Don’t laugh -- tattoos are terribly permanent. In fact, that is the hallmark of a tattoo -- its permanence.
A 2010 Pew Research report found that 40 percent of Americans between the ages of 18 and 29 have at least one tattoo. And depending on the survey, 20 percent to 40 percent of American adults have one tattoo or more. With the growing popularity of tattoos, there are increasing reports of adverse reactions to infections and allergic reactions to dyes. So much so that the Food and Drug Administration recently decided to step in and look into the safety of tattoo dyes.
What exactly is a tattoo?
Thousands of years old, the practice of tattooing involves the permanent marking of one’s body with pigments injected into the dermis, the second layer of skin. Typically, a tattoo artist uses a handheld device with action similar to a sewing machine to puncture the dermis and inject dyes in a pattern of the client’s choosing. The tattoo can incorporate a range of colors and can take a few minutes to a few days to complete.
The reason tattoos are permanent is because the ink particles are big enough not to be processed by white blood cells, the body’s main defense against foreign bodies. "The reason pigment stays there is because the pigment particles are too big to be eaten by the white cells, so they just sit there," says Dr. Anne Laumann, MBChB, a professor of dermatology at Northwestern University.
Possible Problems with a Tattoo
The American Association of Blood Banks requires a year’s wait between getting a tattoo and donating blood because of the possibility of infection, some of which don’t show up for months or even years.
Potential Medical Problems
Medical problems associated with tattoos include: allergic reactions to methods or dyes; excessive scar tissue; contact dermatitis or minor skin reactions; infection at the skin site; or the spread of infectious diseases like TB, staph infections, tetanus, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C or HIV.
With any skin puncture, there is risk of infection. To stave off the threat of tetanus, it is recommended that you get a booster if your last shot was 10 years ago or longer before you get that tattoo. Skin infections include impetigo, cellulitis, contact dermatitis, granulomas and the worst – a staph infection.
Impetigo is a small cluster of itchy or mildly painful blisters with a honey-colored crust. Cellulitis begins with a small, swollen, infected area that may be reddened. It often starts with a scrape or bruise, but sometimes, there doesn’t seem to be a break in the skin. Warm skin and areas painful to the touch, with fever, chills and sweating could indicate staph cellulitis. Contact dermatitis is a minor skin reaction. Granulomas are bumps that form around tattoo ink that can lead to keloids -- an overgrowth of scar tissue that causes raised areas.
Staph is short for staphylococcus and refers to infections that can affect skin or blood, and even endocarditis, which threatens the lining of the heart. The staph bacteria naturally occurs on the skin, and those with compromised immune systems are vulnerable to staph infections. But anyone can be struck down.
Hepatitis
There have been reported cases of hepatitis transmitted to tattoo clients. Unsanitary conditions at the tattoo establishment are to blame when this occurs. There have also been cases of syphilis, leprosy and TB transmitted through tattooing. But these incidences are rare, except for perhaps hepatitis C.
Hepatitis B is spread through contact with blood or bodily fluids of an infected person; it is not spread by casual contact. It is a virus that attacks the liver. Most adults get it, then get better -- this condition is known as acute Hepatitis B.
Long-term infection is known as chronic hepatitis B infection. Over time, this type of hepatitis will damage the liver. The scary part is that you may not know you are a carrier and can pass on the virus to others. A blood test is the best way to figure out whether you have had or have hepatitis B, which often has no symptoms. Chronic hepatitis B can eventually lead to severe liver damage, and a liver transplant may be the only option for the patient.
It is recommended that adults at risk for contracting this virus, plus babies through teenagers, get the Hepatitis B vaccine. It is the best way of protecting yourself and them.
Hepatitis C is more serious than hepatitis B, though it is also a liver virus. It is transmitted through contact with infected blood. It doesn’t spread through casual contact. Rarely, there are cases of acute hepatitis C in which the person gets sick for a very short period, then recovers. The majority of cases involve long-term, chronic hepatitis C infections. This virus can cause permanent liver damage, liver cancer, liver failure and cirrhosis. Interestingly, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center found that tattoos cause as much as 41 percent of all hepatitis C cases. Unfortunately, there is no vaccine for this type of hepatitis.
I Can’t Get No…Satisfaction
The biggest reported problem with tattoos was dissatisfaction. Incorrect tattooing techniques such as inserting the needle too deeply into the skin, causing the ink to bleed out into other tissues and leaving a blurred tattoo were cited. Fading or distortion due to body changes can be a problem. With age, skin sags and changes, this was apparent to those who had permanent makeup, essentially makeup tattoos, applied early on in its use.
Experts highly recommend you think about the permanence of a tattoo, its risks and the long-term implications of having one. Your tattoo may represent you today, but will it still be an accurate reflection of you in 20 years? Think before you ink.