The craze for tattoos is increasing day by day. According to research, more than 30 percent of young adults have at least one tattoo on their bodies. The tattoo is not just about an image as it mainly reflects the personality of the person. Some people also tattoo the name of people who are important in their life.
Earlier getting a tattoo was more difficult and risky. Nowadays, it is much safer. The actual process consists of a needle that injures the skin to design the art. The tattoo needle inserts a small amount of color pigment in the skin. If the skin heals, you will see a beautiful and permanent tattoo. The only way to have a safe tattoo is by making sure that the injuries to the skin heal correctly.
Some people also use tattoos as permanent makeup. They use permanent ink to mimic the look of eyebrow pencils, eyeliner, or lip liner. A few common arts for tattoos are butterflies, stars, god is greater than highs and lows tattoo, dragons, names, etc. Most people get tattoos on their arms, shoulders, neck, back, and ankles. Some people also get tattoos on their faces.
Risks and side-effects of getting a tattoo
Most of the risks from tattoos appear when the tattoo is fresh. The skin is recently injured and yet to heal. You need good aftercare to prevent any kind of complications.
Skin infection
The most common risk or side effect of having a tattoo is a skin infection. When you get a tattoo, it injures the skin. This injury occurs in both the epidermal and dermal layers of the skin. After the injury, your skin needs time to recover. Your tattoo artist will give you a few tips to prevent any kind of risks and side effects. You must follow the tips to prevent skin infection. You can get a skin infection if non sterile water is mixed with the ink before injection. Most skin infection from getting a tattoo appears within 1-2 weeks. The common symptoms of skin infection are redness, itchiness, and discharge. Sometimes the infection spreads and the person can also have other symptoms like fever. In severe skin conditions, the infection may get chronic.
Allergic reaction
People with sensitive skin can develop allergic reactions due to tattoos. This problem is mainly related to the ink. The person can get an allergy when the ink contains plastic and the needle is not processed. Some research shows that yellow, red, blue, and green pigments are more allergenic than other pigments. Common symptoms of allergic reaction from a tattoo are rashes, severe itchiness, and hives. Sometimes, you can also see swelling. People can get allergic reactions years after getting the tattoo.
Keloid scarring
Your tattoo can cause scarring. The tattoo can cause scarring if it is not healed properly. Skin infection or allergic reaction can cause scarring. The skin develops keloid scars that lead to bumps that contain old scar tissues.
Problems with MRIs
People can have problems due to tattoos while doing MRIs. There are few chances that the test will interact with the tattoo. A few side effects are itchiness and swelling. But these side effects will disappear on their own. Most of the risks and side effects occur when the ink used in a tattoo is of low quality or old. Before having the MRI, you should talk to the doctor and share your concern about the tattoo.
Can hide signs of skin cancer
A different type of risk due to a tattoo is that it can hide the possible signs of skin cancer. Side effects of getting a tattoo are red patches, moles, etc. But these symptoms are way similar to skin cancer or other skin conditions. Due to having similar symptoms, the skin condition may get undetected for a long time.
Other infection
Most tattoo artists use sterilized needles for tattoos. These needles are safe and have fewer risks and side effects. But if the tattoo artist is not using a sterilized needle, it can increase the risk of infection. It can also cause certain illnesses like HIV, MRSA, and hepatitis C.
Precautions to reduce risks and side-effects
Choose a licensed tattoo studio
Getting a tattoo can be quite costly. You can see lots of options for tattoo studios ranging from low to high. If you want to have a good tattoo preventing any kind of risk then look for a licensed tattoo studio. Due to health risks, tattoo licensing regulates the practice of tattooing. Check the license, reviews, and rating of the studio.
Visit the tattoo studio
You must have a prior visit to the tattoo studio. Go to the studio and check for expertise and hygiene. Inspect for a few things like:
- Disposal of used needles
- Cleaning station and surfaces after getting the tattoo
- Using gloves and changing them between sessions
- Using a new needle for every customer
- If all these things seem fine then only you should have a tattoo there.
Consult with a doctor
If you have any kind of skin condition or other medical condition like diabetes then you must talk to a doctor. Share the concern with your doctor and get suggestions. Conditions like poorly controlled diabetes can delay or impair the healing process.
How to prepare yourself before getting a tattoo?
Your condition should be good before starting a tattoo session. Good body condition will help to promote good skin healing after getting the tattoo.
- Avoid drinking alcohol for 24 hours before getting the tattoo
- Drink a good amount of water to prevent dehydration
- Have a proper meal
- Wear right clothes
- Have good sleep the night before
Aftercare tips for tattoo
To promote healing and prevent any side effects, you must have good aftercare. Remember, your tattoo is like an open wound that can easily be infected. You should avoid swimming pools and direct sunlight for about 2 weeks. Avoid doing any kind of heavy exercise for 2 days.
Clean the area two or three times a day with antibacterial soap and lukewarm water. Apply fragrance-free moisturizer to the area. You can feel itchy when the skin starts healing. Do not scratch and it can increase the risk of infection. Drink a good amount of water or juices to keep the skin moisturized.
