Tattoos breach the skin. “Staph” skin infections can become serious and even life-threatening, as antibiotic-resistant strains become more prevalent. Hepatitis C is a virus that can infect the liver, causing serious and potentially life-threatening damage, if left untreated. Skin infected with resistant organisms such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) can be life-threatening. One of the main risks of tattoos is infection. The tattoo needle punctures the skin, creating a wound which can become infected if proper care is not taken, leading to serious health problems such as sepsis.
To reduce infection risk, it’s important the tattoo artist uses clean equipment and you properly care for the tattooed area during healing by keeping it clean and avoiding swimming or sun exposure until fully healed. Another risk is potential allergic reactions. Some people may be allergic to the ink, resulting in rashes, itching and other symptoms.
Apart from hepatitis B and C, a range of viral and bacterial infections, including HIV-AIDS, are possible contaminants in the tattooing process and may unwittingly be transmitted as dangerous blood-borne diseases. Such dangers are minimised in professional studios with strict infection control regulations.
If you have a large tattoo, your body may struggle to cool itself down and hold onto nutrients. “There could be thermoregulatory problems if exposed to high heat and a heavy workload,” one professor said. More research may be needed, but it’s worth keeping in mind if planning a large tattoo.
Some tattoo inks are toxic, containing carcinogenic compounds essentially injected into your body. Getting a tattoo when young has a high regret rate. The difference with tattoos is having to face that regret daily.
Is tattoo ink toxic to the body?
Tattoo ink can be toxic to the body. Find an artist aware of risks who uses quality ink. Ask about the ink. Use ink you bring.
Reports of infections and allergic reactions to tattoo inks exist. Inks contaminated with microorganisms also occur. Evidence suggests tattoo ink particles travel to the liver. When getting a tattoo, the ink may not just be in the skin.
Avoid animal-based inks called “India Inks.” Use logwood and magnetite crystal black ink. Effects of tattoo ink remain unknown. Until more studies happen, long-term side effects are unsure. Avoid carcinogens. Regulate the process and know what is going on your skin.
Research shows tattoo ink leads to lymph node changes and inflammation from lifelong toxic exposure. Black tattoo ink contains iron oxide, carbon and logwood. Some tattoo inks have animal products like bone char, animal fat glycerin, gelatin from hooves or shellac from beetles.
Wondering how safe your tattoo ink is? We’ve got information on tattoo pigments. Tattoo health and safety regulations focus on short-term risks like infections, but little is known about long-term risks. The skin barrier keeps surface cosmetics out, but tattoo ink goes under the skin.
Introducing foreign material into your body affects your immune system and bloodstream, especially at unregulated shops. Tattoos make medical exams like skin checks harder. Tattoo ink may have toxic effects in the brain, nerves, genetics, reproduction and could be carcinogenic. Strict regulation of all tattoo inks is needed.
Tattoo instruments can transmit diseases if used on more than one person without sterilization. Infection risk is higher with amateur tattoos. Some medical practitioners recommend regulating tattoo ink pigments more due to potential health problems.
Worry exists about tattoo ink’s toxic components. Tattoo ink ingredients have evolved and are safer. Still, scary chemicals and metals sometimes occur in tattoo ink. Carcinogenic compounds are essentially injected via some tattoo inks. Certain inks tested contained chemicals that were carcinogenic. Black inks especially had concerning PAHs chemicals that are carcinogens.
Can tattoos cause blood clots?
When you get a tattoo, the needle damages the skin. This causes blood clots where the blood vessels break. The tattooed area becomes bruised and swollen. Inflammation protects the area and promotes healing. This healing process after getting a tattoo is normal. With care, it will subside.
We couldn’t find a study linking tattoos and blood clots. But we found warnings. Don’t get a tattoo if you have a condition causing blood clots. Also don’t get one if you take blood thinners like Xarelto or Warfarin. Discuss tattoos with your doctor. Explain your condition to your tattoo artist too. They may advise against large tattoos. Blood thinners prevent clotting.
Myth: Tattoos don’t directly cause blood clots. Studies show the risk is minimal. Scientific evidence indicates tattoos don’t cause clots. Controlled trials found no link. Analyses by medical professionals agree. The risk stems from other health factors. Not the tattoo itself.
When tattooing, bleeding is normal. The needle pierces skin. Those with disorders or on medication may bleed more. This prolongs healing. It increases infection risk too.
Can tattoos get into your bloodstream?
Yes, tattoo ink does enter the bloodstream. Tiny ink particles are transported through the lymphatic system and eventually reach the bloodstream when a tattoo artist injects ink into the dermis layer of your skin. The ink then becomes a permanent part of your body. Some ink particles migrate through your bloodstream and lymphatic system before reaching your lymph nodes. It’s thought to take years for all ink particles to leave your body.
Traces of tattoo ink have been found in blood, lymph nodes, and the liver. However, tattoo ink doesn’t directly affect the liver. The presence of heavy metals in some tattoo inks negatively affects liver enzyme levels, causing inflammation. Infections are also possible when piercing breaks the skin during tattooing. While not life threatening, infection causes scarring and deformity.
The dangers of tattoo ink traveling in your body relate to toxins entering lymph nodes, lungs, kidneys or your circulatory system. Research on mice found some ink particles reach the liver too. Your immune system works to break down ink in your bloodstream, so multiple tattoos potentially strengthen it. But overdoing tattoos has risks too.
Medical advice says people vulnerable to endocarditis or with bleeding disorders should avoid tattoos and piercings. The process risks bacteria entering blood, travelling to the heart. And those taking certain medications like Accutane should avoid tattoos, as skin becomes hypersensitive. Advice is to take precautions, though risks relate more to the process than design. As research finds, it’s impossible to avoid some ink entering blood when tattooing injects dermis layer under top skin. But particles usually filter safely through kidneys and lymph nodes, leaving you healthy.