Medical Alert Tattoo Replaces Bracelet on Type 1 Diabetic

Tattoos for Medical Alerts

New form of medical ID is on the rise

Wil Dubois of Las Vegas, N.M., sometimes forgets to wear his medical alert bracelet or necklace. So four years ago he got a to signal that he's a type 1 diabetic.

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— Receive access to exclusive information, benefits and discounts. It's on his right wrist, "where you would find it if you were checking for a pulse," says Dubois, 48, a educator at a rural clinic. Interest in medical alert tattoos is increasing among people who have conditions that could affect treatment in an emergency. Others get tattoos to convey a directive, such as "no CPR" on the chest. "It really serves a great purpose, but it has to be done right," says Saleh Aldasouqi, M.D., a Michigan State University diabetes expert. Choosing a licensed tattoo parlor is important, and for proper healing a diabetic needs before tattooing. A word of caution: First responders aren't trained to look for tattoos, and skin damage in accidents can obscure them, says Rebecca Dinan Schneider, spokeswoman for the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians. "Medical alert jewelry is still the standard."

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