Guttate Psorasis and Tattoos

Posted Fri 16 Oct 2020 12.30 by joenotarpippo

Hi, I am 20 years old and have recently developed Guttate Psorasis. Around 5-6 months ago, just before lockdown started I had tonsilitis, and around 1-2 weeks later I started seeing red dots on my scalp, which slowly then came down my arms and a few here and there on my legs. I did some research and noticed it was very very similar to Guttate, and realising I had tonsiltis not long ago I put 2 and 2 together and 'self-diagnosed' myself. I then went to see my GP and she agreed, it was Guttate Psoriasis and I was told it would start clearing up in a few months. 5 months later, this has now spread all down both of my legs and is all on my back and front. It has not turned into plague psoriasis, it had just stayed as Guttate and I have red dots all over my body. I have been given a cream to use, and I have not had much luck, it has done some difference, but has not gotten rid of it. So I began buying my own and spending a fortune as my GP said there is nothing more she can do - she only gave me one type of cream. I tried to see a dermatologist back in June and I was told I have to wait till Jan-Feb 2021. My concern is my tattoo, I have a tattoo booked in for the end of October, and it will be on my right forearm. My right forearm had approximately 6-10 red dots which are not flaking as I use coconut oil which keeps them smooth, and they aren't very red and they are slightly faded. My skin is smooth on my arms luckily. What I am hoping for is someone who had guttate psoriasis and has had a tattoo over it. Has it affected the tattoo in any way, has it affected your P in anyway, my tattoo artist has said it will be fine to go over etc. but I just want to advice off someone with experience in getting tattoos while having P. Any help and advice is welcomed. I looked at another post about eating Blueberries so I will be giving them a try up until the tattoo date. Thank you :)

Posted Fri 16 Oct 2020 13.40 by OhNo_NotAgain?

Guttate ps seems to often be a response to a physical trauma. I have had plaque psoriasis for 40 years, but came out in gutatte ps 4-6 weeks after a hip replacement operation. It began to fade after 6 months and disappeared completely by about 8 months. I have tattoos and never had any outbreak of psoriasis associated with the tattoos. But tattooing can be seem by the body as a trauma. 20 years ago I scraped my shin on a pice of wood, and the graze scabbed over as it is was healing normally, but then turned into a patch of plaque psoriasis that persisted for about 10 years before disappearing. Anecdotally some people have posted here that tattoos seemed to trigger outbreaks, and some saw no links. Personally I would save my money rather than tattoo OVER any patch of psoriasis . . . I could certainly imagine it might damage the tattoo, even if the tattoo did not trigger any increase in psoriasis.

Posted Fri 16 Oct 2020 14.18 by joenotarpippo

I completely understand what you mean about the trauma etc. I have had cuts and scrapes and stuff since, and it has never seemed to affect my skin, it does the usual scabbing and then goes back to normal. My thought is that as it is never something I have had in the past, would it be affected by trauma? My P is not in patches, it is small red dots, and as I said, on my right forearm those red dots are more pink and no longer flake, and are smooth, so I think these are more scars that are left more than anything. I did do my research and people with plague have said that they were affected, and people also said that their tattoos didn't have any affect, nor did their body, and it seemed to have helped them also. I will continue with my cream even though I have seen no real change, especially on my legs, and hope for the best. My tattoo artist has also said during our consultation that he did tattoo someone with psoriasis not too long ago, and she used coconut oils to help prior to being tatooed, and after he did the tattoo and went over parts of her P, it had healed perfectly and it was never affected. Was there anything you did, or any treatments you were given for your GP or did it go on its own?

Posted Sat 17 Oct 2020 06.19 by OhNo_NotAgain? (edited Sat 17 Oct 2020 17.40 by OhNo_NotAgain?)

