RResidents in Japan

the craziest ban because of tattoo

sorry weird title didn’t know how to put this.
a friend told she got turned down for emergency MRI scan at the local (small town) hospital because of tattoo! supposedly the ink might contain metal/ingredient which can damage the machine.
so just you know. this might happen.
any other strange bans in japan because of tattoo?btw is it ok to donate blood if have tattoo?

15 comments

  2. Tattoos are also still a bit of a cultural taboo in Japan, but I have been told similar in the States.

  3. I was asked the same thing when I went for my MRI. As a side note: a friend of mine is a pathologist and he says he knows if the deceased had tattoos or not from the lymph nodes being gray from the tattoo ink.

  4. This is not a cultural ban, but one based on safety. Now, studies have shown recently that although some people experience a burning sensation, the risks are supposedly very small.

  5. The ink may actually contain magnetic ink, which would not only damage the machines but also the person in question. An MRI is a very strong magnet which would pull out the ink from the skin, and it would hurt alot.

  6. I was asked where I got my tattoos when I got my MRI. Apparently the red pigment traditionally used by Japanese tattoo artists contains elements that will react negatively MRI scans. At least, that’s what my doctor said.

  7. This is not unique to Japan… at least… “historically” might be the word im looking for here?

    Used to be like this in my home country as well. long time ago tho.

    Im no expert on tattoos so I cant say if the ink has changed or just the knowledge about it and its side effects.

  8. I was asked the same thing when I got my MRI. Apparently the red ink that Japanese tattoo artists use contains elements that react negatively to MRI’s. At least, that’s what my doctor told me.

  10. We should make this post common knowledge, this is very helpful to all those inked-up people, and physicians in the dark. Heck, I didn’t even know that, and I’m a pro MRI machine guy.

  12. It’s a safety issue. Just Google “MRI with tattoos” and you’ll find hits from health authorities all over the world.

    A small town clinic probably wasn’t confident or experienced enough that they could perform the procedure without risk or fear of damaging anything or anyone, and going to a bigger hospital with more experience was probably the better option.

  13. I had to get an MRI recently. It took some arguing with the cancer specialist but I told her it would be ridiculous for a tattoo artist or a producer of ink to not disclose their products have magnetic material in them that could prevent someone from getting an MRI as that’d leave them open to lawsuits. Got my MRI and saw another patient waiting with a gorgeous full leg sleeve. Neither of us lit on fire or broke the machine. It’s like a 1% chance you’ll have a reaction or get burned. Just not many Japanese doctors are familiar with tattooing I think.

    Now if I can just convince this lady to let me have local anesthesia for a biopsy. Everything is so old fashioned and backwards here. They expect me to sit peacefully in the boob smasher while they jam a needle in there without any kind of anesthesia or sedative. Everything has to be dramatic at a Japanese hospital.

  14. Rules for donating blood after getting a tattoo varies from country to country.

    In the UK it used to be that you’d need to wait 6 months after getting a tattoo before you were allowed to donate. I think it may have been revised down to 4 months nowadays though. Totally unsure about Japan but I would anticipate there being at least some kind of similar waiting period here too.

  15. Cristiano Ronaldo doesn’t have a tattoo because he won’t be able to donate blood.

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