Tattoo Health Risks

[caption id="attachment_536" align="alignright" width="200" caption="Tattoo the Safe Way!"][/caption] Tattoo Health Risks: Tattoo The Proper Way! The procedure for getting a tattoo is safe, but there are a few tattoo health risks that you should know about beforehand.  Each year, thousands of people get a tattoo with little or no complications.  By protecting yourself from possible health risks, you can also be one of these people. Getting a tattoo involves the insertion of permanent ink into the underlying layers of skin.  The insertion is done with a needle or cluster of needles that have been dipped in ink.  The needles are attached to a tattoo gun or tattoo machine that pushes the needles rapidly in an out of the skin.  The tattoo machine controls the depth of injections, ensuring that the ink is deposited below the upper layer of skin. Because an injection is part of the tattoo process, tattoo health risks include skin rashes, infections and reaction to the tattoo ink.  The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has classified tattooing as a cosmetic procedure, so tattoo inks do not undergo government regulation or testing for safety.  The long-term effects of different brands of tattoo ink are not known. According to MayoClinic.com, possible tattoo health risks include the following:
  • Allergic reaction to tattoo ink. A limited number of people may experience an allergic skin reaction to tattoo ink, especially ink that contains red dye.  The reaction usually takes the form of an irritating skin rash in the tattoo area.  For a few people, the rash can appear for years after the tattoo procedure and may cause itchiness and discomfort.
  • Skin conditions. People with sensitive skin may be subject to tattoo health risks that include skin disorders.  Skin that scars easily may develop raised welts known as keloids at the tattoo site.  Another skin disorder causes bumps called granulomas to form in the tattoo area.
  • Diseases transmitted through blood. The equipment used for tattooing must be completely sterilized between each use to avoid the change of contamination.  Unsterilized equipment can pass blood between people, increasing the chances of spreading blood-borne diseases like HIV, hepatitis, tuberculosis and tetanus.
  • Skin infections. Equipment that is not properly sterilized can also lead to bacterial skin infections.  The symptoms included swelling, redness and oozing in the area of the tattoo.  Some of these infections are resistant to antibiotics and may lead to more serious tattoo health risks, including blood poisoning, pneumonia and even the flesh-eating infection known as necrotizing fasciitis.
  • Complications during MRI exams. One of the rarer tattoo health risks is a tattoo reaction during an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) exam.  The reaction may cause burning and swelling.  A tattoo may also interfere with the quality to the MRI image.
An allergic reaction to a tattoo or an infection from a tattoo procedure can be treated with medication.  For more serious complications, a doctor may have to recommend tattoo removal. One of the best ways to avoid the most of the tattoo health risks described above is to follow up a tattoo with recommended tattoo aftercare.  This includes carefully washing the tattoo with mild soap and water, avoiding sun exposure for several weeks, and applying non-irritating lotion.  While a tattoo is healing, it’s critically important not to pick any scabs that may form. Once you’ve decided to get a tattoo, it’s important to make sure that the tattoo artist and tattoo shop are equipped with the proper tattoo equipment for sterilization and that safety precautions will be used.  At the time of your tattoo, avoid the use of alcohol and drugs.  Reducing tattoo health risks requires a clear mind and an awareness of what to look out for in terms of complications.