A tattoo is a permanent mark or design made on your skin with pigments inserted through pricks into the skin’s top layer. The process — which is done without anesthetics — causes a small amount of bleeding and slight to potentially significant pain. People describe the sensation of getting a tattoo as similar to bee stings, sunburn or being pinched. As the popularity of tattoos continues to grow, so does the concern about potential risks.
Before deciding to get a tattoo, you must first know the risks that come with it.
- Allergic reactions. Tattoo dyes — especially red, green, yellow and blue dyes — can cause allergic skin reactions, such as an itchy rash at the tattoo site. This can happen even years after you get the tattoo.
- Infection. Unsterile tattooing equipment and needles can put out infectious diseases, such as hepatitis. It is very significant to make sure that all tattooing equipment is clean and sterilized before use. In addition, the person who receives a tattoo must be sure to care for the tattooed area properly during the first week or so after the pigments are injected.
- Keloid Formation. If you are prone to developing keloids, which are scars that grow beyond normal boundaries, you are at risk of keloid formation from a tattoo. Keloids may form any time you injure or traumatize your skin.
- Other Skin Problems. Sometimes bumps called granulomas form around tattoo ink, moreover, there may be difficulty having a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan performed, as some tattoo inks and all piercing jewelry contain metals.
Before you get a tattoo, think carefully about it. If you’re unsure or worried that you might regret it, give it more time. Don’t allow yourself to be pressured into getting a tattoo. Furthermore, the long-term effects of tattoo ink and colorings remain unknown.
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