Arthritis and Tattoos: Is It Safe to Get Inked?
Tattoos are growing in popularity across Canada, according to a recent national survey that revealed a third of Canadians are now sporting ink. Though, tattooing has been practiced for thousands of years and for a variety of reasons – from cultural and religious to medical, including pain relief.
In 1991, German tourists discovered a preserved body in the Ötztal Alps on the Italy-Austria border. Ötztal, as the 5,300-year-old mummified man is now called, led anthropologists to believe that tattoos were used to treat arthritis.
“The preserved body has a total of 57 tattoos,” said an article in Smithsonian Magazine. “Approximately 80 per cent of these tattoos overlap with classical Chinese acupuncture points utilized to treat rheumatism, a medical condition that plagued the Iceman.”
In Canada, over 6 million Canadians currently live with different types of arthritis, and while tattoos aren’t commonly used as a form of pain relief, the question of whether or not they are safe to get with arthritis is very relevant.
Stay in Canada
“Tattoos are generally safe and low risk for people living with arthritis,” said Dr. Mollie Carruthers, a Rheumatologist and Clinician Investigator at Arthritis Research Canada.
However, she added that tattoos can pose a risk of other bloodborne pathogens like HIV, Hepatitis C and hepatitis B. Though, tattoo artists in Canada are licensed and abide by clean techniques, so that risk is low.
“I have never seen a bloodborne pathogen occur in Canada,” Carruthers said. “I have had a case where a patient contracted hepatitis C from getting a tattoo in a different country.”
People on immunosuppressive agents are also at a higher risk for severe hepatitis B, according to Carruthers. “My advice is to stay in Canada for your tattoos,” she said.
Controlling the Canvas
Eileen Davidson, a member of Arthritis Research Canada’s Arthritis Patient Advisory Board, lives with rheumatoid arthritis and has over 30 tattoos. For her, tattoos are empowering and give her the sense of control over her body that arthritis stole.
“I have a tattoo on my right wrist with the rheumatoid arthritis awareness ribbon and text that says ‘Fighter’ to remind myself to keep fighting my autoimmune disease,” Davidson said. “I chose my right wrist because it’s the most painful part of my body.”
Steve Sutherland, another member of the Arthritis Patient Advisory Board, who lives with rheumatoid arthritis and has been tattooed seven times, agrees with Davidson.
“On the positive side, tattoos can help individuals reclaim their body image and provide a creative outlet for self-expression,” he said. “They enable people to share their stories, experiences, and beliefs with others.”
At Dr. Carruthers’ rheumatology clinic, one particular tattoo plays a therapeutic role for patients.
“My medical assistant, Lisa, has a tattoo on her arm that we use as a distraction while patients get joint procedures,” she said.
The tattoo is a quote from “If Tomorrow Never Comes,” by Garth Brooks and was her father’s favourite song. She holds the patients’ hands and they can see the tattoo on her arm and talk about it.
“There is value in having members of our team have tattoos,” Carruthers said. “Patients think about the tattoos and the meaning of the visual art rather than the pain of joint procedures.”
More Pain for Some Gain
Why would people who already deal with pain on a regular basis, choose to endure further pain for body art?
“I think the one thing I share with everyone is that the adrenaline rush can be therapeutic, and it has really made me rethink how I talk about pain,” Sutherland said.
His three biggest concerns when deciding to get tattooed are pain, recovery, and infection.
“Making sure you work with a good artist is key to preventing these things,” he said.
Davidson added that consulting your doctor before getting a tattoo, following proper aftercare and listening to your body are important for a successful tattoo experience when you have arthritis.
In terms of the connection between tattoos and flares, Carruthers said that people who are flaring tend to avoid tattoos, but that tattoos don’t necessarily trigger flares.
“If someone has rheumatoid arthritis and is in remission, I don’t see tattoos causing flares,” she said. “If you want to get your first tattoo, start by asking your family doctor if they feel it is safe for you.”
Who Shouldn’t Get Inked?
According to Carruthers, there are two rheumatic conditions where tattoos may be less safe. One is Ehlers–Danlos syndrome, a connective tissue disorder, where people can have keloid formation, which is abnormal wound healing in response to trauma. The second is scleroderma, an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation and thickening in the skin and other areas of the body.
“Adding ink or needling onto the skin might worsen the condition just in that local area,” Carruthers said. “Those are the two types of arthritis where tattoos risk scarring.”
She emphasized that tattoos are completely safe for people living with rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and psoriatic arthritis.
