Tattoos and Psoriasis: Is It Safe?
I have recently visited a tattoo shop for my very first time with a close friend, and ever since then I have been wondering about the complications associated with getting a tattoo. There are multiple factors that drive me to believe that a tattoo may potentially worsen one's health. Possible factors that may be considered symptoms, include inflammation of the skin, infection, allergic reactions, and more. My friend was getting multiple tattoos at the time, so I was able to observe for a longer period of time at how the skin reacted to being tattooed. My initial concern was that the skin was getting extremely red, inflamed, and was causing pain and stress onto my friend. I had asked the tattoo artist if it is legal to tattoo clients with psoriasis, due to my own health concerns. She said yes, and admitted to previously tattooing clients with psoriasis who had no problems when going over an existing flare-up. Although she did not have any followup information, I have researched that it is safe to get a tattoo if you have psoriasis, as long as it is not very severe and if it is taken care of.
Interesting Psoriasis Blog By: Sena
https://psoriasupport.wordpress.com/tag/tattoo/
In a blog post titled, "Psoriasis and Tattoos" Sena discusses her experiences of getting a fairly large tattoo on her arm, as a sufferer of guttate psoriasis. A photo was attached to show the flaky psoriasis over the tattoo, without having any effect on the appearance of the tattoo once healed. This is great news, but also highly subjective to how severe her psoriasis flare ups are. Luckily, Sena is great to reference to due to our similarity in psoriasis type, indicating flare ups in similar areas of the body and alike symptoms. A followup post is also included on her blog, "Psoriasis and Tattoos Followup" explaining the condition of her psoriasis exactly three weeks after when the tattoo is finished healing. Positive news: the tattoo is unaffected and clear of psoriasis. Sena has explained that she was not achieving her desired results with her PsoriaFlora treatment, and switched to a Protopic ointment. I have never tried the above listed treatments for psoriasis. I assume that the latter option is stronger, which leaves me with doubts about how safe the condition of the tattoo will be in the long run. I hope it will maintain it's beauty. It would be very unfortunate to see so much time, effort, care, and beauty to go to waste. This applies to all persons who have a tattoo and are suffering from psoriasis.
Although there is proof that psoriasis sufferers have successfully gotten a tattoo without any life threatening complications, there is also evidence of tattoos causing skin diseases in patients. The Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) article The Koebner phenomenon: psoriasis in tattoos presents a case of tattoo induced psoriasis in a patient who presented no previous skin problems or any family history of it. A provoking factor for psoriasis in this patient included repeated trauma in the tattoo procedure. The 18 year old was diagnosed and treated with calcipotriene cream, which is a synthetic vitamin D3 product to regulate skin cell production. Four weeks of treatment resulted as a satisfactory resolution.
The Koebner Phenomenon
Initially, the Koebner phenomenon was known as the formation of psoriasiform lesions after cutaneous trauma in the uninvolved skin of psoriasis sufferers. Recently, the Koebner phenomenon has been defined as lesions developing after trauma in persons with no pre-existing dematosis. Therefore, tattoos may induce psoriasis in patients who have no preexisting skin conditions. For persons with psoriasis, it is important to be aware of a tattoo triggering the Koebner phenomenon. In addition, skin diseases such as lichen planus, vitiligo, and Darier disease can present with the Koebner phenomenon (Santiago, 2013).
References
Santiago, S. A., Carmona, M. J. E., & Fernandez, J. A. (2013). The Koebner phenomenon: psoriasis in tattoos. Canadian Medical Association Journal vol. 185 no. 7. Available from http://www.cmaj.ca/content/185/7/585.long
Sena. (2014, April 24). Psoriasis and Tattoos Followup [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://psoriasupport.wordpress.com/tag/tattoo/
Interesting Psoriasis Blog By: Sena
https://psoriasupport.wordpress.com/tag/tattoo/
In a blog post titled, "Psoriasis and Tattoos" Sena discusses her experiences of getting a fairly large tattoo on her arm, as a sufferer of guttate psoriasis. A photo was attached to show the flaky psoriasis over the tattoo, without having any effect on the appearance of the tattoo once healed. This is great news, but also highly subjective to how severe her psoriasis flare ups are. Luckily, Sena is great to reference to due to our similarity in psoriasis type, indicating flare ups in similar areas of the body and alike symptoms. A followup post is also included on her blog, "Psoriasis and Tattoos Followup" explaining the condition of her psoriasis exactly three weeks after when the tattoo is finished healing. Positive news: the tattoo is unaffected and clear of psoriasis. Sena has explained that she was not achieving her desired results with her PsoriaFlora treatment, and switched to a Protopic ointment. I have never tried the above listed treatments for psoriasis. I assume that the latter option is stronger, which leaves me with doubts about how safe the condition of the tattoo will be in the long run. I hope it will maintain it's beauty. It would be very unfortunate to see so much time, effort, care, and beauty to go to waste. This applies to all persons who have a tattoo and are suffering from psoriasis.
Although there is proof that psoriasis sufferers have successfully gotten a tattoo without any life threatening complications, there is also evidence of tattoos causing skin diseases in patients. The Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) article The Koebner phenomenon: psoriasis in tattoos presents a case of tattoo induced psoriasis in a patient who presented no previous skin problems or any family history of it. A provoking factor for psoriasis in this patient included repeated trauma in the tattoo procedure. The 18 year old was diagnosed and treated with calcipotriene cream, which is a synthetic vitamin D3 product to regulate skin cell production. Four weeks of treatment resulted as a satisfactory resolution.
The Koebner Phenomenon
Initially, the Koebner phenomenon was known as the formation of psoriasiform lesions after cutaneous trauma in the uninvolved skin of psoriasis sufferers. Recently, the Koebner phenomenon has been defined as lesions developing after trauma in persons with no pre-existing dematosis. Therefore, tattoos may induce psoriasis in patients who have no preexisting skin conditions. For persons with psoriasis, it is important to be aware of a tattoo triggering the Koebner phenomenon. In addition, skin diseases such as lichen planus, vitiligo, and Darier disease can present with the Koebner phenomenon (Santiago, 2013).
References
Santiago, S. A., Carmona, M. J. E., & Fernandez, J. A. (2013). The Koebner phenomenon: psoriasis in tattoos. Canadian Medical Association Journal vol. 185 no. 7. Available from http://www.cmaj.ca/content/185/7/585.long
Sena. (2014, April 24). Psoriasis and Tattoos Followup [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://psoriasupport.wordpress.com/tag/tattoo/
