It occurred to me that as our radiotherapy tattoos are there for life, why don’t tattooists simply use the marker pen that is used in hospital instead of all that business with needles?! It would be much simpler.
I don’t mean to sound flippant to anyone suffering the effects of radiotherapy (had mine 5 years ago) but it’s something I’ve always wondered!
Sue
I understood the tattoo was so that they would know in future where exactly had been treated by radiotherapy.
Thing is, if they used the marker pen it would surely just come off? I had to have a square drawn up with a marker pen and ruler by a Consultant as I had to have 5 rads as a boost on to my scar tissue. I was told on no account was I to wash the area during that point.
I’ve never been bothered by the tattoos, I have one right in the centre of my cleavage which is visible if I wear something with a scoop neck, but I wouldn’t be troubled if anyone asked what it was.
Thanks for the comments but my point is not to hide the r/therapy marks. It’s that if they are indelible (as mine are) why not use the same pen to put tattoos elsewhere on the body, e.g. arms, instead of those horrible needles!
Hi, I have had tattoos for rads and they definately used needles on me!!
Debbie. xx
and me, and that was last week!
and me, and that was last week!
As far as i know the tattoos used for rads are exactly the same as any tattoo (ie with a needle). My onc has told me i can get them lasered off just as i would a normal tattoo, as i have a couple high on my chest.
Sorry I must have been in a state of shock when they did the tats! Or confused, not for the first time.
I’m with you on this SueBee: I really would not have known that needles were used; I would have accepted that it was just an indelible marker!
My tattoos are so tiny I really struggle to see them (one year after treatment) Maybe other people’s are larger or there are more of them. In my case, of all the ‘unpleasantries’ that one has to go through during BC treatment, this really seemed like a non- event.
I have 4 rads tattoos which I wouldnt say were that small, in fact one of them is a fair size. Unfortunately one is on my cleveage and one is higher up and shows in summer tops. They told me they were going to use needles to do them and they were quite painful. I am hoping to get at least the high ones lasered off this summer.
Mine are only the size of a pin prick and that was all I really felt when they did them. I guess it must differ from patient to patient.
I only have two tattoos, the size of a pin-prick. They do not bother me in the least. They are blue and really hard to see, as they could be part of a vein. The pen used during surgery definitely washes off.
I also had to have a square drawn up with a marker pen and ruler by a Consultant for boosters. They made a template which lined up with the tattoos and I was allowed to wash off the pen after they had made it.
Each day, the radiographers made small pen marks where the tattoos are, presumably so that they could see better when positioning the machine.
Ann x
I don’t have any rads tattoo’s!
I have lovely blue pen lines covered by the sticky clingfilmy stuff!..can’t wait to wash them off!
Hx
had my 3 tattooes done yesterday, ready for rads. Mine were like pin pricks, like how you feel when you have a blood test. Mine are navy blue, but really tiny- like a full stop.
eva
I had 3 pinprick tats done at my rads planning session, indian ink and a needle. I understood the purpose of the tats was so they had something to line you up with … there was a red laser beam in my rads suite and they moved me about by millimetres until the beam disected all 3 of my tats.
The lady who did them must have been very kind as they really are minute … I have met another lady who was treated at the same hospital as me and her’s are much bigger than mine so I think it depends onthe person doing them. In fact, oone of mine was so tiny they could hardly see it and they had to re-do it a week into my rads. I was drawn on daily wth marker pen but that washed off my skin (no so easy to get out of clothing so I bought cheap bras and wore them for the duration) I was given a lovely circle in navy blue pen for my boosters ad they took a photo with measurements written on my skin so that I was able to shower in between sessions.
I remember reading a comment on here a while back from a lady who’s husband was a surgeon and she advised that any surgeon can remove the tats using a small instrument which basically removes a layer or 2 of skin, the wound then scabs over and when the scab drops off the tat comes away with it.
If it’s any comfort to recent rads patients who are bothered by their tats I can report that nearly 2 years down the line one of my tats seems to have disappeared, the other 2 are still there but they don’t bother me at all, I don’t view them as disfigurement but consider them as a badge of honour … I had cancer and I kicked it’s ass!
Some ladies do find the tattoos invasive and an ‘ever present reminder’ but perhaps I’m abit odd cos I am proud of mine - a kind of ‘rights of passage’ thingy and I’m grateful , very very grateful they’ve helped to give me a lifeline - hell ladies I’ve got moles , freckles and skin tags more prominent than the tats.However I might feel different if they were large and unsightly.
I must be very lucky cause mine are microscopic - I can hardly find them - one under each arm and one in the middle but it is tiny so I’m not bothered.
Must depend on where you go for planning - shame xx
Have to admit, I never really think about mines being there at all really.
i don’t think about mine either, they are so tiny they are smaller than my moles