Would You Get a Medical Tattoo?

It’s not uncommon for diabetics or individuals with severe allergies to wear bracelets alerting medical personnel of such if they’re unable to do so themselves. But since bracelets can fall off or break, some people are turning to something much more permanent: tattoos.

Although medical tattoos are still rare and the American Medical Association guidelines don’t specifically mention them, some doctors think the organization should.

Dr. Saleh Aldasouqi, an endocrinologist at Michigan State University, told the Daily Mail, “My intention has been to bring this issue to the surface so that [we] can have a say in that … [there are] hundreds of stories and discussions [out there], but no medical say. So I feel we leave our patients kind of afloat.”

Dr. Ed Friedlander, a Kansas City pathologist, agrees. He himself has a tattoo reading “No CPR” in the middle of his chest to let paramedics know he doesn’t want to be revived if his heart stops.

“Bracelets are nice,” he explains, “but something as strong as a tattoo … that is a strong statement.”