**Radiation tatoo removal** What do you think?

disneyfan2008

are you talking freckle size tattos
I had radiation..but only have freckle spots...is this what you are talking about or are there other tattoos? That is all I am aware of?

I know when all done with 8 wks daily..I have lopsided square tan on one breast. (I hadn't realized it was the whole breast-I had in my mind just small area.)

Grandma X 6

disneyfan2008 said:

are you talking freckle size tattos
I had radiation..but only have freckle spots...is this what you are talking about or are there other tattoos? That is all I am aware of?

I know when all done with 8 wks daily..I have lopsided square tan on one breast. (I hadn't realized it was the whole breast-I had in my mind just small area.)

I also refused to be tattoos
They tried to talk me into to it I said it was not happening. They used clear round stickers that are used in surgeries and marked them with a sharpie. I am allergic to tape but there did not bother me. They would replace them when they came loose it was not need very often and yes you could shower just don't rub them. So you don't have the tats speak up for your self it is your body!

Betsy13

SIROD said:

Unwise
If you "Google" Radiation Tattoo Removal you will find many web pages on this topic.

It basically states they should be left as a permanent map of where you have had radiation. You never know if you might in the future needs this information. More radiation is a real possibility for anyone who has had breast cancer. Paper and computer records can be lost. The ones left on your body won't be unless you remove them.

They are so small, I can't imagine anyone so vain as to be bothered by them. The stress test technician was an idiot. All the hoopla of Pink October should have made known the fact that breast cancer can happen at any age 10 to 100 years. It could have been a fact that this knowledge once was unknown, not now. Any woman in the health care field should know this fact.

My opinion, keep them.

SIROD

Won't go through this again...
I pray there isn't a next time, but if there is, I won't go through radiation again. The side effects have been horriffic. Mine were not the 'normal' side effects (whatever those are) and I am still experiencing them.

Next time, I would choose a mastectomy and reconstruction. I realize there are problems with that, also, but healing 6 weeks from surgery as opposed 6 years from radiation (ok, seriously 7 months and counting) I truly don't feel I could handle radiation again.

Betsy

Betsy13

SIROD said:

Unfortunately it's never Good bye and Good Riddance
Dear Betsy,

Unless you have a crystal ball to know the future you might think twice before removal. I did not have a choice on the tattoos and I was also marked up with permanent markers.

As I mention in my other posts, records can be lost but there is one on your chest that is permanent. You may never have a need again. I sincerely hope you don't.

Skin mets from breast cancer and bone mets might be a good reason to keep the tattoos in case of a future need for radiation. They are so small unless a person knows they are not really very visible.

With breast cancer there is not good bye and good riddance. Once you are diagnose with the disease, it can come back, even up to 30 plus years later. One might have the experience behind them, but always in your subconscious it is there. A pain, here or there, it comes to the forefront. The good thing is that 70% of women won't have it return and as the years go by, hopefully the percentage will go up.

You are not a freak, you are a woman who was unfortunate to be diagnose with breast cancer. It's not the worst kind of cancer to have. Your not stage IV either. If you go look at other cancer boards on the CSN site, you will realize there are other cancers who are far worst than breast cancer.

Time will help you deal with breast cancer but you are a member of a club that no one ever wants to join.
That is a fact.

Best wishes,

SIROD

You must have had great support
because I had nothing and was made to feel a freak. I won't do radiation again. My side effects were so horriffic and I am still ill from them. I know there are side effects to a mastectomy and reconstruction, but I would rather heal for 6 weeks than 6 mos. or longer and I'm at longer...

How did you deal with your bc? I have had a very rude awakening as to whom I matter to and I am still dealing with those ramifications. People I thought would be there, aren't -- this includes family, friends, and co-workers.

Would appreciate your input,
Betsy

MAJW

Mine are 4 tennie, tiny dots.......hard to tell them from freckles........Personally, I've had ENOUGH done to my "girl"....would never subject myself to LASER removal of 4 tiny dots!

disneyfan2008

MAJW said:

Mine are 4 tennie, tiny dots.......hard to tell them from freckles........Personally, I've had ENOUGH done to my "girl"....would never subject myself to LASER removal of 4 tiny dots!

friends want to
my friends wants us to all go to get tattoos..I do not like tatoos at all..so I told them I have my tatoos already from radiation

Rague

SIROD said:

In Case of Future Need
Dear Rague,

It is quite true that you can not be radiated in the same area twice. That is why the dots are important. In case records are lost and occasionally are, the record on your skin is permanent.

