|
Lupus & Tattoos
One of the most common questions
we receive is inquiring whether it is "ok" for people with Lupus to
get a tattoo.
The Lupus Foundation of America
has this to say about the subject:
"There are no specific problems
that have been associated with tattoos in lupus patients. Keep in
mind the small risk of infection with hepatitis B and C. Occasionally
lupus patients have been known to have a reaction to the tattoo
dye but this is very rare. Remember, if you are on immunosuppressive
medication, this may increase the chances of infection and slow
healing of the tattoo area. As with other procedures, it is best
done when you are in remission or a welled controlled mild disease
state. Consult with your physician prior to getting your tattoo."
Also, if you are on blood thinners
you may not be able to sit for long sessions. The longer someone
is being tattooed, the more the skin is irritated and the more they
bleed, pushing the pigment back out in spots. This does not apply to
small tattoos (under 1 hour) or to black and gray tattoos.
"Kendra has thought about getting
a tattoo for many years but was afraid of the pain and healing time.
For her 30th birthday in January 2008 she decided to go for it.
She wanted to get a tattoo that represented her passion and work for
the Lupus Awareness Cause so she chose a purple butterfly carrying a
purple ribbon. To add dimension a second color was added to the
butterfly. A blueish teal was chosen in honor of Kendra's sister
who has Scleroderma.
Kendra having Lupus and Fibromyalgia
was nervous about the pain, however found the entire process to be only
slightly painful, perhaps comparable to a shallow sting.
Kendra is also on immunosuppressives and was very diligent about aftercare.
The tattoo healed up perfectly with no infection or complication within
1 week. Since getting the tattoo, we have gotten several compliments
and even a few very flattering copies. Email us pictures of your
Lupus tattoo to webmaster@cure4lupus.org."
| Kendra on her Birthday (tattoo 1 wk. old) |
Close-up of the Tattoo |
 |
 |
|
My name is Brieann i
was diagnosed with SLE in January 2005 while a senior in
high school i am now 23. This tattoo represents the battle
that so many of us are fighting. The butterflies are a
symbol how one day we all hope to be free from lupus and fly
free like these butterflies. Stay strong and keep on
fighting!
~Brieann~
|
I
was recently diagnosed with Lupus in August 2009. My aunt
also has Lupus and we are fighting this together.
I got
this tattoo in September. It symbolizes a young girl praying
for a cure while crying of fear.
|
My name is Tiffany, i am 17. I got
diagnosed October of 2008, i was 16. I have lupus,
fibromyalgia and arthritis.
|
|
Hi
my name is Monica and this is my tattoo of the lupus
butterfly. I got this for my first cousin Annette.
She is actually more than a cousin, she is the sister I
never had. Since I was a baby she has always looked
after me. She has been there for me thru some really
dark times in my life. She was diagnosed with Lupus in 1999
and Fibromyalgia this year.
I got the butterfly on the inside of my left wrist because
we are both south paws and in support of her fight with
Lupus. I want her to know always that she is not alone
in her battle with this disease, and that I will always be
there for her no matter what. I love her with all my
heart.
Monica Gutierrez
|
 |
|
Here is my tattoo. It
represents my family. I am the large purple butterfly at
the top, symbolic of lupus. Each of my 3 girls are a
butterfly and we (the butterflies) surround a celtic tree of
life. I am of Scottish heritage and this symbol means
family and strong like an oak tree. It took me many years
to finally come up with this design. I had it done by Miss
Autumne at Integrity Tattoo in Maryville, TN and it is on my
right shoulder. I had very little bleeding problems and
healed quickly.
Thanks for sharing
Karie Charsha'
Dx w/ SLE 2005
|
 |
|
My
name is Suzanne and I was diagnosed with lupus nephritis in
1995. I have since had a kidney transplant and just
this August I had my first child, a baby girl. The tattoo
represents my fight with lupus as well as my miracle baby.
The smaller butterfly has my little girl's initials in the
wings.
|
 |
|
I was diagnosed with sle about 6 months ago. I have an aweful tattoo on
my leg I have wanted to cover for about 10 years now. When
I saw your website about a week ago I finally made my choice
on what to cover it with! Thank you for the inspiration. I
attached the before and after. Rhea
|
  |
|
This
tattoo is on my left shoulder and is all for me. I
have wanted a tattoo for years and finally decided that I
wanted the butterfly and purple ribbon because Lupus kicks
my butt on a daily basis. I am allergic to everything
and had no reaction to the dye. I am on aspirin
because I have a clotting disorder and I never bled.
Believe it or not...this barely even hurt!
|
 |
|
Here's a pix of my latest....It's the
breast cancer ribbon & the lupus ribbon connected by a
butterfly....I have a few tatts, but this one really really
means something! My mom is a survivor of breast cancer
AND I have lupus...although the butterfy symbolizes lupus,
it also symbolizes recovery from drug addiction...and that's
me as well...3 1/2 years and counting....please post my tat!
