Madonna has had many firsts: She was the first female artist to receive the Video Vanguard Award in 1986, the first solo artist to achieve the highest ranking on the Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists, and she was the first female to perform at the MTV VMAs in 1984. However, one thing that the pop star has never done is get a tattoo—until now.
On Instagram yesterday, the Grammy Award–winning artist shared a snippet of her first tattoo experience, as she referenced one of her top songs “Like A Virgin” with the caption “Inked for the very first time…”
While the design came out looking seamless, San Antonio, TX dermatologist Vivian Bucay, MD says Madonna may not be setting the best example for her 15.6 million fans. “Like everything else during a pandemic, especially with cases surging again, getting a discretionary enhancement—like a tattoo or anything else that requires prolonged close personal contact—requires a lot of precautions,” says Dr. Bucay. “There’s no excuse not to wear a mask at all times, especially when the tattoo is not on the face.”
While she warns that this lack of protection is greatly undermining the state of the pandemic, she also explains the dangers of getting a tattoo if you are or have been tested positive for COVID-19. “Thinking like a dermatologist, I would worry about the possibility of reacting to the tattoo ink if the person has had or contracts COVID due to their heightened immune state.” Our love for Madonna will never end, but we’re hoping that this state of the pandemic will be over before we know it.
