Tattoo Health Risks

Best Tattoo Sites Home >>> Tattoo FAQ >>> Tattoo Health Risks

Because it requires breaking the skin barrier, tattooing may carry health risks, including infection and allergic reactions. Modern western tattooers reduce such risks by following universal precautions, working with single-use items, and sterilizing their equipment after each use. Many jurisdictions require that tattooists have bloodborne pathogen training, such as is provided through the Red Cross and OSHA.

Infection
Since tattoo instruments come in contact with blood and bodily fluids, it is possible for diseases to be transmitted if the instruments are used on multiple individuals without the use of sterilization. Occurances of infection from getting tattooed in clean, modern studios using single-use needles are rare. In amateur tattoos, such as those applied in prisons, there is a higher risk of infection.

Infections that could be transmitted via the use of unsterilized tattoo equipment include herpes simplex virus, surface infections, tetanus, staph, fungal infections, some forms of hepatitis, and HIV. There has not been an occurance of a person in the US contracting HIV via a commercially-applied tattooing process. An interresting bit of fact - Washington state's OSHA studies have suggested that since tattoo needles are not hollow, the amount of fluids transmitted in a stick injury may be small enough that HIV would be difficult to transmit. The tattoo customer can reduce Tetanus risk by having an up-to-date tetanus booster prior to being tattooed. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that no data exist in the United States indicating that people with exposured to tattooing alone are at increased risk for HCV infection. You should avoid consuming alcohol before or after getting a tattoo. Alcohol thins the blood, causing more bleeding during the procedure and less ink to be absorbed.

Allergic reactions
Perhaps due to the mechanism whereby the skin's immune system encapsulates pigment particles in fibrous tissue, tattoo inks have been described as "remarkably nonreactive histologically".[6]

Allergic reactions to tattoo pigments are uncommon except for certain brands of red and green. People who are sensitive or allergic to certain metals may have a reaction. The symptoms are swelling and/or itching, and/or oozing of clear fluid. Such reactions are rare.

For individuals who have an allergy to latex, the artist can use non-latex if asked.

There is also a small risk of anaphylactic shock (hypersensitive reaction) in those who are susceptible, but the chance of a health risk is small.

(crumb)

This site was last updated 10/20/08