Radiation Markings

I have 4 very tiny (pencil point) blue freckles (tattoos). One on each side, mid way, one on mid sternum and one in the upper rad zone margin. They are so small, I am not sure how they see them to line up the laser guides, but they can. Occasionally, they will enhance with sharpie, but rare. Glad I don't have to keep the lines like you do! EEK! 

Hi, I had everything...tattoos, stckers, sharpie marks, the whole nine yards.  I'm not sure why I needed all of that and had I known better, I would have asked them to explain why the tattoos were absolutely necessary.  My understanding is that many docs don't use tattoos anymore.

MsP

None of my tats show wearing a (for lack of a better word) 'standard' bra.  In the 4+ yrs 2 of the tats have disappeared, 1 is fading and 1 still looks the same.

I had a UMX so that's obvious a lot more that 4 'blue freckles'.  But we each 'see' things differently.

My rads center does tattoos.  I said NO, give me the markers.  They marked me with four small crosses inside a small circle.  No tape.  They gave me a marker to darken any of the marks that might fade when I showered over the weekend.  It was never a problem.   I began rads in Aug.  Maybe I avoided plunging v-necks for a couple weeks, but I really don't remember any of my marks being visible. I did ruin one old bra that got my green Sharpie marks all over it, but I loved not having any permanent marks.

Later, I had some unrelated rads and got three tatts.  Personally, I can't stand those three little black "freckles," and they will meet a laser one of these days.

MsPharoah, It's not just you and I that have a little tattoo neurosis going on.  Some patients don't mind them, but those that don't like them, REALLY don't like them.   You know, they kind of gave me the stink-eye when I rejected the tatts.  Then, I got told that "if you ever have to get radiation again, the tatts will identify the area that had rads already."   I had to ask, "Is that not in my chart?"  So, apparently, some rads centers not only like doing the tatts, they REALLY like them...enough to come up with silly reasons to try and get them on a person.

I think that whatever center you wind up at, they will have their preference that they like to use and would rejoice that everyone was compliant and bent to that preference;  but I think we can see from just the few replies on here already that people feel differently about the markings and it is good allow a patient a choice in the matter.

I wish I would have argued against the tattoos my first time around, but I had little fight left.  Second time was at MDA and I was markered and taped like crazy.  One of my tattoos was removed with the UMX but see the one on my sternum.  I keep pondering a tiny tattoo to transform it, or an even tinier tattoo to make it look like a heart shaped brown freckle.

My tattoos were not helpful to my second RO; he still needed the records from my first rad treatment!

The rad center I went to did tats. But I said NO, and they were very respectful. Sharpies and stickers for the whole time, everything worked out fine! Very pleased that I had a voice in this.

Heck, elimar, I wish I'd asked if there was an alternative to tatts or tape!  Chuckling about kittie tattoos, encyclias...   I did ask if I could have the tatts removed and the answer was "of course".

A wonderful tattoo removal shop in Denver, Ink-B-Gone, removes radiation locator tattoos at no charge.  I've had two removal sessions and might need one more.