Cancer ribbon tattoos are near the top of the rankings when it comes to meaningful tattoo designs since there are so many people out there that want to show their support for these battles.
They are some of the most popular tribute tattoos and what’s really great about them is that you can include them in a larger design, or get a small ribbon anywhere on your body. On this page we will take a look at some of the different cancer ribbon tattoos and why they have become so popular in recent years.
The cancer ribbon tattoo is used with various colors to identify victims and survivors of cancer. The ribbon was adopted from the red ribbon used for AIDS awareness and developed into a scheme of different colors to represent the battle against the different forms of the disease. Now there are cancer ribbons (and cancer ribbon tattoos) for just about every type of cancer out there.
The pink ribbon has been embraced by the breast cancer foundations of North America. This is perhaps the most popular of all the cancer ribbon tattoos because it was one of the first to be used all around the world. Not only that, you will often see professional sports teams honoring those battling breast cancer by wearing pink ribbons on their uniforms.
The image of the pink ribbon is often pictured next to inspirational words such as “Faith”, “Hope”, and “Live”. This is optional, of course, but it can make the cancer ribbon tattoo a bit more meaningful to its owner while also allowing them to tweak the design a bit. If you decide to include text in your design, be sure to look over a lot of fonts before you commit to one so you can ensure that the entire design looks great on your skin.
With any type of cancer ribbon, the loop formed at the top is often rendered as a heart shape, portraying an eternal love for whomever the remembrance has been dedicated to. Some people will take that a step further by filling the heart in, making the meaning that much clearer. The fact is that most cancer ribbon tattoos are worn to honor someone that the owner loves, so it just makes sense to include at least the outline of a heart in the design.
The dark blue ribbon is an indication of colon cancer and a tribute to the survival or battle with that disease. It wasn’t until five or so years ago that men and women started to get the colon cancer ribbon tattoo, but now plenty of people want to honor those who have passed away from the disease and those who have been able to survive it.
Lung cancer is represented by a white ribbon which is often imaged with a halo and angelic wings because of the purity of the color. These designs are often placed directly down the middle of people’s chests or on their backs, especially when wings are included.
White and teal ribbons have been dedicated to survivors of cervical cancer. These cancer ribbon tattoos are not as commonly seen as the ones mentioned above, but don’t be surprised to see more people with them as the ribbons themselves become more popular.
Completely teal ribbons are symbols of ovarian cancer. The tattoo is often designed more femininely because the type of cancer affects only women. Of course, that does not mean that only women get these cancer ribbon tattoos.
Bright orange ribbons represent kidney cancer or leukemia. Monarch butterflies are often included in these cancer ribbon tattoo designs because of their similar orange color, as well as their beauty and the symbol of freedom that they convey.
More generally, a lavender ribbon is meant to represent the battle against all and any type of cancer, serving as a representation of strength and courage for all survivors. If you are someone who knows people who have fought against multiple cancers, then this is definitely the cancer ribbon tattoo that you should look into getting. It’s the perfect way to show support for people who are battling all types of cancers without having to single any one of them out.
The image of multiple ribbons of various colors is another symbol of cancer survival but rather than represent a particular form of the disease, it represents all cancers. The ribbons can be designed and linked together as a portrayal of support surrounding the victim or victims. This is the best option for people who have dedicated large portions of their time to helping research cancer and/or to support all of the cancers that humans deal with.
The ribbons can be incorporated into many different shapes, hearts, stars, butterflies, birds, or wings, in order to create a more specific commemoration to the suffering loved one or one’s own struggle. This is a great way to personalize your cancer ribbon tattoo while still being respectful to those who are currently battling the disease. All of the shapes mentioned above can work in smaller and larger designs, so you can very easily incorporate one of them into your tattoo regardless of where you want to get it placed.
The ends of the ribbon form a swooping or curling shape with the addition of hearts or other delicate motifs. This can often lead to a “flowing” look to the designs, which might be exactly what people are going for. That look of movement in the tattoo helps to show that those who have lost their battles with cancer are always with the owners of these tattoos and will not be forgotten. It’s not an effect that has to be added to cancer ribbon tattoos, but many people like the added meaning that it can bring.
If you plan on getting one of these cancer ribbon tattoos, you will want to think about the exact design that you want to get and where you want to have it placed. You might initially think that you are going to get the ribbon alone with nothing else included, but then you might find out later on that you want to include it in a different design. It’s best to sit down and give a lot of thought to these designs before committing to anything so you end up with the exact cancer ribbon tattoo that you want.
As far as placement goes, cancer ribbon tattoos work just about anywhere on the body. Once you have figured out your design, then you’ll have a better idea of where it will look great and where it might not work.
If you are getting the classic ribbon design, then you might want to consider getting it on your wrist or forearm since it can be designed to look great in these locations and you can show your support at all times for people battling these cancers. If you are getting a larger design that includes a cancer ribbon, then you might want to think about getting it on your chest or back.
An experienced tattoo artist will be able to help you out throughout the design process and they will be able to ensure that the tattoo looks great on your skin. Even though the most basic cancer ribbon tattoo might look very easy to do, you will still want a top artist to do the work for you since they will make sure that the lines of the design line up with the lines of your body. Please don’t just hire the closest artist that you can find; do some research before you walk through anyone’s door.
Regardless of which cancer ribbon tattoo you choose to get, there is a very high chance that you will find it to be extremely meaningful for the rest of your life. If you have a family member or a friend who has gone through a cancer battle and you want to show your support, then you could be the perfect candidate for one of these cancer ribbon tattoos. They are simple designs, but they are about as meaningful as tattoo designs get!