Tattoo FAQ 23: Tattoos and hemophilia. Can I get a tattoo when I'm hemophilic?

Answer:
Tricky. The 1st rule is: You can't just walk into a tattoo shop and expect to get one - but I guess you knew that already since you asked the question in the first place.
Most tattoo shops will have rules and regulations (mostly on a release form) that you will have to sign. Some shops will plain out not tattoo people with hemophilia, others will ask you to do it at your own risk, no matter what the outcome is.

Whether you can get a tattoo with hemophilia or not depends on many different factors. For example which type of hemophilia you have / what your factor is, etc.
I have heard of someone with Haemophilia A who took some Factor 8 before the tattoo and did not have any trouble. HOWEVER: What you should do before is:
- Talk to your doctor about your plan to get a tattoo and get his/her opinion.
- Find a tattooist you like and clue him/her in on the fact that you are hemophilic and also inform him/her of the doc's opinion.
- Work out a plan together with your doctor and your tattooist. Maybe you 'test the waters' with a small design that can later be extended to a bigger one, and have some medication ready at the appointment if things go wrong.
- Make sure you read the release form extra careful, or, if the standard form does not do it for you, work out a special agreement with the tattoo shop.

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