Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
TATTOOS CAN BE more than decorative ink on a body, they can have therapeutic effects for cancer survivors, a researcher at Dublin City University says.
Adam Daly, a psychology researcher at Dublin City University is examining the practice of therapeutic tattooing for cancer survivors.
Daly said such tattoos can fulfill a “psychological purpose” as well as being an aesthetic choice.
Therapeutic tattoos can be medical or non-medical, decorative or reconstructive.
Medical tattoos are on skin that has scarring, or skin that is damaged. Decorative tattoos would create “something new” while reconstructive is recreating something that was lost or has been diminished.
One example of a reconstructive, non-medical tattoo would be the “battle brow”. After chemotherapy cancer survivors may have lost their eyebrows, and would get them tattooed on again.
Daly said some tattoos chosen by cancer survivors include a phoenix, a hummingbird coming out of a cannon, dragons on the chest, and a zipper over a scar on a survivor’s head. Each of those tattoos had varying levels of significance to the survivor.
Daly said therapeutic tattooing has the potential to help and to harm. It can aid cancer survivors to regain body confidence or to reinvent or reclaim their identities following the tattooing. But it can also harm the cancer survivor if the tattoo is not done properly on scarred skin.
Daly said it is “incredibly empowering” for cancer survivors to make the decision to get these tattoos, as during their cancer journey there are things happening to them that are outside of their control.
Daly said the human body is “always communicating something to ourselves and to others”.
“I think sometimes when our story and our body is changed, it can be really difficult to turn the page onto something new,” he said.
“Therapeutic tattoos give these cancer survivors the opportunity to decide what their story is, what that next page looks like.”
Cancer survivors also make decisions on whether therapeutic tattoos are publicly visible or not.
Daly said: “You might have a cancer ribbon on your hand, and you might want other people to see that and to know your cancer survivor, and to have that moment of connection and to share your experience with other people. You might find that really empowering.”
“In the same way, you might want to have that hidden, maybe on your chest or on your leg, and that might communicate to you that you’re strong.”
Daly was inspired to pursue this research after his mother and sister were diagnosed with cancer when he was younger, and by his love of tattoos. He recently published research interviewing tattoo artists and their experience tattooing cancer survivors.
“Tattoos are right there. They’re loud, they’re different, they’re conscious,” he said.
If it’s helps then sure why not.
@tony hilton: Cancer diagnosis creates fear and anyone exploiting this vulnerability needs examination. Almost any activity can have a positive effect.
@thomas molloy: what are you on about? Seriously what tf are you on about? People who have survived cancer choose to get a tattoo to cover a scare to help them feel better and that’s what you have to say.
@tony hilton: he’s a sickening troll, best ignored
@thomas molloy: Nice that you’ve taken a break from copying and pasting articles from U.S. news websites to let us know just how ridiculous your own opinions are
@tony hilton: he’s a tool
As a cancer survivor, I used the medical tattoo that was put in my body as a mark for radiation treatment and had a fern tattooed on it. Ferns can grow in all types of conditions.
@geraldine ward: but what about all the men who don’t find tattoos attractive on “girls”? Did you consider them, at all?
Makes sense in many cases I suppose.
Each to their own.
I like the zipper idea!
Ive got a therapeutic tattoo..
It says FdUCK Israel..
Free Palestine…
It’s great…
Stop censoring stories journal
@Gemma Sexton: bomb Palestinians, hello Brenny btw
All tattoos are somewhat psychological. I do think tattoos are more associated people with some level of anxiety / mental health aspects than those who don’t have. It’s a way to show meaning to their lives (to others or maybe themselves ) or reassure them of something important , rather than just having it in their mind and as a person . A piece of permanence on your skin saying “hope” is for someone who mentally needs reminding that there is hope. Etc
@Ciaran: Interesting theory. Complete bollox but interesting all the same.
@John Fagan: completely agree. Sounds good but not true at all.
