Waxing and tattooing while on Coumadin

[Khory]

Yeah...
So I'm 23 as of this month 6' and 178lbs (was 186 beginning of the summer but haven't been exercising), been on Coumadin since I was twenty one due to a shoulder clot, likely a consequence of weight lifting. Continued weight lifting/exercising more or less daily till this summer, which I took off completely, more or less ('cept for jogging once or twice a week). My INR was a bit over 3 last time I checked, 3.2 I think. I'm not overly consistent with tests, but I am with the medicine, having both a "daily dosage" thingy in my room and a backup carried around in my bag if I suddenly realize I forgot (which has happened). My dosage is 8mg (down from 8.5mg)

My question isssss:::::::::;;

Can I a) get my back waxed, b) get my CHEST waxed, and finally c) get a tattoo (smallish) done on some yet-to-be-determined part of my body.

The first two are relatively immediate. I hate admitting it, but I'm a fashionista (sometimes, when I get it right)/hipster type fool and frankly, back hair and chest hair are a tad unsightly when worn with V-necks or those 80-style punk cutaway thingies.

So...
Think I can get it done?

Will I bruise like a peach?

Will I bleed like a strawberry?

Will I feel constantly anxious?

When I asked my doc, he laughed but didn't know. He said to ask the hemotologist, but I don't see her for another fwe months...


So yes.

Please advise. I don't want to be mistaken for a yeti or Italian again.

 

[Bina]

Are you a valver?
Are you male or furry female?

 

[Cooker]

The first two are relatively immediate. I hate admitting it, but I'm a fashionista (sometimes, when I get it right)/hipster type fool and frankly, back hair and chest hair are a tad unsightly when worn with V-necks or those 80-style punk cutaway thingies.

I fail to see a problem with chest or back hair.....but maybe that's a chimp thing.....careful with the tatts....infection and ask around...I think the warfarin can cause blurring...

 

[Duff Man]

There was a good thread on this a while ago here... definitely worth a read.

As far as what I've been told by a well known surgeon, I've had my last tattoos and piercings. There's a risk of infection in/around your heart with tattoos that are inherent with any procedure that breaks skin. He literally asked me if I liked the ones I have, because they're my last.

 

[Khory]

Are you a valver?
Are you male or furry female?

What's a valver? And I'm a guy.



And yeah, my worry re: the hair thing is excessive bruising/bleeding during the process. I've never had it done before.

 

[Duff Man]

If you're as hairy as I am, you'll cry for mercy on the waxing thing within the first couple hours of your 3 day long removal session.

Seriously though, with the risk of ingrown hairs, I would forgo the hair removal.

 

[Khory]

I at least want the back hair removed. My chest is kidna bad but I can (more or less) live with it (though I'd at least like it thinned out or something... I wouldn't know how to though), but the backhair is something I've eben mortally self-concious about since I became sort of socially aware of my apperance.
And yeah, finally talked to girlfriend about it last night and though she laughed, she said she's good with it. So I'd like to get the back done today, which isn't thick but it's black hairs and really gross...

 

[Jkm7]

Why not call the hematologist's office and ask? They would know best what is safe for you to do.

Be forewarned....... having your back waxed is going to STING but if it matters that much to you, go for it assuming hematologist says okay.

 

[Khory]

Fair enough, I guess I'll come back for advice if I get a bypass...

 

[Karlynn]

If you're a Coumadin user, IMHO, you're welcome here. There is lots of information to be had on the drug. Go read the stickies in the anticoagulation forum for more information. Also be sure and check out the site www.warfarinfo.com. It's a site run by one of the best experts in the world on warfarin, Al Lodwick. He's taught many of us about the drug.

I doubt that waxing would be a problem. But you may want to go small first to see if there's any bruising associated with it. I doubt it - but then I'm not a waxer.

We've always been told that tats are not good with warfarin because they can blur the tat. But we recently have a new member who's got a really awesome tat that looks very clear. Those of us with replaced valves (regardless of whether we are on warfarin or not) need to be careful of infection because valves are susceptible to infection.

Have you looked into home testing? I think you would be really thrilled at how it frees ups your life. It sounds like you are a responsible young adult when it comes to your warfarin use. Please stick around and gather as much info as possible. You may even have valuable experience to share with other younger adults who are looking at the possibility of having to take the drug.