Jilli 
|
 |
|
The tat..as of right now!..the ribbon will be filled in
eventually. |
 |
|
Dear
Friends- Ok strange but true story. i am 27 years old. i got
this tatoo on sept. 10, 2001 at 11:45 p.m. (yes, a few
moments to the day of 9/11). Igot it to signify freedom for
MY independence, ten it took on a whole new meaning after
9/11 which was freaky enough. NOW it has a whole nother
significance since i am in the process of being diagnosed
with sle. you can't tell, but the butterfly is purple, btw.
weird, but an awesome tribute. KEEP FIGHTING my friends!
amanda lewis
|
 |
|
One
butterfly for each of my kids. |
 |
|
My sister and I dicide to get ours first tatoo on behave of
my mother. She got diagnosed Lupus a few years ago. Our
Mom is our inspiration. "She got Lupus but the Lupus don't got
her". |
 |
|
My name is Lauran, I am 19, and my mama
was diagnosed with Lupus quite a few years ago. I just got this
tattoo last night for her, inspired by the Dorough Lupus Foundations
"Wings of Hope" Logo. My mother is my heart and soul and everyday
I pray that there will someday be a Cure for Lupus. I came across
this page and thought I would share my 13th tattoo and one of
my most cherrished, along with my tattoo of my mothers Handprints
on my shoulders, between them it says Tenga Sopra, which translates
to Hold On in Italian, meaning "No Matter How Bad Things Get
If You Can Just Hold On, Eventually They Will Have To Get Better".
and underneith that i have "Love, Mama", in my moms handwriting....
She will always be with me and this disease will never Have
her!!! Thank you for all the information you provide. All of
the People fighting Lupus are so strong...
-Lauran |
|
|
This is my new tattoo - it is only a few hours old here.
I was inspired, obviously, by some of the pictures on your website.
I wanted the butterfly colors to be like those of the blue morpho
butterfly, because I had worked with them in Costa Rica.
The tattoo is on my upper left deltoid, where I can look at
it every day as a reminder of my fight to not let this disease
control my life.
|
 |
|
I have always loved wolves and the color purple so I guess my
diagnosis is pretty ironic. I got the wolf tattoo 11 years
ago, 10 years before my diagnosis. I was diagnosed in
April 2008 after a severe flare of my Malar rash (didn't know
that's what it was then). I am learning to accept that
I have this disease and got my butterfly/ribbon opposite my
wolf. I have 3 more in the works, all tied to lupus in
some way and will post them as they are completed.
|
|
|
My name is Chrissy, I am 27years old! I was diagnosed with Lupus
about 2 weeks ago.... After being scared and pretty much in
denial about the whole thing I decided that I had to deal with
it since I will have it for the rest of my life! Until now I
didnt know anyone who had Lupus, but I just found out that my
moms cousin does have it and has been dealing with it for some
time! I Just got this tattoo about a week ago, (its my 11th
one!) and it means so much to me! I got the idea from this website
and just had a little bit of changes! I love it and I have gotten
nothing but great comments on it! It was a very painful tattoo,
the most painful out of all of them but it was completely worth
it! I am going to continue to research about the disease, and
do all i can to help in anyway! Thank you for all the helpful
infor on your website!
|
 |
|
Hi my name is Keith White and my wife has
Lupus, her name is Lori. She is a RN at Connecticut Childrens
Hospital. We have been married now for almost 20 years and I
love her more today then I did the day I met her and I fell
in love with her the moment our eyes met for the first time.
She is the most caring and loving person
I know and I hate that she has to deal with the pain and discomfort
that lupus and it's treatments can bring.
I have several tattoos, so finally this
past Friday, I went to my Tatto Artist "Gypsy" from Body Graphics
of South Windsor Connecticut. I showed her a printout of the
Lupus symbols and she came up with a design for me.
I have attached two photos the first is the design which I have
on my left inside forearm, The purple Butterfly (Look Closely)
and my wife's name LORI in the wings, one side is as u see it
writing and one side is mirror image so I see her name when
I look at it in mirror. The second is the design when I hold
my arm up or the original flipped 180 degrees, disclosing the
WOLF. |
|
|
I got my tattoo 2 days ago. You may not
be able to see it but my sons name Clayton, is in the ribbon
to symbolize my fighting lupus so i can be there for him.
Suzy
|
 |
|
I was diagnosed
with Lupus in 2004, after being sick for over a year and seeing
many many doctors. I was devastated. My Aunt Penny
died in 1990 from complications of Lupus and I had grown up
hearing the horrors of Lupus. My grandmother never got
over her death. I have learned to manage my Lupus and
live a somewhat "normal" life (my grandmother died a year before
my diagnosis). I am a full time police officer and the
happy mother of three. I got the tattoo just after my
31st birthday (on my upper back) in honor of my achievements
over the past 4 years and in memory of Penny.
Carrie |
 |
|
Just got my
tattoo 2 days ago, i love it no bad effects so far. I really
love this web site and the merchandise for purchase, keep up
the good work
KIM
|
 |
|
Hi my name is Emily. I have Lupus and Antiphospholipid
syndrome. I am 30 years old and have been ill for over 10 years.
On February 13th it will be 10 years that I have been on Anticoagulants.
