tinea versicolor and tattoos

[PoohJoon]

I have tinea versicolor and based on everything I've learned about it I decided not to try and treat it because it will go away eventually, and its not causing me any self-consciousness so I'm not worried about it.

What I am wondering is if it is safe to tattoo over it?
Will it cause any problems with the quality or longevity of the tattoo?

The purpose of the tattoo is not to cover the tinea versicolor, I just want a tattoo in a place that happens to be affected :)

Any insight is greatly appreciated - thanks very much!
PJ

[EdRizzo]

Well. I`ve just made a tattoo all black right over a place with little spots of tinea versicolor.

I Made it 3 days ago, and everything was just fine... but today I noticed that in some points of the tattoo the little white points remains.

Don`t know yet if it`s only beacause of the tinea or just the tattoo itself.

I`ll keep watching and let you know about the next days!

Regards,
Ed

[NotaDocjustaDude]

I was looking up this same information shortly before getting a tattoo on an affected area. Now that I've done it and it's been long enough for the tattoo to heal, thought I'd let anyone else looking my personal account.

I had tinea versicolor on a large portion of where I was getting my tattoo (my entire chest) and I was concerned about the affected/non affected parts healing differently, having different colors after healing (it was full color) etc. The result: everything turned out fine. The colors are uniform from affected to non affected parts, no extra color bleeding, no difference at all.  

The bad: tattoos, when healing, get itchy. Tinea versicolor can also get very itchy. Result? Being super uncomfortable for about a week. And you have to be very careful to not scratch a tattoo while its healing (I went so far as to tape oven mittens to my hands while sleeping). Also, if you're doing one of those home remedies for tinea (Selsun Blue or other) do it first before getting a tattoo. Tattoo aftercare is very particular and you don't want to be rubbing assorted creams and agents on a new tattoo. Hope this helps anyone who had the same questions I had.

[bobbin1973]

I have been wondering the same thing and saw your post.  Did youget the tattoo?  How is it faring, now a year or so later?  

I have suffered from Tinea Versicolor for the last eight years.  I treat it every year, and almost like clock-work in the spring, it comes back.  ARGGGH!!!  And almost always in the same place...on my chest, right between the girls!  :(  I've thought of getting a tattoo there to cover it for the time when it does rear its ugly head.  Also, I get red spots on white, un-tanned skin, and white spots on tanned skin.  Do you think this would make a difference?

Has it worked foy you?  I'd love to hear all about it.  Thanks for your posts.

[Martinjo]

i have the same, my spots dont tan or get darker either. white spots everywhere :)

But cool that you have made your appointment, when are you going? im curious what youre about to get too...

im getting my sketch for my 3/4 japanese sleeve on april 22nd, very excited about that :)

[PoohJoon]

Oh yeah, one interesting thing I read in the article (http://www.dermadoctor.com/askthedoctor.asp?faqid=16541) is that in summer the spots tan darker?  

They've never tanned on me, they just stay white white white as white can be.

Oh and I am a girl:)

[PoohJoon]

Thank you for the replies!

Like Martinjo, I have treated it in the past and it is a pain in the arse and doesn't last very long (I blame the wet Vancouver climate! :) ).  

But because everything I've read about it says that it goes away with age, and it really doesn't bother me at all, I don't care to treat it, just can't be bothered.

So it doesn't sound like medically tattooing over active* tinea will not cause me harm, and aesthetically, it won't fade the tattoo.

* that is, over the white spots not when they are red and flaky - it seems logical that when it's inflamed is not the best time to tattoo

I have made my appointment! :) Can't wait :)

[Martinjo]

Hello,

Thanks for your answer. As said, i am busy with the same question too.

I have two additional questions for you

You said a tattoo may cause dermatitis, which may worsen the tinea. what Pooh and i are wondering to (if i understood him/her right) is if the little spots the tinea causes will effect the coloring of the tattoo. So will the tattoo get spots too?

And second, you said its not a good idea to get a tattoo before the tinea is fully treated. I treat it every year and it almost always comes back. I have taken a full week of itraconazol (2 tblts a day) so it should be cured by now, for now. Would this be sufficient to get tattooed this summer?

Thanks in advance for your answer.

Martin,
Amsterdam, The Netherlands

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,

Although tattoing has been approved by FDA for vitiligo,but nothing has been said about tinea versicolor.But in my opinion,you should get tinea completely cured before going in for one.See,tinea versicolor is benign, superficial cutaneous fungal infection caused by Malassezia furfur,which is a part of normal human flora and when it becomes an opportunistic pathogen,then it causes tinea versicolor.

It is common after skin conditions like seborrheic dermatitis or dermatitis.On getting a tattoo you never know how your skin will react to it.It may cause dermatitis which may cause worsening of tinea.So I don’t think tattoo is a good idea for tinea until completely treated.

Hope it helps. Take care and pls do keep me posted on how you are doing or if you have any additional queries.Kind regards.

[Martinjo]

BTW Note that i am not a doctor myself, but just found this answer, i am not the author of this answer.

[Martinjo]

I had the same question and was browsing the internet, and found this answer on http://www.dermadoctor.com/askthedoctor.asp?faqid=16541

Q: Dear Doctor: I have tinea versicolor on my back, chest, and upper arms, and would like to know if tattoos would be able to cover the pale spots successfully without the tattoos getting altered by the spots reappearing later on. Is it safe getting a tattoo over the skin infected with tinea versicolor? My goal is to treat the tinea versicolor, get tattoos and continue with preventative maintenance using ZNP bars for soap, buffing, and applying selinum sulfide to prevent reaccurances. I do not know if all the preventative maintenance materials will cause the tattoo to fade and would like your opinion on the matter. Thanks
A: The organism which causes tinea versicolor lives on everyone´s skin and is not infectious. If you have a full blown case of tinea versicolor, however, it would be a good idea to do a full 2 week therapy regimen to eliminate as many of the yeast as possible before considering getting a tattoo. My article Tinea Versicolor reviews the treatments that work well for this condition. And no, tinea versicolor therapy does not cause fading of the tattoo.

Good luck with your tattoo, im getting mine this summer :)