I understand that these marks are standard in uk and that many women find them acceptable, even marks of honour. That is wonderful and I respect that.
As we are not all the same and I am someone who already knows that I do not want the permanence or the temporary pain of a needle i started looking on internet for alternatives.
In Usa and Israel there is an alternative but what is there in UK?
I think Gloucester offer a choice, is it true? What is it?
Also found article about research which had compared semi-permanent marks with standard. no diifference was found so why is this not standard!!?
Please let me know if you were offered an alternative and where.
I accept necessary interventions but am wary of this. On usa site women say some technicians admit no need for lifelong marking but it saves time.
I dont know if i’m just lucky but I have to really look hard to find my tattos,and certainly didn’t feel any pain from the needle.I dont think of them as honour marks,dont think of them at all really. 
best wishes Mell xx
Ditto!
. and ditto again!
I too would echo what Mell sais. Even the radiographer who saw me after the planning for my first dose had a job to locate my “tattoo freckle”. They are so minute.
Chris
Hi Persistent2,
I’m one of those who really had a problem with permanent marks which I just didn’t want. So. I refused them! I was met with a bit of resistance: the technician humoured me through the marking up process and then decided that the margin for error would be quite small in my case, so she agreed to an alternative. But they still made me feel like I was making their job difficult…well too bad!
I had permanent marker pen with tape over it (in three places) for the duration. I had to promise to keep it all clean and dry, which I found easy to do by taking baths instead of showers during my 15 sessions. And, I am really quite glad I did that!
You can, I think, have the marks removed later. But I don’t know what the cost would be. Good luck with whatever you decide and with the rest of your treatment.
Lxxx
The mark is really small and doesnt hurt to do- a scratch. Its hard enough for them to measure me up each time and i think it would be even worse if they werent there. I dont even think about them and certainly dont think of them as marks of honour!
Good luck in your search for alternatives - im sure there are some.
S
Hi
Myself I had the tattoos and they don’t bother me. They certainly didn’t hurt. However a friend who had BC 5 years ago told me she really didn’t want the permanent reminder and had the procedure described by Lomalinda above. She had a sort of fake skin stuff over the pen marks and had to keep this dry etc.
So there’s two examples for you of this alternative being available in the uk. When I went for rads planning, they did ask if I was ok about having the tattoos and there was the opportunity to say no.
Good luck…I’m sure if you ask you should be able to have this alternative.
Anna xx
Just to say that I did have the tattoo dots and they are barely visable, but a friend who has recently had rads was totally against having permanent marks so they used a marker pen and clear dressing on top which like Lomalinda she had to keep dry whilst having radiotherapy - something she managed without too much bother. Think you just have to tell them you don’t want tattoos rather than wait for them to offer an alternative.
Good luck with your treatment
Sue xx
Personally, I don’t think the tattoos would remind me. The scar and misshapen breast will do that!
Ann
if you search for contrarymary on the forum (under the thread all at sea) -she didn’t have tats for her radiotherapy - she had some tape stuff,the name of which I forget…
There are some things worth making a fuss about; this just isn’t one of them
i was a bit concerned about the tats being a permanent reminder when i had bc the first time but my mum had them done the year before so i asked her and had a look at hers before i decided to have them and they were no problem so this time i dont have any qualms about having them on the other side for 2nd BC.
maybe you can speak to somebody who already has them and see what they look like… there are far worse permanent reminders of BC such as scarred, mis-shapen boobs… than few tiny dots that you need a magnifying glass to see.
but the marker pen and clear tape is an alternative if you really cant stand the thought of the tattoos.
Lulu
h, sorry to jump in, do you mean the tatoos are really permanent? i think i may be having rads after surgery, not sure yet though. So i know nothing about them
sorry to jump in, hope chemo aint too bad lulu, you must be nearly finished?
take care
anna
yes,the tattoos are permanent but tiny ink dots,usually 3, one in between your breasts and one either side.
hi anna
last chemo is on thursday… yipee!
chipper
i actually got 7 tattoos the first time but that was over 3 years ago so maybe they do less now… but the tattooing was absolutely fine hardly felt it and im a big woose normally.
and although i have 7 people dont notice them unless i point them out and i have to ‘look’ for them myself as you just dont see them even though i have about 3 visible ones (ie cleavage and upper chest area) depending on what im wearing.
Lulu x
I ummed and ahhed over the tattoos and kept changing my mind.Eventually I opted for the permanent tattoos because my favourite relaxation is having a bath.The temporary ones mean you have to keep the area dry. I have 7 too and most are miniscule.I don’t think I’ll bother having them removed.
Dot
x
the way I look at it these tattoos could have saved my life so im quite proud of them and they are just part of me
Carol xx
Had mine last week - two very tiny blue ones. Could be veins. Really hard to see. No worries!
Ann x
Hi
In the great scheme of things a blue dot is neither here or there. If it gets you lined up for treatment efficiently and prevents queues for others in the waiting room go for it! I’ve no problem with a blue dot and at least I know my radio hit the target!
Cheers