[Info] Medical tattoos

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epileric

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TORONTO — Medical tattoos are becoming more common, with some people choosing to ink their wrists or other body parts with warnings about a health condition instead of wearing standard MedicAlert bracelets or necklaces, says a report in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

But critics of the practice say paramedics and emergency room doctors might not notice the tattoos, possibly leading to incorrect treatment.

"On the surface it doesn't sound like a bad idea, but there's a few issues that we have with it," said Robert Ridge, president and CEO of the Canadian MedicAlert Foundation.

"The first is paramedics have been trained in Canada for over 50 years to look for a medical alerting ID, usually on the wrist or the neck," Ridge told The Canadian Press on Monday. "So MedicAlert members either wear a bracelet or a necklet or a watch. And emergency responders have been trained to look in those places for any medical alerting information."

And it's not only emergency responders who use the system, he said. "It could be anyone. It could be a member of the public who comes across someone in distress and is able, through the MedicAlert ID, to call the hotline and help the person."

Ridge said members of the charitable organization wear MedicAlert devices to identify themselves as having a range of conditions, from diabetes and epilepsy to life-threatening allergies to peanuts or certain drugs like penicillin.

Vancouver tattoo artist Andrew Warren said that during his 12 years in business, he's had a "handful of folks" who wanted a medical-related tat.

In fact, many of those clients were paramedics, he said Monday. "And that's the weird thing, because they know it can't be taken at face value."

http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Health/20120514/tattoos-medical-conditions-120514/
 
Certainly seems like a good idea,although if i were to get an epilepsy tattoo,i think id plump for a monkey on my back.
 
:roflmao:
That's excellent neil!
 
you dont know how close ive been!!!
 
the pro of course would be that - it would not get stolen or lost, or seperated from your person during treatment.
con -of course then if you wanted to update your info you would have to get another tattoo if you wanted to update your info rather expensive not exzact;y cost efective.....
 
Certainly seems like a good idea,although if i were to get an epilepsy tattoo,i think id plump for a monkey on my back.

That's hilarious buddy, thank you for making me laugh today!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
I know this is an older thread but I thought this might be the best place. to put it.
I'm wondering if since this thread started has anyone gotten a "medical tattoo.I've been thinking about one for a while
and would love to see some pics. I've been seizure-free since a RTL 16mos ago and I'm ready to start driving again.
My partner thinks it would be a good idea to have something that indicates I have seizures but also that I can't have an MRI in case something happened while driving. Anyway, if anybody has pics I'd like to see them. I'm thinking of a bracelet that has a medical cross at one end
and an epilepsy ribbon at the other with the word epilepsy and no MRI in the middle. thoughts suggestions?
 
I know this is an older thread but I thought this might be the best place. to put it.
I'm wondering if since this thread started has anyone gotten a "medical tattoo.I've been thinking about one for a while
and would love to see some pics. I've been seizure-free since a RTL 16mos ago and I'm ready to start driving again.
My partner thinks it would be a good idea to have something that indicates I have seizures but also that I can't have an MRI in case something happened while driving. Anyway, if anybody has pics I'd like to see them. I'm thinking of a bracelet that has a medical cross at one end
and an epilepsy ribbon at the other with the word epilepsy and no MRI in the middle. thoughts suggestions?
I wouldn't say it's a bad idea, but just be careful. EMT's aren't always gonna follow it because they don't count tattoos as a valid medical warning bracelet kinda thing
 
I don't have one, but I was thinking of getting something similar.

Before you get one, make sure you get something that will be recognizable as a medical alert.

As for a medical alert tattoos, check these links for more info:


 
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