Often the reasons we get tattooed come from a desire and a want, but can tattoos be practical, or maybe even a medical need?
Welcome to “Why We Get Tattoos”, a blog series outlining the many reasons behind the want and need of getting tattooed.
The WANT :
Over the last few years, we’ve started to see more and more people looking to get medical alert tattoos. For some it is the want to create a piece of artwork that represents their medical condition positively, for others it is the need to replace their medical alert bracelet as they may not be able to wear their jewelry due to allergies or work environments.
Though this is not standardized, medical alert tattoos are becoming more and more popular and medics are slowly becoming aware of this and are looking for these tattoos. That being said, they are trained to look for the medical alert jewelry, so if you are replacing it with a tattoo, don’t stray too far away from the areas where these medical alerts would normally be (ankle, neck line, wrist) and avoid getting too abstract with the design.
One thing to keep in mind with medical alert tattoos, as for any tattoo, they are permanent. Some medical conditions can change over time and it’s important to be able reflect those changes in your condition & communicate how to treat it. That being said, many conditions are permanent and if it's something that could help you in a medical emergency, this tattoo is definitely worth pursuing. It can also help reduce stigma around your medical condition. Tattoos often invite conversation and can open up the door to speak about your condition in a new light.
Here is one by our own, Milo, for a client with Type 2 diabetes written in a clear location by the wrist for medic identification with a beautiful piece of art to accompany the info.
As a custom tattoo shop, we would be thrilled to help you create something that represents what you need to communicate. Looking for a little inspiration? Check out these medical alert tattoos : NOT BY LIQUID AMBER TATTOO ARTISTS. http://www.tattooeasily.com/med-alert-tattoos/
In conclusion, we also did some research to find out if tattoos are part of anything else in the medical industry.
Turns out that tattoos can be used as an aid in radiotherapy. Radiotherapy is therapy using ionizing radiation, generally as part of cancer treatment to control or kill malignant cells. Radiation therapy is used in a number of types of cancer when they are localized to one area of the body. The preparation of the treatment area is done by marking reference points of the planned field of radiation. The easiest and precise solution to get accurate treatments is done with tattoos. Read more about RadioTherapy Tattoos here : http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/cancers-in-general/treatment/radiotherapy/
Thanks for reading, “Why We Get Tattoos” - BLOG 1.2MEDICAL TATTOOS- This is part of a blog series outlining the many reasons behind the want and need of getting tattooed.
Our next blog articles will be about tattoos that bring to light the battle with an illness or disease, tributes to loved ones and their medical journeys, and tattoos over scars including the rise of tattooing art over mastectomies.
We invite you to share with us your story. What is it that made you get your tattoo? Did the tattoo change your story or strengthen your intent towards something meaningful? Email us your thoughts to info@liquidambertattoo / subject line “MY STORY”. You might anonymously be featured in an upcoming blog!