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Is it okay to do a tattoo after a vein treatment?

Doctor Answers 8

May 8th, 2017

Time to heal after vein treatment

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Vein treatment may include endovenouos therapy that heats the vein EVLT or radiofrequency, Sclerotherapy, and Phlebectomy and the goal of the vein treatments are closure of the vein and the redirection of blood flow. After a vein treatment you might experience swelling, bruising, and hyper-pigmentation until the fibrous tissue from the vein that was treated gradually incorporates into the surrounding layers of the skin. Some patients heal faster than others, consult with the specialist to make sure you are ready and completely healed before any other procedure on the skin including a tattoo. 

Best, 

Dr. Nguyen

Michael Nguyen, MD
January 30th, 2017

Tattoo after vein treatment

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It's important to have the treated vein heal before placing a tattoo needle over it. Your risk of infection and scaring and poor results is increased with the trauma of a tattoo placement. 

Ivan Brooks, MD
December 28th, 2016

Tattoo after vein therapy

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I would wait until the vein procedure is healed before getting a tattoo.  It may take a few weeks for your bruising   from the vein procedures to go away.  You don't want to have a tattoo on top of the vein procedure and risk infection in the area that you just had the veins treated in.  I would wait until the vein procedure is healed

Susan Fox, DO
October 19th, 2016

First Time, Then Tatoo

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Yes, it is OK to have a tattoo after a vein treatment but I would have my patients wait until all bruising and tenderness is gone, any swelling or firmness in the skin has completely resolved, there are no further treatments planned in the area, and that there are no associated unresolved issues (such as hyperpigmentation) or problems following the treated area. This process may typically take several weeks, if not 2 or 3 months. Safety, Safety, Safety!

Gregory Michael Bazell, MD
September 13th, 2016

Tattoo Following Vein Treatment

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If the tattoo is in the area of the vein treatment - wait.  Tattooing is not an emergency.  If the tattoo is not near the vein treatment - then you can have it done the next day.

Donna M. Mendes, MD, FACS
New York Vascular Surgeon

June 4th, 2016

Is it okay to do a tattoo after a vein treatment?

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You can do tattoo after vein treatment but leave for at least 6 month to ensure that all the bruising have settled down. If the tattoo in an area away from the vein treatment then you can do this after 4 weeks

Sameh Dimitri, MD
London Vascular Surgeon

April 28th, 2016

Not really

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If you are getting ablation treatment for your varicose veins, you most probably going to have some bruising and some discomfort in procedure areas. So it is preferable you wait 3-4 weeks with your tattoo for your comfort and optimal results. If you are getting cosmetic sclerotherapy, I,  definitely, would not recommend you mix these procedures together.Add tattoos only after all spider veins are gone, which might take 2-3 months or more after sclerotherapy course.

Vahe Melkonyan, MD
Sherman Oaks Phlebologist

January 1st, 2016

Tattoos after EVLT

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Thank you for your question.

EVLT for the great saphenous vein is done aling the inner thigh where few, if any people get tattoos - or in the inner leg below the knee ot behind the leg (posterior leg) where tattoos are common. I recommend that you wait a week after EVLT to pursue your tattoos.

Learn more: http://peacebridgehealthcare.com/flipbooks/venous/venous_insufficiency.html

Hratch Karamanoukian, MD, FACS

These answers are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute or initiate a patient/doctor relationship.