Although rare, people can get hepatitis C during a tattoo. This can occur if a tattoo artist does not sterilize their equipment and follow appropriate, hygienic measures.
You can get hep C from tattoo ink if the tattoo artist doesn't use small separate containers of tattoo ink for each client. If they dip the needle into one big container that they've used on other clients, there is a high risk of blood (from a past client) coming into contact with your blood.
Between 1–5% of those who get a tattoo experience tattoo-related skin infections [4].
Through the skin
Your skin usually protects you from hep C. If you are splashed with blood or you touch blood, and your skin is healthy and intact, there is very low risk for infection.
You can still get a tattoo if you have hep C, but it's important to be upfront with your tattoo artist. Some artists might turn down the work to prevent potentially passing the infection on, while others might ask you to wait until you complete treatment for hep C.
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.
Hepatitis C can spread when a person comes into contact with blood from an infected person. Injecting drugs is the most common way HCV is transmitted in the United States.
Hepatitis C is transmitted primarily by exposure to blood containing the hepatitis C virus. Current research suggests that if you're in a long-term, monogamous relationship with a partner who has hepatitis C, your risk of contracting hepatitis C is quite low — unless you also have human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
Hepatitis C is spread through contact with blood from an infected person. Today, most people become infected with the hepatitis C virus by sharing needles or other equipment used to prepare and inject drugs.
A 2016 study that looked at the risk of infection with tattoos found that 0.5–6% of adults who had a tattoo experienced infectious complications. If a tattoo causes severe symptoms or pain that lasts for more than a few days, it can be a sign that there is an infection that needs medical attention.
If you're still worried after getting a tattoo, get a blood test to know for sure. Hepatitis and other bloodborne diseases may go years before showing symptoms, and it is crucial to treat them as early as possible.
Typically speaking, tattoos can get infected anywhere from a few days to a couple of months after they are finished. This is because healing times vary, and, as long as there is still skin to heal, infection is possible.
When a person has the hepatitis C virus (HCV) for several years, their liver can become inflamed. However, a person can live for years without even knowing that they have HCV. Once the symptoms start to show, the person usually already has liver damage, which can affect treatment and prognosis.
If the equipment used to create your tattoo is contaminated with infected blood, you can contract various bloodborne diseases — including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), hepatitis B and hepatitis C.
Facts at-a-Glance. An estimated 2.7 – 3.9 million people in the United States have chronic Hepatitis C. There are approximately 17,000 new Hepatitis C cases each year in the U.S. As many as 75% of those with chronic Hepatitis C virus in the United States are unaware that they are infected.
It's possible to get hep C during unprotected anal sex
I was taught in medical school—during the 70s and 80s—that hep C is not sexually transmitted. I learned that most often, it's transmitted through contact with an infected person's blood by sharing injection drug use needles.
Hepatitis C is spread by direct contact with hepatitis C-infected blood. For example, if infected blood came into contact with an open sore or a cut in your hands, you may become infected.
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), a group of chemicals which are known carcinogens, was found in a fifth of the samples tested and in 83% of the black inks tested by NICNAS. Other hazardous components included barium, copper, mercury, amines and various colourants.
The UV tattoo ink used today is as risky as that of any tattoo — maybe slightly more so. Older UV tattoos used phosphorus in the ink, which can be carcinogenic in high doses. And even without phosphorus, the ink runs the risk of adverse effects.
Load up on detoxifying foods like leafy greens, antioxidant herbs and spices, vitamin C foods, garlic and onions, flax, chia seeds and lots of water. Avoid foods made with additives, potential food allergens and non-organic foods. Use supplements that help to break down heavy metals to promote expulsion from the body.
If symptoms occur with an acute infection, they can appear anytime from 2 weeks to 6 months after exposure. Symptoms of acute hepatitis can include fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dark urine, light-colored stools, joint pain, and jaundice.
The CDC states that the time between exposure to HBV and developing symptoms varies, but the average incubation period for hepatitis is about 90 days. HBV can be passed to others even if a person with the virus has no symptoms. A test can detect the virus after 1–9 weeks following exposure.
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.