Getting a Tattoo on Warfarin

[Ovie]

First I want to say WOW. It's been quite some time since I've been here, I hope everybody coming and going is doing well.

I come here seeking knowledge and hopefully experience from others that may be in this situation (I apologize if I'm posting this in the wrong area)

So I used search to find past posts on this topic and they were outdated, so here I am.

Since surgery in 2012 (AVR) physically I've been fine, however my mental state has not been, something I work on every day, and I feel a lot of it has to do with not being able to continue my life that I was living before surgery. One of which was Art, which entails tattoos. The last few months I've been really wanting to get back at it, and have been looking everywhere I could for answers, and I find myself here. Now I'm looking for those that have got them, thought about them, or plan on getting them. I'm in a range of 2.5-3.5 and am usually in range. I look to those who know what it's like to want to get inked up or have. Have any of you gotten a tattoo being on a blood thinner? and how have they turned out? There is so much misleading information out there swinging both ways, and it's going to absolutely break me if I'm not able to. I've talked to the best artist in the cleanest studio here in town, and he has told me it can go both ways, you just never know till you actually start the process. I'm looking to those who have have made the jump good or bad and had one. My doctor who manages my INR said I'm good to go, and I go in to get work done (hopefully) on the 16th. However the artist said he may actually try water and needle first to see how much I bleed and bruise. I'm trying to stay optimistic, but losing faith quickly the more and more I read. Which is why I'm here looking for answers. So I would love if anyone could share their good and bad experiences with me, that is if there is a community here that has dove into this topic.

Thank you.

 

[RobThatsMe]

Hi Ovie,
Good to see you come back and visit. Your question has been asked many times through the years on here, and there is already
a huge amount of replies and good info. I suggest you do a search on here to dig in and read some of them.
There are also some who are on that may have got their Tat recently and will share their experience.

Cheers,
Rob

 

[epstns]

Ovie - I have no body art, nor am I taking warfarin, so take my thoughts with the proverbial "grain of salt."

Would it make strategic sense to try a small tat somewhere that is normally out of sight, just to see how your body reacts to the process? That way, if it turns out well, you can forge ahead. If it is not to your liking, stop there.

Just thinking.

Good to hear from you, though.

 

[tom in MO]

If you have gotten tats before, you can kind of judge yourself. If your INR is at 3, you will bleed 3x as long before it clots as before you took warfarin. This means if it took a few minutes for the bleeding to stop, it will now take about 10. If you got a bruise before it will be bigger now. I have read some past posts and there were not any problems.

I don't know about the risk of infection with tattooing. It used to be a big source of hepatitis infection, I know two sisters who got Hepatitis C at the same time from the same artist. However, this has changed a lot since the 1990s. Anyway, I'd go to someone who knows what they are doing concerning infection control, whether it be a home artist or commercial.

 

[Ovie]

Hi Ovie,
Good to see you come back and visit. Your question has been asked many times through the years on here, and there is already
a huge amount of replies and good info. I suggest you do a search on here to dig in and read some of them.
There are also some who are on that may have got their Tat recently and will share their experience.

Cheers,
Rob

I used the search bar and 3 topics came up, last post being in 2009? Which is why I opted to make a new thread.

Epstns, I think that's going to be the first step.

Tom, as far as I remember, since it been years since getting ink, I don't think I bled much. As far as a clean established place, this is a 10 out of 10, I'm very cautious about who I go to.

If anyone has pics of recent work and being on Warfarin while getting it done, would love to see pics. Also if there are other topics I missed in the search, would love some links.

 

[pellicle]

I used the search bar and 3 topics came up, last post being in 2009? Which is why I opted to make a new thread.

on 99% of the sites I use (including our corporate one) search is rubbish, instead go to google and prefix your search with the site: operator

Eg

"site:www.valvereplacement.org/forums/ tatto on warfarin"

without the quotes

 

[Ovie]

I guess I'll do that then, rather then seek info on this one.

Thanks.

 

[pellicle]

Hey Ovi

I got these in my search:

http://www.valvereplacement.org/forums/forum/anti-coagulation/42502-tattoos-and-warafin

http://www.valvereplacement.org/forums/forum/small-talk/40704-tattoos-anyone

http://www.valvereplacement.org/for...2327-getting-tattoos-while-on-anti-coagulants

all relatively recent

best wishes

 

[Ovie]

pellicle. Thanks! Though going through all 3 (one of which I started) there still isn't much information other then the one guy who posted pics. Frustrating to say the least that there really isn't much research or experience to go around to really know what the outcome of a tattoo would be. At this point I just don't care anymore, I guess if it looks crappy, I'll live with it. Tired of being restricted because of blood thinners.

Appreciate the links!

 

[pellicle]

Hi Ovi

Glad I could help

Frustrating to say the least that there really isn't much research or experience to go around to really know what the outcome of a tattoo would be.

Interestingly this is what has driven my own research. First with my masters and then with much in my life. I think of it as breaking through a boundary into a new realm, where I see that the boundaries are defined by others opinions as much as by reality.

At this point I just don't care anymore, I guess if it looks crappy, I'll live with it. Tired of being restricted because of blood thinners.

This is e good place to be. Unbound by opinion (that are unsubstantiated) and free to explore.

Post your results and contribute to helping others

Don't worry about the criticisms

There are fewer restrictions in reality than those imposed upon us by others. The concepts of the restrictions of anticoagulants restrictions are often imagined by those who are not taking them

 

[TheGymGuy]

I have been considering some tribal style art / inc on my upper back and arms too and would love to hear about your experience Ovie.

 

[Ovie]

I have been considering some tribal style art / inc on my upper back and arms too and would love to hear about your experience Ovie.

I go in Thursday to the artist to get work done, have my INR apt day before, I'll be sure to post back on what happens. Nice to hear from you TheGymGuy, I remember you quite well from back in the day

 

[Agian]

What are you getting done?

 

[Ovie]

So got my tattoo today, I'll try and post a pic in next couple days, it's on top of my wrist and goes into the top part of my hand. Had my INR done yesterday I was at 3.3 (range is 2.5-3.5) so higher in my range, was not happy going into today because felt since I wasn't under 3 I'd just bleed more. It has some very sensitive spots, but as he began, and got into it, he said "if you hadn't told me you were on blood thinners, I would of never known" I bled like anyone else and said even less then people who drink heavily. Now I just need to wait out the healing process. But overall, good experience thus far.

Just thought I'd update those that cared or were curious.

 

[pellicle]

Great update

The more that people post this sort of thing the more we can dismiss the fears and anxieties which a e out there

Thanks