One never knows what the future may hold. I had a friend who developed skin mets from breast cancer.
They radiated the area of the mets which was near the radiated site from her original dx. They did not radiate the original site. However, radiation did little to stop progression. A wonderful product called Miltex did a better job. Available only in Germany but the FDA allows it in the USA for compassionate usage.

It is just a good idea to keep something so small that can not possibly a problem for a fashion statement.
Though you can't see your marks with the naked eye, I am willing to bet that certain types of lights they might still be viewable.

SIROD

'Dear' SIROD
Read what I wrote - I said that 1 of my 4 tatoos was no longer visiable at all as it had been in the area that had the deepest burns/worst scars. 2 had faded a lot ON THEIR OWN. I don't usually pay attention to how visiable they are - doesn't matter to me at all - but I did notice today that one of the 2 that have faded ON THEIR OWN is almost gone. The one that was the most visiable is also lighter than I remember it being. I can only base on my persoonal experiences - I had radiation to my throat area as a small child in 1948 as before I was 2 yrs old my tonsils had to be taken out and at that time the protocol for very small children who HAD to had their tonsil out that young was to do radiation to the area to prevent them from growning back (didn't work in my case - I have a new set that has been there for approx 63 years)- there was not tatoos done then. The tatoos that were done a bit less than a year ago are fading on their own.

Susan

Eil4186

I was told that I should
I was told that I should never have my tattoos removed because if I ever needed more rediation the marks will serve as a guide because the same tissue can never be radiated twice.

Mine have not faded in over 4 years. The one on my chest is very visible with a v-neck shirt. The ink is an odd shape, I think that the needle was not inserted straight or something. People have asked me about it. Weird, huh?

I don't mind the tatts though. I have many tattoos; butterflies and such. I love them. I am also in the process of having one removed with lasers. It is very painful. They are basically burning your skin. There is bleeding, blistering and oozing. It is excruciating and very expensive. Each area must be done over and over. I have spent about $1200.00 so far on a 3 inch tattoo and it will probably cost another $2000.00 more. Each treatment is $200.00 and they can only do a tiny area at a time. due to swelling. To be honest I couldn't stand any more anyway.

Ritzy

Boppy_of_6 said:

No tattoos here
I did 30 rounds of rads. I also had the marks with sharpies or paint pens. They remarked me as needed and always a heavier marking on Fridays to last till Monday.They covered the marks with little adhesive stickers sorta like a bandaid just no gauze They just told me not to scrub the area when I bathed or showered, which later into rads I did not want to scrub, to tender. I just applied my creams around the marks. God Bless
(((Hugs))) Janice

I never thought about having
I never thought about having mine removed. I actually forget about them, as, they are barely noticeable now, and, I am sure will even fade more with time. But, you need to do what will make YOU feel better.


Let us know what you decide!


Sue

disneyfan2008

Betsy13 said:

Won't go through this again...
I pray there isn't a next time, but if there is, I won't go through radiation again. The side effects have been horriffic. Mine were not the 'normal' side effects (whatever those are) and I am still experiencing them.

Next time, I would choose a mastectomy and reconstruction. I realize there are problems with that, also, but healing 6 weeks from surgery as opposed 6 years from radiation (ok, seriously 7 months and counting) I truly don't feel I could handle radiation again.

Betsy

so sorry your treatments were bad
I was lucky enough to have no side effects at all...I only wish it could be that way for everyone...

feel better..

disneyfan2008

MAJW said:

Mine are 4 tennie, tiny dots.......hard to tell them from freckles........Personally, I've had ENOUGH done to my "girl"....would never subject myself to LASER removal of 4 tiny dots!

mine too like tiny freckles
I dont' even notice them -

good luck with what ever you decide!

Betsy13

disneyfan2008 said:

so sorry your treatments were bad
I was lucky enough to have no side effects at all...I only wish it could be that way for everyone...

feel better..

disneyfan2008
It wasn't the treatments...it was and is the side effects...

