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The Restorative Power of Medical Tattoos | Becky Barker | TED

Tattoos can transform and empower people, with some seeking them out to reconnect with their bodies due to scarring, physical abnormalities or the aftermath of a procedure or illness. Paramedical tattooist Becky Barker shares the art and craft of medical tattooing, explaining how this expansive field helps improve the quality of life for breast cancer…

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Tattoos can transform and empower people, with some seeking them out to reconnect with their bodies due to scarring, physical abnormalities or the aftermath of a procedure or illness. Paramedical tattooist Becky Barker shares the art and craft of medical tattooing, explaining how this expansive field helps improve the quality of life for breast cancer survivors — and anyone looking to renew themselves in ways that are more than skin-deep.

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57 Comments

  1. Ļøķį Ýøģį

    May 28, 2022 at 12:13 pm

    I wasn’t expecting to be moved by this presentation but,
    Damn.
    I forget the girl’s name but she did a wonderful job. 🙏

  2. Selah R.

    May 28, 2022 at 12:33 pm

    Thank you for educating people about this issue. People should be given informed consent and the options to choose between transient and permanent medical tattoos. It is scary to think about how many bad tattoos are out there that have been done by barely trained largely inexperienced providers. It is heartbreaking to think about how many people currently feel worse about their body because their failing medical tattoos.

  3. B Z

    May 28, 2022 at 12:46 pm

    Jewish id :
    Hitler: its okay, its a medical tattoo

    Ted👎

    • Average Joe

      May 28, 2022 at 1:24 pm

      SJW virtue signaling 🤦

  4. Gary Diercks

    May 28, 2022 at 12:54 pm

    Scaring is not healing. Only a sign of insicurity…. Warning sign to just to stay away,,,,yukeee…..

  5. Justin Bozeman

    May 28, 2022 at 1:02 pm

    I wasn’t sure if I could trust what she says. But then I see the rainbow colored hair and short bangs. And now I know LOL

    • Average Joe

      May 28, 2022 at 1:24 pm

      Did you just literally judged a book by its cover?

    • DankTendencies

      May 28, 2022 at 1:41 pm

      @Average Joe In some cases it’s pretty damn accurate.

    • Average Joe

      May 28, 2022 at 2:49 pm

      @DankTendencies
      some

  6. Farting on Trannies!

    May 28, 2022 at 1:44 pm

    This is almost as foolish as men thinking pills and a surgery can make them a woman.

  7. amanatee27

    May 28, 2022 at 1:52 pm

    Very well spoken and explained! I hadn’t even considered other types of medical-related tattooing beyond the nipple: camouflaging scars, hair follicles, eyebrows, cleft lip, webbed toes… the ability to play with light and shadow to improve a person’s perception and confidence in their body and directly impact their mental health is wonderful 🙂

  8. Elsie Clay

    May 28, 2022 at 1:55 pm

    Good parenting and kindness heels, this is just enticement for getting a chip inside your body

    • Elsie Clay

      May 28, 2022 at 8:27 pm

      Heals… damn siri

  9. rainbow98982 meedikerisrinivas

    May 28, 2022 at 1:57 pm

    ……..✍

  10. Maow Axis

    May 28, 2022 at 1:58 pm

    I’d recommend watching the video before commenting something stupid like; “Is there proof” “is this backed by science” lol you’re not being clever.

    I’ve got a fucked scar on my shin from injuries and always considered getting it covered with a tattoo. This idea of “Medical Tattoos” is amazing 👌🏾👌🏾👌🏾

    • ʞǝɹǝᗡ

      May 28, 2022 at 3:17 pm

      I wonder if a face tattoo would make it easier to face myself

  11. Tabi

    May 28, 2022 at 2:07 pm

    Such a great talk!

    • Athelstan

      May 28, 2022 at 3:13 pm

      no it is not karen

  12. Clownphabet Strong Woman

    May 28, 2022 at 3:14 pm

    TED 2022

  13. Amber Hamre

    May 28, 2022 at 3:25 pm

    Thank you for sharing this information! I shared with a 19 year old young lady in my life that is in college and practicing tattooing already. You’re helping inform and reassure people the art/tattooing for beginners or the “taboo” of tattoos.

  14. Janie Kilkelly

    May 28, 2022 at 3:45 pm

    Can eyebrow tatoos be made permanent? I love when they are first done but by the time they are healed they are already so much “less” which gets worse as time moves on and its really expensive and sore getting them redone every three years. I dont have eyebrows so get them tatooed on. It has a huge emotional impact both great when they are newly done then progressively more disappointing as the fading worsens.

    • Queen Cripple

      May 28, 2022 at 4:09 pm

      I’ve been told no many times but actual tattoo artists say there technically is no reason to have temporary eyebrow tattoos. People get face tattoos all the time, eyebrows shouldn’t be different.

      I personally shave off my eyebrows and have just the scar tissue of my tattooed eyebrows, and somehow that is enough for me. When I have actual eyebrows I feel like I look……. wrong. I love my faded scar tissue eyebrows! Never got a touchup.

    • Weachie Peachie

      May 28, 2022 at 6:05 pm

      i feel like the temporary tattooing you can get at an esthetician’s might be temporary so you have to go back and get touch ups💀

    • Nicole

      May 29, 2022 at 4:00 am

      I got my eyebrows tattooed in 2019 and they’re still going strong! I think it’s up to how deep the tattoo artist goes and how your body breaks down the ink?

