This Woman’s Tattoo Could Actually Save Her Life

By Ammar Haziq  •  24 Apr 2018 in News

Thirsty for JUICE content? Quench your cravings on our Instagram, TikTok and WhatsApp

We often think of tattoos as personal expression, cultural tradition or even sometimes as vanity. But not that often as a practical solution in medical emergencies – by labelling yourself with health warnings for doctors.

As reported by The Star, a Chiang Mai woman who spent two nights in intensive care now sports a truly-live saving tattoo on her upper arm. This decision to get tattooed was due to her severe allergic reaction to certain medications.

The tattoo is an English-language list of medicines to which she reacts badly, along with symptoms to watch out for.

The Hang-Dong District resident Siri-On Kasuya, 32, also has an illustration of the Bowl of Hygieia, a pharmacy symbol on her arm, to alert doctors in case of emergency.

Her medicinal allergies resulted in a life threatening situation last October. As she didn’t want risk a recurrence, she decided to get the tattoo, even if it meant drawing attention in the streets or pictures of it going viral on social media, where some people wondered if they were magical talismans.

“If anything happened to me and I were unconscious and unable to give information, a doctor can see from my arm tattoo the list of medicines I’m allergic to and treat me accordingly,” said Siri-On.

“I regard this tattoo as my own talisman for protection,” she added.

She also noted that often times allergy sufferers carry warning cards in their purses or wallets, and that it might not be enough. Siri-On said that she admired her friends’ tattoos and decided to get a practical one herself.

Maybe Siri-On’s story could shift the conservative Asian view on tattoos to something more positive. Checkout more tatt-ideas here.