When you get a tattoo, the ink is inserted via needle into the dermis (the second layer of skin). Your body sees this ink as a foreign invader, and activates the immune system to seek out and destroy the unfamiliar material.
When a tattoo is stamped onto skin, the body considers it an assault. The skin is the immune system's “first barrier,” and is heavily stocked with fast-acting defensive cells that can leap into action when it's breached, says Juliet Morrison, a virologist at UC Riverside.
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.
Some peoples skin natural rejects ink as it heals. Going swimming or taking showers RIGHT after a tattoo (within a day or two) will cause the ink to come out. The sunlight can naturally fade and remove ink from your skin. Your skin may just not like the ink the artist is using as well.
Another study [8] reported that tattooing behavior is not associated with low self-esteem, but associated with a negative attitude to one's own body.
There are several different types of blood related disorders or conditions. Some of them cause excessive bleeding or issues with clotting, which is not ideal for tattooing. Those with blood disorders may be turned away by shops due to the risks and issues posed by being tattooed.
Psychiatric disorders, such as antisocial personality disorder, drug or alcohol abuse and borderline personality disorder, are frequently associated with tattoos. Finding a tattoo on physical examination should alert the physician to the possibility of an underlying psychiatric condition.
Tattoos might make you feel good
There are the obvious chemical responses, for starters: You're going to have a rush of adrenaline, because someone is coming at you with a needle. And you're going to get some pretty nice endorphins, too -- your body's chemical response to pain -- which can make you sort of high.
Benefits the Immune system
Research has proven that multiple tattoos boosts the immune system. When the tattoo ink enters the body, the immune system attacks the ink. Each time that person goes for a new tattoo, the more their body undergoes that same process again and again, improving the immune system each time.
This “tattoo flu” is pretty common and should fade into memory in a few days (unlike your new tattoo). Your body's immune system is making you feel wiped out while it attacks potential threats to your bod. Be on the lookout for a mild fever, chills, fatigue, and some tummy discomfort.
The side effect is that the lymph nodes take on the same color as your tattoo. There is also some evidence to suggest that tattoo ink particles can travel through the blood and become lodged in the liver.
An Act of Self-Care
These acts of self-care may be foreign to people battling depression and anxiety, but because they're mandatory, your tattoo may help encourage positive behaviors for the future. It's easy to slip into apathy when you're depressed, but a tattoo can remind you that you need to look after yourself.
Researchers observed an inverse relationship between SIgA and cortisol, with less immunosuppression of SIgA observed in those who had more tattoo experience. Those that had no pre-existing tattoos experienced a greater strain on their immune system, observed by a larger dip in their SIgA.
Having lots of tattoos might make you look tough on the outside, but it turns out it actually makes you tougher on the inside, too.
For instance, getting a tattoo can release adrenaline (resulting in an adrenaline rush) and endorphins, which is why many may feel such a positive mental reaction after getting one.
In fact, you'll actually burn calories during a tattoo because your metabolism speeds up in response to tension. Carb loading is a great way to make sure you'll have enough energy to get through your next tattoo appointment.
You know that amazing mood boost you get after an intense gym session? The tattooing process has the same effect. These feel-good chemicals reduce your perception of the pain in the same way as drugs like morphine or codeine. You'll also feel a 'natural high' according to Mark.
One of the most common psychological explanations for tattoos is that they are a form of risk-taking behavior. This theory suggests that people who get tattoos are more likely to be impulsive and thrill-seeking. They may also be more likely to take other risks, such as engaging in risky sexual behaviors or using drugs.
We recommend that tattoos are noted during the psychiatric examination and a record is made of their characteristics (location, size and content). The reasons and motivation for acquiring the tattoo(s) should be explored. Another benefit of recording tattoos is that they can be used for person identification.
But for some anxiety sufferers, tattoos have a place in their healing journey. If they can mark their bodies with reminders, and turn to those reminders in their darkest times, maybe they can loosen anxiety's grip or at least breathe through the grasp.
Tattoos in the Workplace of Healthcare.
Most hospitals and clinics have strict guidelines on professional appearance, which can often block job candidates with tattoos from being hired. Tattoos are absolutely prohibited for many health personnel who regularly interact with patients.
Researchers around the world who study human behaviors have been interested in finding out what makes people modify their body. They have found that individuals with tattoos report that they feel more attractive, stronger and more self-confident—having overcome the fear of pain.