Radiation & Tattoos

Mine were one pop of the tattoo needle for each - it took only seconds and was painless.

Again, not to frighten you, but the staying absolutely still is harder than the tattoos. I took an ativan prior to my rads set-up and was glad that I did. The tattoos were like pin pricks ... they hurt, but just for a second.

teehee...you ladies crack me up!!

Yes, my rad tattoos are permanent. I had 3 pink dots to be followed by 5 or 6 brown dots. I had to ask for the brown as they wanted to give me black or blue -- not too attractive on my lily white skin!! I agree that they hurt. It wasn't just a stick, it was a stick with a grinding motion. The one on my breastbone hurt the most. But the pain doesn't last.

The tattoos weren't too bad. The one between my breasts was okay but the one on the side of my breast between the lumpectomy site and the lymph node extraction site was more painful but it's over quickly.

I have four. They didn't really hurt much. Sort of like a shot.

They're very small; I had to point them out to my husband before he saw them.

I'm thinking about getting a tattoo after I finish healing. I have two incisions very close together (from two different lumpectomies) and now a tatt right next to them. I think it might be kind of cool to get a tattoo that incorporates all three things. Kind of a celebration of my victory over cancer. :-) I'll worry about that later, though... 

For some reason, I ended up with 8 or 9!! 3 for lining me up to the machine, 2 or 3 to line up the plastic cup that I had to wear, and 3 more when I got my boosts. The ones for the boosts I could watch her doing, since I was lying on my side. It thought they used some special tattoo doodad to do them, but it was just a regular needle dipped into ink.

The only one that really hurt was the one over my ribs, on the side. Don't know why. I was glad when they changed from a black color to a pretty blue. I don't mind them. I've got a big honking scar that stands out more than they do!!

I refused tattoos. For me personally, it simply was not negotiable. They used markers and covered the markers with small clear adhesive patches (Tegaderm). They remarked/replaced one or two a week during my 7 weeks of treatment. With the patches, they don't come off with water; but if you're using lotion like Eucerin or Aquaphor, you need to avoid the marked areas as something in the lotion will dissolve the adhesive.

I elected not to accept the tattoos, and I continued to swim, work out, and bathe throughout my 7 weeks of radiation treatment.  The techs refreshed the marks every Monday and re-taped them each week.  I had been offered blue or black ink, but honestly, I don't have blue or black freckles anywhere.  The tech said they really aren't that visible and that she had some on her hand.  I quickly identified all four of her tattoos.  I didn't want any more marks, and it gave me a sense of control over a process that was difficult in every respect.  I also refused the greasy Aquaphor and instead used a clear aloe vera gel that was very cooling and dissolved quickly.  Now I'm heading into year 3 and hope this horrible experience will be a distant memory in due time.  Good luck everyone!

When I met with my ROnc, she made it totally clear to me that the tattoos would be my decision.  she said "If you don't want them, it will make no difference in treatment at all."  I thought the sim was terrible.  It was worse for me than anything I have had done.  the tech TOLD me that they would be doing tattoos when they were done, and I said, Whoa.  "Dr. Taylor said that would be my decision."  They looked at each other and said well you have time to think about it.  My arm was in excrutiating pain, and when I aske to rest it, they said they couldn't do it or would have to start over.  I finally said, "I am getting sick because of the pain.  I think I'm going to throw up."  The male tech said "Stop everything and let her rest her arm."  they did, but one of the female techs acted ticked.                     As they were getting close to the end, (I guess, who knows, when it's going on?) She said, "Are you going to let us do the tattoos?  I said, "I don't know.  I have just about reached my limit."   Then when thy were done, she said with no warning, "Ok, I'm going to do the tattoos real quick."She did the first one so fast that I jumped.  She said something about, "Now you have to lie still.  Don't move."     The next day, I talked to my Rad Onc's nurse by phone for a different matter, and she asked how the sim went.  When I told her about the pain and feeling sick, she said, "Let me get this straight.  They knew you were in pain and they didn't give you a break."  I told her they said they couldn't and she was furious.  She started asking me a lot of questions about how I was treated, and I told her about the tattoos.  She said, "This will be addressed before the end of the day.  Dr. taylor will be  furious."  She went on and on, about how they need to know this, and I didn't call to complain, and that made it the best criticism they can get.  I detest the ink markings all over my body and am surprised that no one complains about that.  Am I the only one who has that road map?                                                                                                                                                                

I didn't think the the tattoes were bad. It was quick and I only have 3 or 4.  Every center must be different.  Mine are small and black. I did think the sim was bad.  I was in a lot of pain and was there for an hour.  It was so impersonal.  I walked out and started crying