Tattoos and Piercings

Hey everyone!

I have wanted to get a few things pierced and a few tattoos but my parent's excuse for not letting me is my diabetes. I want to get one ear pierced all the way down the cartilage and a couple in the other ear.

As far as tattoos, I want them pretty much everywhere. But I am planning on getting one that will take up the whole riht side of my ribs and abs.

What kind of complications, if any, can i get because of my diabetes and what are some precautions can i take?

Thanks!

Abigail

you really don't have anything to worry about. control your blood sugars and clean the piercings/tattoos properly. you'll have pretty much the same risks as every one else. i have 10 piercings and 2 tattoos -  never had a problem with any of them.

Two of my piercings I had problems with, but this was also during a time where I had horrible blood sugar control (and A1C's around 10).  I had my eyebrow pierced, and it grew out.  After 6 months, there was barely any skin holding the bar in.  My ear cartilidge got discolored (and still is to this day, with no earring in it.... it's a black dot now), but this may have been from the metal of the earring I wore.  I hope you have better luck than I did. 

I've gotten 5 piercings overall and a lot of hours of tattooing, all with no complications.  My control is not the best.  Really you need to worry more about finding a quality shop and making sure they use quality materials than diabetes.

I agree with C and Eric (i don't have the "best" control either) about finding a clean shop and just taking care of yourself especially during the healing process. if something doesn't seem normal, or is worrying, go back to the shop and talk to the artist and they will tell you if it's normal or not and if you should go to the doctor for meds.

i've got 11 peircings(ears count as one) and three tattoos(4 technically, as ones a cover-up - on the foot too!), haven't had any problems with them that wasn't normal. the only peircing i'm having problems with are my nipples, it's been a year adn they are still not 100% healed..but i also stop the cleaning process early, so that's probably not helping. haha. the rest were fine. my eyebrows rejected 5times because it was a horzitional one which tends to reject in 90% of people anyways..i got a double eyebrow to cover the scar adn they healed fine.

I've got a tattoo, but only my ears pierced.  The piercings were pre-diabetes, and the tattoo had no complications and I got it during a manic phase when my A1C was probably around 9 or 10.  Now, not manic, I'm planning a tattoo in the same place as you on the ribs, Abigail.  My A1C isn't fantastic, but it's not 9 anymore either.  I figure an antifungal foam plus plain antibacterial soap is key.

 

Do you have a drawing of the tattoo you want?  If so, upload it :o)  I'll upload mine if you want to see.

Nothing pierced, but got a my version of medical alert tattoo and it's my avatar also got one for the birth of my granddaughter. Pics on my page send friend request if need be. I didn't have any problems with them. I have a good a1c and still fairly a newbie, 2 years in aug. also I am not so young 54 now.

[quote user="Keith221"]

Nothing pierced, but got a my version of medical alert tattoo

[/quote]

I want to get one on my wrist! I never wear identification because I either lose it or get lazy so I am planning on getting "type 1 diabetic" on my wrist.

I really like yours! I was admiring it the first time I saw your avatar :) hhehehhe

[quote user="Abigail117"]

[quote user="Keith221"]

Nothing pierced, but got a my version of medical alert tattoo

[/quote]

I want to get one on my wrist! I never wear identification because I either lose it or get lazy so I am planning on getting "type 1 diabetic" on my wrist.

I really like yours! I was admiring it the first time I saw your avatar :) hhehehhe

[/quote]

Thank You!!! Mine is where they put in IV's, don't want to give me anything till they check my bs. LOL This is my latest the dragons are protecting my

Treasures my daughter and granddaughter

We got Rileys ears pierced about 6 months before she was dx maybe even a little longer and she had problems with one of her ears healing. With the one her ear ate the earring it corroded it. Weirdest thing. They were the earring she was pierced with so yeah either stainless or surgical steal cant remember now. I have no idea if it was D related or what but her ears are fine now.

I have about ten piercings and five tattoos, with no complications! I love tattoos, and cant wait to get more. But my favorite tattoo is my medical alert on my wrist, so good idea on that one ;)

SOOOO CUTEEE! I love the way it looks

Did you design this yourself?  I drew one up and since I am an artist embelished the design.  My nurse said it was too artsy and that a hospital wouldn't recognize it??  I didn't have the word Diabetic on it, just the medical alert symbol  - going to try again.

[quote user="Jessica "]

We got Rileys ears pierced about 6 months before she was dx maybe even a little longer and she had problems with one of her ears healing. With the one her ear ate the earring it corroded it. Weirdest thing. They were the earring she was pierced with so yeah either stainless or surgical steal cant remember now. I have no idea if it was D related or what but her ears are fine now.

[/quote]

i did have a problem with my ears the first two times I pierced them and when I got a cartilage piercing. all three times done at claires! the gun they use at non-tattoo/piercing parlors is REALLY dangerous because they can't be cleaned properly. All three piercings I got there when I was under 13, had to be removed and let to grow over. My 3rd time piercing my ears at Claires went fine though for some reason, and my cartilage i got re-pierced at an actual tattoo shop and it was fine.

 

I have four tattoos and I got them all after my diagnosis. My most recent is a diabetes tattoo on my left wrist. I will admit I don't have perfect A1c's by any means, but it never affected my tattoos at all. As long as you stay healthy and clean the tattoo or piercing properly, you should be ok!

I don't have any tattoos but my ears are pierced 2 times. I remember havig more trouble with the 2nd hole then the first. I can, to this day, only wear 10 or 14 karat gold earrings to avoid any problems. I always hated it because I couldn't wear any cool (colored/shaped) earrings ; )

I had a friend who was diabetic who started gauges and had to take those out because of circulation issues.  Forgot to mention that one. 

Oooohhh I will keep that in mindBecause I have been interested in gauges for a long time. Don't know how my Momma feels about taht though.. haha

my ears are pierced & i have no problems.

I just got my first tattoo on the 4th and so far it is healing amazingly well!! I was really nervous about it healing really slow or badly because of the diabetes AND because I'm just naturally a really bad healer, but so far so good *crosses fingers!*