SIROD

Rague said:

'Dear' SIROD
Read what I wrote - I said that 1 of my 4 tatoos was no longer visiable at all as it had been in the area that had the deepest burns/worst scars. 2 had faded a lot ON THEIR OWN. I don't usually pay attention to how visiable they are - doesn't matter to me at all - but I did notice today that one of the 2 that have faded ON THEIR OWN is almost gone. The one that was the most visiable is also lighter than I remember it being. I can only base on my persoonal experiences - I had radiation to my throat area as a small child in 1948 as before I was 2 yrs old my tonsils had to be taken out and at that time the protocol for very small children who HAD to had their tonsil out that young was to do radiation to the area to prevent them from growning back (didn't work in my case - I have a new set that has been there for approx 63 years)- there was not tatoos done then. The tatoos that were done a bit less than a year ago are fading on their own.

Susan

Tonsils
Dear Susan,

How awful to radiated tonsils of a 2 years old. I had mine out in 1952 at the age of six. I am very happy that the protocol was no longer in effect. I am sorry that yours grew back.

When my aunt had radiation for breast cancer in 1959, they burned her very badly. I read that Rachel Carson, author of "Silent Spring" had a lot of radiation for her breast cancer tumors in the early sixties. She died in 1964 the same year as my aunt. I thought the woman who ushered in the environmental movement probably died of excess radiation. I wonder how much they gave you in 1948! The main things is that your still here to write about it. I wonder how far back radiation goes as a treatment.

Were your tonsils cancerous? I worked with man who did have cancer in his tonsils. He did ok.

Best,

Doris

carkris

Eil4186 said:

I was told that I should
I was told that I should never have my tattoos removed because if I ever needed more rediation the marks will serve as a guide because the same tissue can never be radiated twice.

Mine have not faded in over 4 years. The one on my chest is very visible with a v-neck shirt. The ink is an odd shape, I think that the needle was not inserted straight or something. People have asked me about it. Weird, huh?

I don't mind the tatts though. I have many tattoos; butterflies and such. I love them. I am also in the process of having one removed with lasers. It is very painful. They are basically burning your skin. There is bleeding, blistering and oozing. It is excruciating and very expensive. Each area must be done over and over. I have spent about $1200.00 so far on a 3 inch tattoo and it will probably cost another $2000.00 more. Each treatment is $200.00 and they can only do a tiny area at a time. due to swelling. To be honest I couldn't stand any more anyway.

I had rads on my chest in
I had rads on my chest in 1995. I cant see it but the docs can. I think they are trained to see them. I only have one that bothers me it is in the middle of my chest. near where a necklace would lie. very obvious to me and I was quite bummed about it. But I think I will wait to see if it fades. Quite frankly I have had enough of being "handled" for now. (hopefully will get a repreive) If you hate them, perhaps your doc can advise you on what is best. One thing I was thinking though, is my chest this time is quite tender, not sure I would want to deal with any more pain either.

RE

I'm keeping mine
Well mine are visible, I see them after every bath and it has been 13 years. In all that time they have become a part of me, a symbol of my journey to survive and my triumph over this nasty thing we all have in common. In the end I think it is a personal choice, let us know what you decide once the soul searching is over.

Hugs,

RE

sparky51

Heatherbelle said:

My 2 cents - I am moderately
My 2 cents - I am moderately tattooed - I have 10 & a few are larger pieces, all professional & quite beautiful (if I do say so myself..).
Tattoo removal is alot more painful and expensive than getting the tattoo itself. Since the person is offering it for free, the money isn't an issue, but I've gor friends who've gone through the tattoo removal process & also friends who actually do the tattoo removal & they've told me it's pretty painful. For regular tattoos usually they have to go over the tattoo a few times - I didn't have radiation so I didn't get the tattoos but my Aunt did when she had radiation from lung cancer, they probably would not require going over more than once, though, so if you decided to have them removed it probably would be a one-time thing.
For me personally, I wouldn't have them removed, but I would more than likely get them covered up with a bigger tattoo
This is a little off subject but my tattoo artist is actually going to tattoo my areolas after I have my nipple reconstruction done in a few months. My plastic surgeon's assistant is the one who does the tattooing in the office, but basically all she does is shade the area in. I've seen some pictures of really good 3-d areola tattoos & asked him if he'd be comfortable doing them for me. I think before the tattoos, I'm having my plastic surgeon "map out" and draw the area in, and then go to my tattoo guy & getting the tattoo.

*hugs*
Heather

I have quite a few
I have quite a few tattoos....19 to be exact. When they were tattooing me for radiation I asked them if they could make it a little fancy to go with my other tattoos.....the tech said he would have if he had any artistic talent. I don't really notice the radiation tattos as a couple of them blend in with my freckles.