Getting Tattooed on Rx Drugs

This is mainly a question for tatto artists and it will be greatly appreciated for all who help out. I am on a prescription drug called Accutane. It is adrug for treating acne. This is a quote from one of the warnings: "Do not have cosmetic procedures to smooth your skin (e.g., waxing, laser, or dermabrasion) during and for six months after isotretinoin therapy. Skin scarring may occur." Has any tattoo artist known any medicine to mess up the healing process of a tattoo? My doctor told me not to get my next tat for up to a year and I am a bit skeptible. She claims it will scar. I know I should listen to my docotr and I more than likely take her advice but does anyone have any experience with something similiar to this?

You should ABSOLUTELY listen to your doctor. If they say at least a year, then wait the time, after all, you'll still want the tattoo, right? Don't worry, it will go by before you know it. It's better than taking a chance and having your tattoo heal all screwy.

STOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DO NOT PASS GO!!!!!! ok now that i got that out heres the scoop all i got to on your post was the word ACUTANE listen to the doctor this is a very potent medicine desinged for a very specific purpose my wife was on it for a while and i was able to have a consultation with the dermatoligisit and also a regular md so i have 2 credibile opions on this matter both informed me that due to the chemical strutcure of this med and the affects it has on the body getting a tattoo while still on it or within 1 year of it being taken off it you should not get ANY tattoo or body mod work of any kind for at least 1 year after being taken off or ending the med like i said this is a very potent med it stays in the system for a long time and is desinged for that purpose if you do get work done the factor of keloid scaring goes up over 100% and will and probably keloid badly now even though eeveryone is different it would be in your best intrest to follow docs orders my wife was really bummed about the news on no tattoos for 1 year but she waited and waited and when she was past the year mark we consulted with the md doc he gave her a green light after a lenghty consulatation and she has resumed getting tattoos so i make it a policy upon filling out the release form for getting a tattoo we have a section for any current meds being taken if i do not know the med or am not familiar with it i will have the client wait i will consult a doc over this and go from there please wait before reciving any work until doc says ok go for it best luck to ya ( don )

I am going to listen to the Dr., just really wanting to hear some similiar stories and some info on this. Thanks, it really just sucked hearing that a few days ago. I know the wait will be better, more money means more tattoos so its wont be that bad.

Glad to hear that you're going to do the right thing! Keep us updated on what you end up getting!

I'm in a simmilar situation, I was just wondering if anybody has gone against their Dr. and what were their results? Thanks.

My sister wason this medication, but came off after only being treated for 4 weeks. She didnt even think of being on that drug when she got a tat on her shoulder 4 months later (after all she was only on it 3 wks) It healed horribly and scarred severly. She had tattoos before she was on the medication, and they never looked like this, the skin actualy peeled off in a sheet as if she had the worst sunburn ever I knew the tat wasn't done to deep, and i knew the tat was done in a sterile clean environment, by a proffessiona l and well respected artist. My sister went back to the doctor because she was afraid of an infection..not even thinking about the accutane medicine she was on. He looked in her chart and seen the medicine history and said the accutane she had taken was the cause of the deep scarring and severe itching and burning. She had to be prescribed antibiotics for 14 days after to avoid a possible infection.. Please anyone who takes this medication even if onyy for a little while and thinks it is still ok. Discuss it with a doctor or skin specialist first. Also don't lie just to get the tattoo done, knowing you are on this medication, and then blame the tattoo artist and ruin a career and reputation for poorly done work or a unsterile environment.

Thanks for that valuable information!! This is something every tattoo artist/piercer should be aware of.

DO NOT GET TATS ON ACCUTANE/CLARAVIS I GOT 3 AND THE ONE ON MY CHEST KEGEL UP PRETTY BADLY ALL 3 OF THE CAME OUT SO SHITTY PEOPLE ASK ME WHY THEY LOOK SO BAD =/ I REGRET DOING THIS WITHOUT ASKING MY DOC PLS PEOPLE DONT DO IT!!

As a tattoo artist I am not qualified by any means to give out medical advice. I always tell my clients to check with their doctor first. If your dr. says no then that should be the end of that. There will always be time later to get your tattoo.

i may be able to help you out. i am a tattooer, as well as someone who took accutane. First of all, do not get tattooed on this medication. I had a customer who was on it and it was damn near impossible to put pigment in the skin. On the other hand, I had severe fucking disgusting acne and had tried everything out there; and while i was rather miserable on it bc of the really dry skin and severely chapped lips, after a year i had near perfect skin. and now, 7 years later all the previous scarring is gone and people don't believe that i even had pimples. so, stick with it. it fucking sucks, not gonna lie and dont get tattooed until you're off of it for awhile, but fuck i thought i would have acne the rest of my life. ok, the only important thing i really wanted to tell you was that for the chapped lips (mine were so bad that if i opened my mouth they would bleed) USE BAG BALM. worked wonders for me. not really revelvent in a tattoo forum but good luck dude.

The shop I am at has a list of Rx drugs that have severe reactions to services the shop offers. We are in contact and have meetings with the local hospital. So both sides are aware of procedures we do, and some effects we may come across. So, our piercer discusses the technique he uses to achieve certain piercings. Also to inform them of some complications that may arise. This way, they are better prepared to handle such cases. We started this when a lady tried to sue our piercer for giving her tetanus. It wouldn't be totally unlikely...except she was pierced 4 hours prior. So, they also gave us a list of medications that may have reactions to the pigments we use and procedures we do.