Anyone help me with the Koebner Phenomenon?

[Nukleuz]

Seems a bit stupid to ask but how would I know if I've got it, I know if you get a cut and get a flare around the area then you have but I work in a nightclub and very rarely cut myself on a broken glass, even then its only the size of a pin prick and it bleeds but I get nothing around it, but saying that, its only a tiny little cut.

As some may know I posted the tattoo post, im tempted to get one but I would hate for something to go wrong, and I don't really fancy the idea of cutting myself to see if I do have this "Koebner Phenomenon" so is there any way of finding out?

EDIT: Actually come to think of it, would I get it if I were to scratch the skin.. i.e when you have a scratch on your arm that has gone through the skin but not enough to bleed.. if I had it, would it form around that? Because I've had a few scratches on me and I get nothing around it

[tonka42100]

This is how it seems to work for me. If I injure the skin,a cut deep enough to scab but not necessarily bleed,MOST of the time i get a patch on or near the injury. It doesn't happen every time. It doesn't always happen to the skin at the injury. For example: A year ago,while playing pool,I scratched the back of my hand. (cue ball kept getting stuck). It was painful but didn't bleed. In the a.m. it had scabbed over,just scratches really. The new patches began to show up just as the scratches were healing. Now,the back of that hand has plaques on it and they are tough to clear,but,the other hand got plaques in almost the exact same spots and the same size. I did not scratch up the other hand. I have also had some pretty deep cuts (2 on my fingers) 1 got p as the injury healed the other did not. The one that didn't was actually deep enough to alter my fingerprint ( i have no p on my palms,only the backs of my hands) The one that did get it was deep but it was on the knuckle (back of hand) The scar turned into a plaque.
As for the tattoo...I have a rather large one on my shoulder that I got 13 years ago. 2 years after I found out I had p. I have never had any p show up at the site of the tattoo. My derm suspects that it may be something in the ink that stopped it from showing up on the tat. She said other than that,she has no idea why I didn't get p there too.
Not sure if this helped or not,but figured I'd share it.

[Jor-EL]

Here's a website that speaks a little about the Koebner Effect. You'l have to scroll about half way down the page -
http://www.skincarephysicians.com/psoriasisnet/triggers.html

Tattoos is an item on the list. The other thing about tattoos that you have to consider is the ink. You're getting ink injected into your skin. That can sometimes be a disaster for psoriasis. Do you really want that ? Also, keep in mind that tattoos could very well go terribly out of style in a few years. Who knows, people with tattoos could eventually be looked on as being awfully old fashioned and geeky. Not for me. Not like clothes where you can just throw them out and buy what is ever in style at that time. Tattoos are PER-MO-NENT, and permanent can often be a very lonnnnnggggg time.

My recommendation - save your bucks on the tat and go get yourself a nice piece of jewelry instead, like a gold chain, bracelet, ring. Or even some sharp clothes.

Best to you -

[grannyfranny]

I have not injured myself in a long time,,,but,,,,,,if I wear a shoe that irritates my skin,,,bingo,,,a new place. I have the pustular on hands and feet.
I can not wear a strap between my toes. If I end up with a shoe that hurts,,,,,,,it's trashed right away.
I would never, never get a tattoo because of the fear of getting p in a new place. But that's just me,,,,,,

[MikeK]

Hi Nukleuz,

I don't think that we've met, so let me take this opportunity to welcome you to the Board! :cool: Nice to meet you.

You always run risk of experiencing the Koebner effect whenever you injure the skin. That's true if you fall and skin you knee or have surgery or get a tattoo. Not every psoriasis patient experiences the Koebner effect (I don't) and not every injury results in the Koebner effect, so there's a chance that you won't experience the Koebner effect if you get a tattoo. There's also a chance that your new tattoo will result in a new patch of psoriasis. Only you can decide if it's worth the risk.

Here's a link to a previous discussion about the Koebner effect: http://www.psoriasis.org/forum/showthread.php?t=10988.

And, here's a link to a previous discussion about psoriasis and tattoos (it's actually one of my favorite threads of all time -- and I've been here since the very beginning): http://www.psoriasis.org/forum/showthread.php?t=14623&highlight=tattoo.

I hope this helps.

Mike