9 years ago I was told there was no hope of ever getting off
them. At the time I only had one tattoo. I had been told not
to get tattoo's by many of my Dr.'s and the pharmacist who doses
my Coumadin. However I was also told I would never live through
a pregnancy (I have since had 2 children James is 5 and Anya
is 4 months old). They are my lil miracles. So this shows Dr.'s
don't know everything. A few years ago one of the Dr.'s said
the reason we have to tell you no is because their are no studies
on blood thinners and tattoo's. So right away I went and got
my first tattoo since being on anticoagulants (blood thinners).
It is my Anticoagulation Patient tattoo. I have since got 5
more for a total of 7 tattoos. I thought I was done with them
but after seeing everyone else's lupus tattoo's I am rethinking
that. Maybe for my next birthday I will get a lupus tattoo.
Thanks, Emily
|
 |
|
I have been on Cytoxan (1996 - 1999) and
Cell Cept (Feb 2007 - Present) for Lupus Nephritis and so I
got this butterfly on my back right side, where my kidney is
located. The tattoo is also the approximate size of a
kidney. Basically my symbol saying Lupus will not win!
I continue to survive :)
~Alonna
|
 |
| I have systemic lupus and have still gotten tattoos. I currently
have three and am working on the fourth. I've had no adverse
reactions. |
 |
|
Symbol of my Lupus The Purple Ribbon and Breast Cancer Pink
Ribbon for my Sis and Mom . Blue & yellow in Butterflies
for Ethan (DownSyndrome). |
 |
| I have two one my back of my shoulders.. and two on my neck,
both in support of Lupus. The first one is Chinese lettering
that says Wolf, done in purple, and excellent shading. The other
is an orange ribbon.. now I know some ppl say that the lupus
ribbon is purple however I have seen an orange ribbon as well
so I got one too lol... |
 |
|
This is what
I call my Lupus tattoo because shortly after I received this
tattoo. I was diagnosed with Lupus. I was having a lupus flare
the day I received this tattoo and did not know. Although it
is not as big, bright, or as beautiful as it was I can tell
by the colors whether my day will be flare free or not.
Kesha Dan
"All things happen for a reason"
|
 |
 MY MOM PASSED WITH LUPUS AND NOW I HAVE IT. I HAVE BEEN IN DENIAL
FOR YEARS ABOUT IT. BUT NOW I'M HAVING TO FACE IT HEAD ON...MY
TATTOO IS LARGE AND TAKES UP MOST OF MY RIGHT THIGH...I GOT
IT THAT BIG BECAUSE IT IS A VERY LARGE PART OF MY LIFE NOW MORE
THAN EVER...I JUST WANT TO LIVE.....
TANYA
|
| Hi this is Kim, I was one you inspired
to copy your tattoo. I know it isn't exactly like yours but
it's still nice. I chose my calf area! Thanks for the inspiration!
Your fellow Lupie, Kim
|
 |
|
My name is Margaret. In July of 2007 I
was told that I have Lupus. I was scared and confused. For months
I thought the Lupus would destroy me. Later that year I went
home for Christmas and gave myself this gift.
The butterfly is hovering, ready to fly away. This image was
inspired by a picture of a woman holding this butterfly with
both hands. My daughter and I saw it as putting it in Gods Hands! |
 |
|
Just saw some really good pics of lupus tattoos thought i would
send in mine...now mind you because of the lupus and steroids
i was on at the time it healed really poorly and i am wanting
to go back and get it redone...
Deanielle
Durant
|
 |
|
I debated and searched for something unique
and personally designed.
I got my tattoo after having amazing labs
after such a long time!
I'm not in remission but I am very well
controlled and got the o.k. from my physician to go for it!
I got my tattoo July 2, 2008 on my upper
left shoulder.
I had no reaction and healed up nicely.
This is the only tattoo I will ever get. The symbol of this
bitter sweet diesease.
I got the purple shading as a symbolic color of our ribbon.
|
 |
|
I thought I would share my tattoo with
everyone that I had done on my foot. My mom has been dealing
with Lupus for about 15 years now.
~Candice~
|
 |
|
Hi my name is Nikki and I have had lupus since 2004. I did not
want the traditional butterfly so I went for the wolf and added
the diagnostic code
|
 |
|
I'm 18 years old and I was diagnosed
with Lupus 4 years ago. I just recently got my tattoo and I
didn't experience any type of complications. The name in the
middle of the ribbon is my name.
|
 |
|
|
|
Privacy Policy
Terms of Use
Link to Us
Contact Us
Search
©Cure4Lupus.org
2006-2010 All rights reserved.
9417 Park Drive #201, Omaha, NE 68127
Webmaster@Cure4Lupus.org
402-221-9945 fax: 402-953-1796
Text on this page may
be copied and reposted if there is a
link to
this site posted with it.
This is
not a medical website and information on this site should
never
be substituted for medical advice.
Always
consult a physician before making any medical decisions!
Cure4Lupus.org
is a philanthropic organization. It is not a 501(c)3 non-profit
organization. It does donate most, if not all, of it's profits
to 501(c)3 organizations, however it is a for profit business independent
of the Lupus Foundation of America or any other organization.
|
