Refusing tattoos

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Miscraw
Miscraw Member Posts: 45
edited December 2014 in Radiation Therapy - Before, During, and After

I am very very reluctantly going to start radiation soon. My cancer is a very grey area & has been treated as such all along. Originally I was told only Tamoxifen, then it went to Taxol & Herceptin, then weeks later they decided rads would be added too. My reconstruction/cosmetic outcome is VERY important to me. I am very concerned about how rads will impact that. Tattoos are my kind of like my final straw. I will not get them. I know they are small, but I want as few reminders of this horrible cancer as possible. I just wanted some tips from others who have refused to get tattoos. I want to approach this the best way I can with the RO when I meet with him again.

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  • Spookiesmom
    Spookiesmom Member Posts: 9,568
    edited December 2014

    mine are very small ink dots, no way big like an actual tatoo.They are used to line up the machine I don't know how it could be done without them.

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  • Miscraw
    Miscraw Member Posts: 45
    edited December 2014

    They are not medically necessary. I know some places do not use them. They can mark you with a Sharpie. If it means I don't shower (only take baths) for 6 weeks, I'm ok with that too. I just want to be confident when I speak with the doctor.

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  • Hopeful82014
    Hopeful82014 Member Posts: 3,480
    edited December 2014

    I know of at least one other woman on this board who did not have tattoos - you're not alone!

    I've not done radiation yet. However, when I met with the radiologist I told her I did NOT want tattoos and she was willing to go along with that - she'd prefer that have them but is not insisting. She did arrange for another past patient or two to show me theirs so that I could see the actual size. However, I'm with you - I do NOT want permanent reminders of this on the front of my body where I'll see them all the time.

    She said we could go the Sharpie route and cover with Tegaderm. If the Tegaderm irritates the skin I'll need to re-ink them at home every day.

    She said the tattoos would be helpful if I need rad. in the future; for example, if I have treatment to the other breast in the future. I'll cross that bridge if I ever come to it, thank you very much!

    Good luck with your meeting - I hope you come out of it feeling comfortable with the RO and the situation. I know I found it very helpful and was much less nervous about rad. as a result of that meeting. Let us know!

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited December 2014

    I refused tattoos initially.

    I got tired of them writing on me and re-positioning me, so I relented.

    They knew I didn't want them so they did tiny ones. They even had a difficult time finding them at times.

    They can control how big they are by how much die they use.

    There is only one I can find now - but I really have to look for it.

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  • Little-G
    Little-G Member Posts: 647
    edited December 2014


    This whole cancer tx sucks.  The only thing I can tell you about the tattoos is that they are small.  I actually forgot all about them until a friend of mine mentioned hers.  But, we all have our battles of what we will and won't do.  No judging from me.  I refused certain things too.  I wish you the very best of luck thru all of it.  You will do what is right for you.  Hugs. 

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  • jeanelle
    jeanelle Member Posts: 179
    edited December 2014

    I had the tattoos done but they never could find them. I ended up written all over. They would put dots where they thought they were and then put like a sticker over it that was pretty heavy duty and stayed on even in the shower. If they didn't put the sticker on, the marks came off when I applied the lotion. It was a pain when they lined me up each day but I and they survived.

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  • exbrnxgrl
    exbrnxgrl Member Posts: 12,424
    edited December 2014

    Like everyone has said, they are pretty tiny, but I understand your position. Very orthodox Jewish women will often refuse tattoos and are marked with iodine. Good luck.

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  • BrooksideVT
    BrooksideVT Member Posts: 2,211
    edited December 2014

    I think your RO will understand, no problem.  Just say you don't want the things.  He or she should chat with you about both procedures.  Personally ,the idea of stickers in exactly the same places on my delicate skin for four weeks absolutely gave me the creeps; I was very happy to allow the four tiny, tiny dots, smaller than a pen point,  Two are on my chest, two on my side.  I can only ever see the chest ones, and only if I'm looking for them.  If they were bothering me, I'd just have them removed, but probably only the two I can see.

    You might review a couple of the more active radiation threads and post there; I'm sure others have felt the same as you.

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  • yikes1
    yikes1 Member Posts: 120
    edited December 2014

    Hi Miscraw,

    I researched so much prior to every step - but I did not research about the tattoos!.

    So, I ended up with four of them. Mine are not so small.

    I do encourage you therefore, to discuss this ahead of time.

    Many people on this forum site have had sharpie pens used instead.

    If you do get tattoos, make sure to ask the person doing them to make them small.

    I cannot imagine you do not have a choice about this - if you know to ask and discuss ahead of time. Just one more thing on the learning curve to be able to pass onto the next person.

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  • inks
    inks Member Posts: 746
    edited December 2014

    I was not thrilled about the tattoos so I only let them tattoo the 2 on the sides. And then I had a sticker with sharpie underneath on the front. No problems, they didn't even have to redo the sticker in the front. They would have done all stickers for me if I would have wanted. Some places do up to 7 tattoos, depends on the type of radiation I guess.

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  • 208sandy
    208sandy Member Posts: 2,610
    edited December 2014

    I did not have tats and wasn't offered them - sharpie with stickers for me and I was fine with that.

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  • Meadow
    Meadow Member Posts: 2,007
    edited December 2014

    I totally forgot i have tattoos, I may have to go look and see if I can find them. But if the thought really bothers you then dont do it. I just want to share that I was willing to do anything to make their job easier to save my life. I concentrated my energy to fighting the cancer, not the cure. But I support your choice 100 percent

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  • Carynbrit
    Carynbrit Member Posts: 51
    edited December 2014

    I had mine today.. They ended up just putting 3 on.. I have to say I was with Meadow on this.. i was willing to make their job as easy as possible..

    and also really want to make sure those boundaries are put up to avoid having that area crossed into again (hope never of course)..

    I was really fixated on not having them at all.. that was not my idea of a good body marking considering I have none! But yup.. if it bothers you when it comes down to it....dont do it.. they can mark you up..you just have to make sure you don't wash it off.

    x

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  • Janetanned
    Janetanned Member Posts: 532
    edited December 2014


    A while back someone on this site posted a list of PS who will remove these tattoos for free.  I'll try to find that post.  I considered having mine removed, but I can't find them now (I'm a freckled mess). 

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  • Janetanned
    Janetanned Member Posts: 532
    edited December 2014

    Here is the link to the Free Tatto Removal thread.

     

    https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/70/topic/823123?page=1#post_4098966

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