Medical Tattoos

We all love our tats when they provide a measure of our individuality or as an expression of our personality but they are increasingly being used in the medical profession for a variety of reasons.

One of these is in the replacement of medical jewellery which users wear to communicate important medical information about them. One example of this is the jewellery that diabetics wear to warn others of their condition and what treatment may be required. If a diabetic suffers a dramatic fall in blood sugar levels then they can quickly enter a diabetic coma with fatal consequences. This is often preceded by symptoms similar to drunkenness and therefore if the diabetic is in the pub at the time, then the correct treatment can be delayed with tragic results. A suitable permanent and prominent tattoo telling others of the condition and maybe suitable first aid could avoid this situation without the diabetic having to remember to wear an item of jewellery. There are some tattoo parlours which also offer discounted rates for such inks.
Another common use of tattoos in medicine is the radiation point. This is a reference point for the application of radiotherapy in cancer sufferers and ensures that the radiation is applied accurately to the tumour without affecting the surrounding healthy tissues. The points themselves are tiny, usually no bigger than a pinhead but they do offer a level of precision and accuracy when required. They also have the advantage of permanency and are clearly unaffected by water and body cleansing solutions.

Tattoos are also often used to add colours and hues to the body after reconstructive surgery such as that required after a mastectomy. Features can also be added using suitable inks – one example is in the addition of a nipple with surrounding areola in the appropriate hue and colour. Many patients are also choosing to use a colourful tattoo in place of the missing body feature to mark a transition point in their life and to express part of their personality.