For my guttate I basically used emollients to reduce the itching. I was given dovobet steroid, which I have used in the past for plaque psoriasis. it worked well. However, becauase the guttate was so man small spots, I did not feel it practical to dab dovobet on each one, it would take an hour or more. I did not want to just apply dovobet everywhere, as it would mean covering healthy skin also. I used a coal-tar treatment for the first few weeks - Exorex lotion, and also psoriderm lotion - both from the doctor. I took luke-warm baths with oilatum bath-oil shortly before going to bed and that helped reduce the itching enough on my back so I could sleep. I applied exorex or psoriderm first thing, then throughout the day i used Doublebase Gel, and Doublebase Dayleve Gel emollients to reduce the itching. Basically it faded as my GP had predicted. One of the difficulties of giving advice or predictions is that so many people have different experiences with psoriasis. eg for some alcohol triggers it, for others it makes no difference. Some treatments that work for some bring no improvements for others. Simply because some people have had no problems from tattoos or from tattooing over affected skin, is no reliable indication of what someone else might experience.

Posted Sat 17 Oct 2020 13.44 by Steview
A P sufferer for over 30 years, through good and bad times.

I cannot speak from experience but I asked my then consultant (15 years ago) about the possibility of a tattoo, he didn't put me off but said get a small one in a hidden place rather than on show. That way use it as a test for a bigger one and if anything goes wrong it is hidden. Fast forward about 3 years ago I mentioned it to my current consultant and he categorically advised me not to have one as he had seen so many cases where the skin had reacted badly. Suffice to say I never had one. I would personally hold off for now if you definitely want one and at least wait for your P to be in a better state. Good luck.

Posted Mon 19 Oct 2020 12.43 by joenotarpippo

Hi, This weekend I got a small tattoo in a hidden area as you mentioned, and so far (3 days later) it has not had any negative inpact on my skin, and it has not shown any signs of a flare up or issues on or around it. I will see how this result is in a few more days when it has had time to settle. Doublebase Gel has been recommended to me in the past from a friend, so I will defininitely be giving this a try to see if that helps me in any way. Thanks for the help!

Posted Thu 12 Nov 2020 13.11 by Alli_h

I developed guttate psoriasis for the first time last October after a throat infection. My GP had a skin specialisation and got me in to see a skin specialist within a few days. I started UVA light therapy and after 11 sessions over 4 weeks the spots had all gone! It’s amazing. Fast forward to a few weeks ago and I got another throat infection. Like clockwork 2 days after my 10 day course of antibiotics ended I was covered in spots! I start my UVA light therapy again tomorrow and I’m hoping that it is as successful the second time around! I’m due to get a tattoo on the back of my neck in 2 weeks. If I still have spots is the recommendation not to get the tattoo until the spots have all gone?

Posted Thu 12 Nov 2020 15.20 by OhNo_NotAgain?

Alli_h: I am not a medical person, but my personal decision would be to wait until the spots have disappeared. I would be concerned abpout further irritating damaged skin, and if you spots are itching, you might absent-mindedly scratch a tattoo (even in your sleep).

Posted Thu 12 Nov 2020 15.31 by joenotarpippo

Hi Alli, I had my forearm piece done 2 weeks ago now, and this was a big piece. I was lucky to only have a few dots on my arm at the time of the tattoo, but I bit the bullet and still went through with it. 2 weeks on now and I can still see a few dots under the white / clear parts of skin on my arm, but I can say it has not affected or caused damage to any of my tattoo at all. I am nearing the end of the flaking process and my tattoo is healing as it should with no issues. I have noticed parts of my body have become a bit more itchy, but this may be due to slight bits of stress the past week. I didn't have any flare ups and my guttate psoriasis stayed the same. There is something called Koebner phenomenon which I discovered before my tattoo, and it is basically 'In some people with psoriasis, trauma to the skin -- including cuts, bruises, burns, bumps, vaccinations, tattoos, and other skin conditions -- can cause a flare-up of psoriasis symptoms at the site of the injury. Doctors call this condition the Koebner phenomenon' so I would speak to your artist about what he thinks first, and I wouldn't get yourself worried and overthinking as that will not help your P.

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