I have vitiligo, can i get a tattoo?
This question is more common than you think. Vitiligo is a condition where the skin loses pigmentation, causing white patches.
Tattoos have been an integral cultural part of personal expression for centuries.
The answer to the question is yes, you can get a tattoo even if you have Vitiligo. But there are some factors to take into account.
Vitiligo and tattoos factors to consider
The stability of your vitiligo must first be taken into consideration.
It is important to avoid tattooing the area that has lost color or trying to get a tattoo to match the skin tone.
The color of the skin changes with the seasons.
In winter the color tattoo can look like skin. In summer, however, you will notice the differences in skin color once again.
Also, the vitiligo-affected area may grow over time, so you may find that a patch covering white skin now has a white ring around it.
However, it must be said that the tattoo on the affected skin could cause damage and sometimes the needle could worsen vitiligo or even trauma such as the Koebner phenomenon.
If you have Vitiligo, you have a lot to think about when it comes to tattooing.
For example, will you still like the tattoo if it gets lighter due to the new attack of Vitiligo?
In addition to artistic and personal tattoos, there is a new type of tattoo specifically for the white spots present in vitiligo. This new technology is called a micropigmentation tattoo.
Side effects
Vitiligo tattoo can create several risks and side effects:
- relapses of herpes simplex
- grainy reactions to the implanted pigments
- allergic reactions
- Koebner phenomenon
- imperfect color matching
- cutaneous pseudolymphomas
Before getting vitiligo spots tattooed, talk to a dermatologist about the risks you may face. Take the time to weigh the pros and cons.
To rule out any allergies to products used for tattooing, it is best to do the allergy test.