@John Fagan: he sounds like a Jordan Peterson fan, “tattoos are nice but (speculation speculation speculation) and that’s why tattoos are transgender”. Fanboys: “omg he’s so intelligent”
@John Fagan: sounds like you and or people you know have tattoos. Let’s not get all defensive now .
@Housing Hunger Games: nope not a fan of him but nice try. Also, what has transgender got to do with anything ? Looking for likes?
@Housing Hunger Games: what does that mean “a jordan peterson fan”?
@Housing Hunger Games: Lamo… very good :)
@Ciaran: what a patronising load of pseudopsychology. I’m so clever!
@Ciaran: that’s not right at all, a bit of a bizarre thing to say in fairness
@Ciaran: And the award for most nonsense in one comment goes to….
@John Fagan: Adam looks as daft as his theories!
Are Rapey McRapeface’s tattoos some kind of mental health therapy? He needs a few more…
I’ve survived cancer. No tattoo. Why not I hear you ask. (I’ve gained psychic abilities) – well, one doesn’t put a bumper sticker on a Ferrari, does one?
@Peter J. O’Connor: Ha! :) *levitates table
@Buster Lawless: Really? If this makes you angry then you probs shouldn’t be here tbf
Some of my earlier memories are in the pub with my grandfather and trying to make sense of the tattoos on the older men. Their saggy skin left the images distorted and words illegible.
I think young people who get many tattoos lack the foresight to see that the canvas of they will age – time will hurtle forward, and gravity was bear down upon the body.
A friend of my Richie gained a load of weight, and what I thought was a tattoo of his newborn was actually Muhammed Ali.
@Christopher Ryan: when I’m old and wrinkly I’ll be more concerned about not wetting myself than what my skin looks like. Plus, everyone else in my nursing home will have them too. We can compare smudges.
@Christopher Ryan: no one cares about your life story
Good it is therapeutic for cancer patients but I cannot understand how people destroy their looks and image with tattoos. Particularly with what would be otherwise beautiful looking girls destroyed with tattoos and rings in their nose and eye brows.
@Vincent Alexander: their body to do with what they will…you concentrate on yourself
@Vincent Alexander: NONE of us care about what “girls” you find attractive, you perv. Do any women find you attractive? I’m sure you’re ideal
@Housing Hunger Games: and Clare Power. I couldn’t care less what they do with their bodies I just wonder what their mentality is and what is the objective of the tattoos.
@Vincent Alexander: they do it to repulse you.
@Vincent Alexander: a “girl” is a female child. Maybe wonder about your own mentality, perv.
@Housing Hunger Games: By that definition a “girls’ night out in the pub” is composed of school going children.
@lastfewchocices: How did they know I was coming?
@Vincent Alexander: women can sniff out guys like you from miles away. The tattoos are just a back up plan in case they have a cold and you sneak up on them. Next stage…venomous darts from their eyes. They are evolving. While you stay caveman.
@lastfewchocices: Modern women seem to go for the cave man type. Your nom de plume (last-few-choices) reminds me of a local dance hall that went by the moniker of the “ last chance salon”.
@Vincent Alexander: what is the objective of your particular haircut, of how you shave your face or groom your beard? Why do you do it that way and not another way?
Why do you wear the clothes you do wear and not other, equally warm or cool clothes? Why those colours.
Even the most conservative person makes style and fashion choices every day. Your choices are just different to choices others make. Why make such a big deal because other people have a different aesthetic to you. Again, I ask, what’s your objective beyond liking the image you portray?
What a load of absolute nonsense
@Rian 40 accounts: your pathetic life?
@Housing Hunger Games: Ah look it’s BOB out bullying posters shame on you.
@Housing Hunger Games: why do you use multiple accounts?
@Mr. Biggins: Maybe split personality disorder?
God spare us all from the now rampant Big C.
@Andrew Kenny: the Chernobyl generations
I think u have to deserve a tattoo. And that could be by imprisonment or self exploration..but u can tell immediately who is full of shite or not by them.
Cool research
have your say