Life is good! That's all I can ask for.

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