 

[gadgetman]

To steal Budweiser's jingle:

This Groomer's for you!!!

http://www.mangroomer.com/

Probably much more comfortable than waxing.

And you can involve your girlfriend for a little BACKplay!!!!!!

May God Bless,

Danny

 

[ctyguy]

I can't speak to the waxing issue but I can talk about tattoos. And since I've had a valve procedure I guess its ok for me to do so. Everyone I've spoken with has told me that getting a tat when on Coumadin is a bad idea. More bleeding than normal and the tattoo would blurr. If you talk to a tattoo artist and let them know your on Coumadin I would be willing to say they won't touch you. I have one tattoo that I would like to get removed so that I can get another in its place. Getting the removal is ok but I went to 3 different tattoo parlors and all 3 said "no thanks".

 

[Ross]

Hi Khory and welcome. While it's true that this is a valve support site, there is no reason we can't address your Coumadin questions. If your on it, your subjected to the same things we are and we offer support for it also.

 

[Guest]

Waxing with warfarin is probably no big deal.

With tatoos the bottom line is that nobody knows yet. In the short term they seem to be OK. But the major thing that we don't know is what will happen in the long-term. There are too few people who have tatoos from ten years ago who have also been on warfarin all ten years. So they might smudge faster than for people who are not on warfarin. (Probably not but we won't know for several more years.) So just like everything else you have to weight the risks vs the benefits on the basis of lots of unknowns.

Here is my guess. If you are 30 and you look at your high school pictures you probably think - we thought that was cool???? Those glasses look really nerdy now!!! IMHO lots of people with tatoos are going to look at them in 10 years and say OMG we thought that was a chick (or stud) magnet??????

 

[Bina]

Khory, it is being said that I appeared rude when I asked you if you were a valver or heart patient....that was not my wish at all.
I did say "nice to meet you" and it was deleted, so I will say it again: Nice to meet you!
Check out www.warfarinfo.com

 

[Duff Man]

Khory, I didn't mean anything by my IP check post. This had been a pretty lighthearted thread, and we had a member here from Canada a while ago that was disgruntled and you're also from Canada so I figured in the spirit of being lighthearted I would say something funny for the members that were "in the know". I'm not always the best at remembering to use emoticons and social graces on the internet... to be honest I'm downright awkward sometimes. Sorry buddy.

 

[Khory]

Hallo,
I'm not really much of a forum talker, so sorry if I didn't know the protocol. If I have questions that I can't find an answer for, I tend to join, ask, and then not really participate until I've more questions.
Anyway, I appreciate the welcome.

But yes, so, I did the back yesterday. It wasn't thick or anything, but there was still enough. Now there's none, hurrah. Hurt like hell, but it seems okay. It's very red where I had hair, but not nearly what I had anticipated, nor to the level of a friend of mine who got his chest waxed last summer. It just looks like I have a bad sunburn.

Anyroad, I may be back in a few days just to let you folks know the status, in the event that someone else on coumadin is thinking of doing something similar. Information sharing being the wonderful thing it is and all.

Thanks a lot.

 

[Mary]

Hallo,
I'm not really much of a forum talker, so sorry if I didn't know the protocol. If I have questions that I can't find an answer for, I tend to join, ask, and then not really participate until I've more questions.
Anyway, I appreciate the welcome.

But yes, so, I did the back yesterday. It wasn't thick or anything, but there was still enough. Now there's none, hurrah. Hurt like hell, but it seems okay. It's very red where I had hair, but not nearly what I had anticipated, nor to the level of a friend of mine who got his chest waxed last summer. It just looks like I have a bad sunburn.

Anyroad, I may be back in a few days just to let you folks know the status, in the event that someone else on coumadin is thinking of doing something similar. Information sharing being the wonderful thing it is and all.

Thanks a lot.

You say it hurt alot. Hurt enough to do it again, or not that much?

 

[Ross]

Khory a few folks feel bad and I told them no harm has been done. You just happened to join at a weird time when I was stressed out and sort of vacationing away from here for a while. Our members get edgy when the gatekeeper isn't around so to speak.

I don't want anyone to feel bad about anything. We all make mistakes and I'm sure we'll all make more before we expire. Lets try to minimize them as much as possible.

 

[Nancy]

Khory-

Did you catch the TV ad (can't think of what product it was for) where Harrison Ford is getting his chest waxed? Looked kind of painful. Actually, not sure they waxed him, but the tech used some kind of strips to rip it off. OUCH!