Your cart is empty.
Thank You For
Your Message!
We'll get back to you as soon as possible.
We’ll be in touch
Just leave your name and email. A member of the Medovie team will be in touch soon. If you’d like to DM us, that works too.
Magazine
January 30, 2023
Tattoos are a popular form of self-expression. In the UK itself, around one in five of the UK population is tattooed. A third of the people with this body art claim that it has helped with their body image and that the tattoo made them feel sexy. Another third, claim that tattoos made them look or feel rebellious and that their self-esteem increased. Although there is no one reason why people would want to get permanently etched on their skin, it is best to be cautious when doing so.
If you have psoriasis and really want a tattoo, know that many people with the same skin condition also want to camouflage their psoriatic lesions. They find that tattoos help them with their body image and having one has improved their level of psoriasis acceptance.
According to Pubmed, psoriasis is not a strict contraindication for tattooing. However, there are certain controversies about whether it is safe to get a tattoo in the active stage of the disease, especially while undergoing immunosuppressive treatment. Although, note that there are only a few cases of serious tattoo-related infectious complications caused by immunosuppression.
Psoriasis is an autoimmune problem that involves hyperproliferation of the keratinocytes in the epidermis (top layer of skin). According to NHS UK, it occurs when there’s a problem in the immune system causing skin cells to be replaced more quickly than usual. It is a chronic skin condition, which means, it can flare up unexpectedly and there’s no cure.
Since psoriasis may have a prolonged inflammatory state, some tattoo parlors may not agree to tattoo a person with such conditions. Some tattoo artists will not apply a tattoo even if the psoriasis is not currently active. In fact, in some areas in the US, they have a law that specifically mentions psoriasis. It prohibits artists from tattooing people with active eczema or psoriasis.
For example, tattoo artists in Oregon, Wisconsin, and Louisiana aren’t permitted to work on any area of the skin where there are lesions. Louisiana even has a clause that specifically mentions psoriasis. South Carolina also prohibits tattooing on skin with any type of irregularity, such as a rash, sunburn, lesion, or pimple. You may read more about it here.
Fig. 1. Some places have laws against getting a tattoo if you have psoriasis
A person with psoriasis may get tattoos, but because psoriasis plaques can occur almost anywhere on the body, it is recommended to have it where your skin usually doesn’t get flare-ups. It isn’t possible to get a tattoo in areas where there are scale-like patches or psoriatic plaques. If your skin changes often, getting a tattoo may make it seem unpredictable and may also be disappointing in some cases because the tattoo may be hard to see.
So you have already decided which part of your body you’ll be getting inked on. The next step is to pick a safe tattoo parlor. When you visit one, check:
Aside from these, here’s a list of the things that you should look for in a studio, as suggested by a campus health and wellness resource:
To prevent infection, choose a reputable tattoo studio that is clean and has proper sanitization processes. For example, every tattoo parlor should have a machine called an autoclave that sterilizes instruments at ultra-high heat. If there is no autoclave, it’s best not to agree to the procedure.
Fig. 2. Choose a hygienic tattoo parlor
Aside from picking a safe tattoo parlor, it is also important to choose a licensed tattoo artist. To help prevent infection, be sure your tattoo artist is licensed and reputable.
Ask questions like how long has the person been tattooing? Is he knowledgeable? Then, discuss your ideas with your chosen artist.
One tattoo artist shared that if clients have a good understanding of their experiences with psoriasis as well as the condition of their skin at the time of the visit, it helps in making the best decisions for safely executing the artwork and tattoo placement. She has so far been successful with her clients who have psoriasis.
Getting tattooed in itself already has risks like an allergic reaction to tattoo dyes, bacterial infections, and bloodborne diseases from cross-contaminated tattoo needles and equipment (HIV, hepatitis B or C, tuberculosis, and tetanus included).
Tattoos can cause bleeding. This by itself makes anyone who gets a tattoo vulnerable to various tattoo-related complications.
Psoriasis flares can be triggered by any skin injury or trauma like cuts, scrapes, burns, sunburns, insect bites, and puncture wounds. This can cause plaques to appear in new places where they normally weren’t. This is called the Koebner phenomenon. Those with psoriasis have a higher risk of experiencing this reaction, which can lead to tattoo-induced psoriasis. This is a real risk for psoriatic patients who are getting a tattoo.
Tattooing can exacerbate these conditions. Since tattoos cause skin trauma, for some, the Koebner phenomenon occurs after getting tattooed. It’s estimated that 11% to 75% of psoriatic patients will experience the Koebner phenomenon after a skin trauma such as getting tattooed.
It’s also important to be aware that when the Koebner phenomenon occurs in tattooed skin, it might continue to reoccur in the same location, which might permanently disturb the tattoo site. For some, luckily their skin was fine after getting a tattoo and they say that after the psoriatic lesions heal, the tattoo is unaffected.
Two separate studies showed that the rate of tattoo complications in psoriasis patients was low. It was also noted that although the risk of complications was highest amongst psoriatic patients requiring treatment at the time of tattooing, all complications observed were only benign.
In the second study, one by Patrycja Rogowska and colleagues at the Medical University (MU) of Gdańsk in Poland, it was found that almost two-thirds of the respondents were in active treatment while being tattooed. Some were receiving topical psoriasis treatment while others were receiving systemic treatment and phototherapy.
This study also reported that “active systemic therapy for psoriasis can leave patients who are planning to get inked vulnerable to tattoo-related complications.” In addition, it reported that oral retinoids can thin the skin and cause excessive dryness and that this can also impair the wound healing process and increase the chance of infection.
If you’re prone to skin allergies, you may want to do a patch test before the procedure to see how your skin might react to the tattoo ink. Aside from this, have a dermatological consultation before getting inked, especially for a psoriatic patient. In a study published this year about how much patients with psoriasis know about tattooing and its potential complications, dermatological counseling was recommended for patients with psoriasis who are considering tattooing.
Speak with your dermatologist before getting a tattoo to fully weigh the pros and cons based on your medical history and personal risk factors. This is to determine the best time to have the procedure done and to assess the safest location for the tattoo.
In the above-mentioned study, the researchers concluded that “a standardized questionnaire, inclusive query about the client’s medical history and medications, could be implemented by tattooists for the benefit of the whole tattoo society.”
Moreover, here are a few of Rochford UK’s Advice and Safe Practice for Permanent Tattooing, for those who are in the business of tattooing:
In addition to this, in some countries a published law prohibits tattooing:
Fig. 3. Tattoo aftercare can help manage chronic skin problems
Doctor Clare Morrison, GP & Medical Advisor at Medexpress UK shares about tattoo aftercare:
Follow aftercare instructions precisely. Contact your dermatologist right away if you experience new or worsening lesions or any of these signs:
As important as your tattoo aftercare is how you manage your skin’s chronic conditions like psoriasis and eczema. While many over-the-counter medications are already available for calming skin conditions, they may not all be very effective. On the other hand, Medovie has skincare products designed for effectively managing eczema and psoriasis symptoms. Our Body solutions as well as Scalp solutions have been proven to calm sensitive skin.
We invite you to set a meeting with our Medovie skincare experts to get the appropriate solution for your condition.
Thank You For
Your Message!
We'll get back to you as soon as possible.
We’ll be in touch
Just leave your name and email. A member of the Medovie team will be in touch soon. If you’d like to DM us, that works too.