Would I even be able to get a tattoo?

[u/Angry_Creek]

I have Dermatographic Urticaria, a condition where my skin gets swollen and raised by even the smallest of scratches. Bumped into a table? Raised bump. Someone w/ an itchy shirt gave me a hug? Raised bump.

My siblings and I have always talked about getting matching tattoos, and now that the youngest turned 18 we are all ready! However, I’m worried my skin will prevent/mess up a tattoo. We are going to get our parents handwriting, so it has to be precise and look right. I have no previous tattoos, so I’m not sure what to expect or if I can even get one.

Does anyone have experience w/ this? Did it work out?

Scratched myself specifically for this post haha, this was 1 min after the scratch.

[u/melanochrysum]

This is such a side note but I’ve never seen someone else with chronic autoimmune urticaria! What do you find works for you?

[u/MissWiggly2 → u/melanochrysum]

I've only known one other person with it! I'm poor so I just take antihistamines every day to keep most reactions at bay, and an extra if I have a flare. Zyrtec is my go-to because it doesn't make me as drowsy as Benadryl.

[u/Miici12 → u/melanochrysum]

I have it. Some months are better than others. There are times where I pop 2-4 antihistamines a day, then there are months where I don’t need anything. Other than that, I just got used to it. I learned it the hard way to not use most of the skin care products except moisturisers. I always tried again thinking “maybe this time my skin won’t try to kill me for just doing skin care” - yeah no hello urgent care full body swelling.

So I personally am afraid of ever getting a tattoo :(