  15. Livin in a van down by the river

    May 28, 2022 at 4:27 pm

    Touch my camera through the fence

  16. Pondering

    May 28, 2022 at 4:44 pm

    SKEPTICAL VIEW, If it seems UNBELIEVABLE it probably is.

  17. SUPER ULTRA MAGA

    May 28, 2022 at 6:41 pm

    Terrible advice. Tattoos are dumb.

  18. JeffThreat

    May 28, 2022 at 6:55 pm

    Good talk. Powerful role model.

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    May 28, 2022 at 7:30 pm

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      May 28, 2022 at 10:12 pm

      Access to good information is what we investors needs, to progress financially and generally in life. Here is a good one and am grateful.

  20. sano manjiro

    May 28, 2022 at 8:13 pm

    I enjoyed this talk 🙂

  21. Kings Mom831

    May 28, 2022 at 8:30 pm

    As a person who has lived over 3 decades in constant pain, I would absolutely be open to trying this.
    Great Ted Talk!!

  22. Dean Xtreme

    May 28, 2022 at 9:18 pm

    Really great video, thank you for sharing. 🙂

  23. Gdragon26 vip

    May 28, 2022 at 11:52 pm

    Before covid I had a sleeve done cos of the keloid scars on my left arm that was my last option to make my arm look a bit “normal” and honestly the way I see myself has helped so much

  24. IR SE VIRANDO aos trancos e barrancos

    May 28, 2022 at 11:54 pm

    My very first video on YouTube !

  25. vasimir

    May 29, 2022 at 2:42 am

    She is so. so right. Oh my god.

  26. vasimir

    May 29, 2022 at 2:42 am

    I am a lesbian. I was a lesbian. I always will be a lesbian.

  27. Toni

    May 29, 2022 at 3:46 am

    I can understand face make-up fading but not nipples. Who’s nipples change over time, or am I being totally ignorant?

  28. Toni

    May 29, 2022 at 3:48 am

    I have to admit, until now I’ve been dead against all tattoos. This is a really enlightening talk. Thank you for the information. At the age of seventy I wouldn’t mind a bit of extra make-up as my eyesight is too bad to put it on myself now.

  29. 山葵

    May 29, 2022 at 5:18 am

    I came here to learn language and Ted’express.I am open to all suggestions to my comment under this video.Tarroos do have it’s advantage but as tattoos have became a sign of fashion ,whether the nature of tattoo begins to change

  30. icrooner74

    May 29, 2022 at 6:13 am

    Tattooing is the most awful thing that you can do with your body. It is a psychoemotional disorder.

  31. Gogetassj4666

    May 29, 2022 at 7:06 am

    Nice outfit, fancy lady <3

  32. Eric Kane

    May 29, 2022 at 7:25 am

    I know a person who swears by this. A tattoo for spinal pain relief. It worked.

  33. Alwyn Nito

    May 29, 2022 at 8:37 am

    what about fish skin plasters (sanitized) for healing skin (saw a vid, I can’t remember the channel name…I think WATOP? Tilapia fish?)
    Edit: They healed a bear who had burnt paws

  34. ouroboros mt

    May 29, 2022 at 8:38 am

    excellent talk and mission. good job!

  35. Bert Visscher

    May 29, 2022 at 12:53 pm

    I never thought I’d say this, but this video has changed my view on tattoos.

  36. Sara Khan

    May 29, 2022 at 3:13 pm

    I’m in the process of getting my first tattoo. This video was helpful. I’m glad it randomly popped up on my feed. I didn’t know a tattoo had a heeling effect. I hope mine has a positive effect for me.

  37. Nylak Otter

    May 29, 2022 at 7:41 pm

    Ironically, I can’t get tattoos *because* of my medical issues.

    I’ve had a liver transplant, so I’m on medication that hobbles my immune system. Apparently a tattoo for me would most likely result in infection, and that infection could just up and kill me.

    It’s especially unfortunate, since now I have long, dotted, spidery scars all over my torso that are bright white against my mid-tone skin (never used any sort of skin treatment to reduce them), which would look really cool with darker accentuations and stylized additions.

  38. Zelda Taylor Experience

    May 29, 2022 at 9:38 pm

    Did you say it came from Haiti 🇭🇹

  39. Cody Phillips

    May 30, 2022 at 2:14 am

    I really thought this said medical tacos

  40. Sparrow Holistic

    May 30, 2022 at 2:34 pm

    what a graceful introduction to such important knowledge. Thank you for sharing this empowering opportunity. I hope that other countries might follow the example of the initiative you created for the UK. ❤️

  41. Dilan su

    May 30, 2022 at 6:42 pm

    Tattoos make illness.. no one is talking about that because some tattoo shops need to make money to add to the economy 👎🏽 do your research on it

    • Dilan su

      May 30, 2022 at 6:44 pm

      Some dad with 70% of his body covered in tattoos has a YouTube channel, he is suffering an illness which he doesn’t know the reason of.. sad to see, that’s why we need to spread this so people don’t get poisoned by ink needles

  42. Sarah Blakey

    May 30, 2022 at 11:55 pm

    Fantastic talk

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