During the tattooing and piercing process you risk bacteria entering your blood stream, which will then continue to your heart.
Tattoos breach the skin, which means that skin infections and other complications are possible, including: 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 occur even years after you get the tattoo.
The particles of ink injected into the skin can travel through your lymphatic system and into the bloodstream. Not all of the ink particles make their way here, but enough to cause some concern. Some of the ink that finds its way into your bloodstream is broken down by the immune system.
Your chest, rib cage and ribs are also quite sore in terms of the amount of pain you go through when getting a tattoo. The skin over this part of your body tends to be quite thin, meaning that the tattoo gun will be piercing right along the bones of your ribs.
If you have a medical problem such as heart disease, allergies, diabetes, skin problems like eczema or psoriasis, a weak immune system, or a bleeding problem, talk to your doctor before getting a tattoo. Also, if you get keloids (an overgrowth of scar tissue) you probably should not get a tattoo.
He and his colleagues have found that individuals who frequently get tattoos appear to have higher levels of certain immune molecules, including antibodies, in their blood than people who rarely get inked (at least for a brief time).
When it comes to cancer, black ink can be especially dangerous because it contains a very high level of benzo(a)pyrene. Benzo(a)pyrene is currently listed as a carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
The constant needle pricks can be physically draining for the body. As a result, the body can go into “fight or flight” mode and release adrenaline, which can cause feelings of fatigue and exhaustion. This adrenaline rush is a natural response to stress and pain, and it can have a significant impact on the body.
Q: Are tattoos bad for your liver? A: Tattoo ink may get accumulated in the liver and kidneys over a prolonged period of time but as such does not directly affect the liver. Indirectly, tattoos may cause severe liver damage due to hepatitis infection.
However, tattoo complications can occur, such as allergic tattoo reactions, infections, and manifestations of autoimmune dermatoses.
Exposure to heavy metals in bad ink, as well as toxins in colorants, can create a burden for the kidneys and the liver and contribute to cognitive issues like fatigue or brain fog, according to Brooke Schneller, doctor of clinical nutrition.
From 1 to 6 months
After a month, any itching and redness should have completely gone. In fact, your new tattoo may look fully healed! However, the skin under your tattoo can continue to repair itself for up to six months until it's considered healed. During this stage it's important to keep up your aftercare routine.
Color and shading simply provide more dimension than line work. Contrary to what you might expect, many people report that the shading hurts significantly less than the outlining of the tattoo. If you've already made it through your line work, pat yourself on the back.
Myth or Truth: Getting a tattoo hurts more than giving birth to a child. Myth: In reality, getting tattooed does hurt -- but it does not produce the same type of pain as childbirth. The pain of getting a tattoo feels more like scratching a bad sunburn.
A Tattoo needle penetrates 5 layers of the epidermis
That may sound like a lot of skin, but in reality it is only 1/16th of an inch, about 1-2mm. That's pretty tiny. It goes through five layers of the epidermis, through the dermal layer, and into the topmost layer of the dermis.
Those who want go ahead with getting a tattoo anyway despite the risks should consider steering clear of colors derived from heavy metals. Dr. Kunin reports that black might be the safest permanent tattoo ink; it is often derived from a substance called carbon black and rarely causes any kind of sensitivity issues.
They also wondered if any restrictions for imaging might apply to tattooed patients. What they found might surprise you. The researchers found that the risk of experiencing tattoo-related side effects from MRI is very small. This means people with tattoos can safely undergo MRI without worry.
* If you really want to get a permanent tattoo, stick with the basics. Black remains safest. Blue and green inks with copper phthalocyanine pigments are safe too. Some parlous mix their own inks; it's generally safest to use branded inks that list their ingredients, says Dr Amit Karkhanis, laser and cosmetic physician.