Medical ID Necklaces & Bracelets for Diabetes

The CDC and American Diabetes Association agree that wearing a diabetes medical bracelet or necklace is essential to obtaining proper care in an emergency.

In a 2020 survey of First Responders, 80% of participants agreed that custom-engraved medical alert bracelets and necklaces are the most effective forms of medical ID, as opposed to pre-engraved tags or tech solutions such as USB IDs. Furthermore, 95% of respondents strongly agree that wearing medical ID jewelry can help improve patient outcomes, making it clear why diabetic bracelets and necklaces are essential for everyday wear.

The Importance of Diabetes ID Bracelets & Necklaces

Because diabetes can carry the risk of causing a medical emergency at almost any time, it is one of the most common conditions for which people wear medical ID jewelry. In fact, because medical IDs are so widely used in the diabetes community, there are some common misconceptions about diabetes alerts:

Common Misconceptions About Diabetes Alerts

Myth: The medical symbol stands for diabetes, so I don’t need to engrave anything on my diabetes bracelet.

Fact: There are a few variations of the medical caduceus or staff of life symbol, but they are all general symbols indicating the presence of vital information. There is no symbol specific to diabetic bracelets.

Myth: I only need to wear my diabetes medical bracelet if I am traveling or alone.

Fact: While it is important to wear your diabetic necklace or bracelet while traveling or alone, it is just as important to wear your medical ID on a daily basis. In an emergency, people panic, forgetting key information. People get separated from their purses, wallets, and phones, where extended medical information might be stored. Having your ID on your person at all times is the best way to ensure that you have your medical information handy at a glance.

Myth: I will always have diabetes, so I only need a diabetes tattoo, not a bunch of jewelry.

Fact: Approximately half of Americans under 40 have at least one tattoo. EMTs do not have time to check every tattoo on every patient. Additionally, a tattoo that indicates you have diabetes, even if it specifies which type of diabetes, still falls short, failing to identify you, provide any information about your treatment plan, or give access to emergency contacts.

Custom Engraved Diabetic Jewelry for Peace of Mind

Custom engraving a bracelet for diabetes and wearing it daily is essential.

EMTs agree: “Medical IDs are a great way to let EMS know vital health information when you don't have family or friends around, and you cannot speak for yourself. Medical IDs can speed up the diagnosis time, allowing EMS to give life-saving medications faster.” - Austin B. EMT

What About USB IDs for Diabetes?

USB medical IDs are simply ineffective in a diabetic emergency, or really any medical emergency for that matter. A full 100% of the respondents to the 2020 Lauren’s Hope First Responder Survey stated that they NEVER access patient information via USB medical IDs or patient flash drives because:

They do not have time in an emergency
They do not have a portable device on which they can safely access this information
They have agency-wide policies against connecting a patient’s device with their own for HIPAA, data privacy, and data security reasons

Additionally, USB medical IDs and other tech bracelets for diabetes typically require an internet connection and a secondary device. In an emergency, scanning a QR code, calling a 1-800 number, or accessing a password-protected web portal may simply be too time-consuming and cumbersome during a field diagnosis.

Do emergency medical providers use USB med IDs? infographic

Do Diabetics Need Custom Engraved Diabetic Jewelry?

With the need for so much medical information at a moment’s notice, diabetic bracelets are truly most effective when it is a personalized piece of jewelry with the medical alert symbol on the front and room for custom laser engraving on the back. This is why cheap medical ID bracelets that come pre-engraved with the word “diabetes” may look like appealing options but ultimately fall short.

These overly simple medical IDs may get the word “diabetes” on your wrist, letting EMTs know to immediately check your blood sugar levels, but they fail to communicate your identity, emergency contact information, diabetes type, whether you are on insulin and by what method, what other medications you may be taking, and whether you have any other medical conditions, treatment considerations, or drug allergies. Lauren’s Hope diabetic necklaces and bracelets can be custom engraved to include your most vital medical information, and medical alert tags on interchangeable styles of bracelets for diabetes can be swapped out with your most up-to-date information.

What to Include on a Personalized Diabetes Bracelet or Necklace

Now that you know why custom medical ID necklaces and bracelets for diabetes come so highly recommended by medical institutions and personnel, let’s discuss what you should include on your diabetic bracelet or necklace:

Name
Date of birth
Diagnosis (specify diabetes type)
Whether you take insulin and how (pump vs. injections)
Drug allergies
Other medical conditions
Other medications
Emergency contact information

Which Diabetes Medical Alert is Right for Me?

Because all of our medical ID jewelry is custom engravable, every diabetes medical bracelet or necklace can be personalized just for you. Choose from various styles such as beaded, sterling silver, stainless steel, and leather diabetes medical IDs. You can choose a necklace, bracelet, or both!

Considerations When Choosing a Diabetes Medical Alert

You will likely wear your medical alert 24/7, so it is important to have more than one medical ID in case you lose one.
Consider a durable stainless steel medical alert bracelet or necklace, as these are water- and workout-friendly, which is also helpful when wearing your medical ID full time.
Think about what you will genuinely want to wear every day. A medical ID is only useful if you wear it. Buy one you like, and have us engrave it just for you!

Enjoy Peace of Mind with Lauren’s Hope Diabetic Jewelry

Custom engraving means you never have to search for a Type 2 Diabetes bracelet and choose from a limited selection. Your choice of Type 1 Diabetes bracelet may be the same design another person wears for T2D or any other condition or diagnosis. You select the design of necklace or bracelet, for diabetes of any type, and we custom engrave it with your personal information.

Lauren’s Hope medical IDs provide peace of mind to the wearer and their family. But we offer so much more: