Im post two years aortic mechanical valve replacement and take warfrin will i be all right to get a tattoo?

Answer 1

Yes. I'm also 2 years post aortic valve replacement and take warfarin and I just started a multi-session tattoo.

I'm heavily tattooed and I did not want to give up tattooing. I consulted my cardiologists, and their response was that warfarin was not an issue as tattooing does not go very deep. However, bacterial endocarditis is a factor. They told me that no studies regarding endocarditis and tattooing existed in the United States, but that they encountered some European studies on it. They advised me that I should be discouraged from tattooing and piercing, but that it was my call. They also said that there was no evidence to show if antibiotics helped prevent endocarditis, but they couldn't hurt, so they prescribed me them anyway, which I took an hour before my tattooing.

I have had my first tattoo session post surgery not too long ago, which was 3 hours in length. I did not overly bleed, and it's healing nicely. I intend to have many more.

I'd consult your artist, warfarin specialists and cardiologists. However, this hasn't been a problem for me and I intend to finish my entire back.