Is It Ok To Get A Tattoo When Taking Cosentyx

Eileen Davidson had a goal: to go thirty tattoos by the age of 30. Only when she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at age 29 — just one tattoo shy of her goal — she had two initial questions for her doctor. One: "Tin I still have children?" Two: "Can I even so become tattoos?"

The arthritis abet and blogger at Chronic Eileen knew that having an autoimmune disease made her more vulnerable to infection. She had other questions, such as whether her body could handle the healing process, whether getting inked would interfere with the biologic medication she takes for her RA, and if could she time her tattoos to avoid an RA flare.

Both Davidson's rheumatologist and her rheumatology nurse gave her the go-ahead to continue to get tattoos. Giving your health care providers the heads' up that this is something you want to do — and working with them to become tattoos safely — is important for anyone, but it's especially cardinal when you have an inflammatory form of arthritis or any affliction that could touch on your immune system or ability to heal and recover.

Tattoos and Arthritis: Understanding the Risks

"I'd never tell a patient that they tin can't practise something they really want to do [like getting a tattoo]," says Alexa Meara, MD, rheumatologist at The Ohio Country Academy Wexner Medical Eye in Columbus, Ohio. "For someone with RA, their risk of infection tin be higher. When it comes to patients who desire a tattoo, I recommend researching to find a clean, well-reviewed, and reputable place," she says.

Here are some concerns that people with arthritis or related musculoskeletal hurting need to recollect virtually earlier deciding to get a tattoo:

Infection Take chances

Your take a chance of infection may be higher because of the very nature of having an autoimmune disease, also as the immune-suppressing medications yous may take to treat your arthritis.

I particular area of concern with infection is hepatitis C. Notwithstanding, yous tin can avoid this risk by going to a place you lot trust. Research shows that the infection is non probable spread by going to a licensed, commercial tattooing facility, per the Centers for Affliction Control and Prevention (CDC).

Gamble of Psoriatic Arthritis Flares

Patients with psoriatic arthritis or psoriasis accept an additional consideration to discuss with their medical team. In this case, the physical "trauma" of breaking the pare (which is what happens with tattoos) can trigger a PsA flare, says Dr. Meara. This is known every bit the Koebner miracle: It ways that you're more likely to develop psoriasis plaques at sites where the pare is irritated or damaged. This is a rare side effect and something you can't really predict, says Dr. Meara, merely you should be aware that it's a possibility.

If you've e'er had pare impairment (such as cut or fire) that caused a psoriasis flare, you may exist more likely to take such a reaction afterward getting a tattoo.

Problems with Stiffness/Pain During the Procedure

Keep in mind that you may demand to continue withal for a long period of time during the procedure. This could be more than challenging for people with arthritis, who can accept pain and stiffness in joints when they're immobile. It's important to let your tattoo artist know virtually your disease and your concerns. When selecting a tattoo artist, enquire effectually and look for recommendations of people who will be sensitive to your health needs. You may demand to accept more than frequent breaks during the procedure, for example.

Skin Reactions

Even if you don't have psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis, people with other kinds of inflammatory may accept more sensitive skin or skin that is decumbent to allergic reactions. It's mutual to have rashes with rheumatoid arthritis, for case. Y'all may want to ask well-nigh getting a patch test in advance of the tattoo to make sure you don't accept a bad reaction to the chemicals or dyes in the ink.

How to Get a Tattoo Safely with Arthritis

It's up to yous to work with your doctors and tattoo creative person to develop a plan of action for your specific health needs and circumstances. Davidson made sure to clear with her doctors that she could still get tattooed while taking her medications.

Fourth dimension it right

Davidson learned that the best time for her to become a tattoo is to wait ii weeks afterward a biologic infusion before going in to get inked. (Ideally, that's too ii weeks earlier her next infusion.)

That doesn't have to be your rule, though, because inquiry doesn't give any clear answers on the ideal timing of tattoos when yous take an autoimmune condition.

"If you are on certain medications y'all may want to build in a buffer [before getting a tattoo], but I don't know of whatsoever information surrounding the platonic timing," says Dr. Meara. The important office is that yous ask your doctor when information technology may be best to go in, given your medication, symptoms, and health history. Davidson also questioned the rheumatology nurse who administers the infusions, too every bit the maker of the biologic she was taking.

Give yourself extra recovery time

You might also consider how your trunk will feel during the healing process. Whether or not you should build in additional time for recovery will exist dependent on the individual, says Dr. Meara.

Enquire about pain management options

Finally, allow'south talk pain. "If y'all're scared about the potential pain from a tattoo, know that that information technology'due south temporary. Recall, you're able to handle the pain of RA, which doesn't go abroad," says Davidson. Y'all can safely use an OTC lidocaine cream before the tattoo, says Dr. Meara, only she suggests consulting with your tattoo artist as well.

Pick the correct tattoo parlor

Wait for a licensed, registered tattoo parlor with best practices for sanitization and infection prevention.

Find an accommodating artist

It'due south of import to share with your tattoo artist that you take RA or another autoimmune condition. "I take built friendships with my tattoo artists. I've noticed that they're all-around to all sorts of people. If you're uncomfortable, demand a interruption, or have to motion a fleck because you're stiff, tell them," says Davidson. To avoid any surprises, she as well warns having RA means she might dandy more than the average client.

When It's *Not* Safety to Get a Tattoo

Whether a tattoo is right for you is going to swivel on your own wellness circumstances, merely in that location is a circumstance that should give you suspension. "If you're on a long-term steroid, information technology may be a bad thought [to get a tattoo] considering wound healing is reduced when you're on steroid medication," says Dr. Meara. While she would yet support a patient who wanted to tattoo at this time, she may urge them to wait until they're off this kind of medication.

Information technology's also not a good idea to get a tattoo over a joint that is afflicted by arthritis or where you could develop arthritis in the future. There's ever the possibility that you could need injectable medication (such as steroids) or surgery on the joint, and having a tattoo covering the joint could make such procedures more complicated.

One additional consideration, says Davidson, is the time of year to go the tattoo. While you tin safely become 1 in the summer, sweat and sun fades new ink, she says.

Ultimately, exercise your enquiry, talk to your doctors, and don't accept the determination lightly. "Whether you have an autoimmune status or not, you enter at your ain risk," says Dr. Meara.

It's been more than four years since her RA diagnosis, and today Davidson has too many tattoos to count. She says that one of those she's most proud of is the rheumatoid arthritis ribbon. "Information technology's my badge for this invisible illness. I don't think the disease should stop united states from living or self-expression," she says.

Keep Reading

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• The All-time Hair and Beauty Tips for When Y'all Have Articulation Pain
• Psoriatic Arthritis Skin Intendance: 5 Rules Yous Should Follow for Articulate, Healthy Skin

• Was This Helpful?

Source: https://creakyjoints.org/living-with-arthritis/tattoos-and-arthritis/

Posted by: ocasioupposer.blogspot.com

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