Hepatitis B and C are blood-borne viruses, which means you can get them if your blood comes into contact with infected blood – even if it is only a microscopic (invisible) amount. If a tattoo or piercing shop uses proper sterilisation procedures, then there is no risk of blood-to-blood transmission.
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.
There's a small – approximately 1 in 50 – risk of getting hepatitis C if your skin is accidentally punctured by a needle used by someone with hepatitis C.
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.
The hepatitis C virus cannot penetrate unbroken skin and is killed by the digestive juices in the stomach if it is swallowed.
Hepatitis C in Australia (2021)
At the end of 2020, an estimated 117,810 people were living with chronic HCV in Australia with 90,560 (77%) diagnosed. The major mode of HCV transmission is through sharing or re-using injecting equipment which has been contaminated by infected blood.
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).
Yes; however, transmission between household members does not occur very often. If hepatitis C is spread within a household, it is most likely a result of direct (i.e., parenteral or percutaneous) exposure to the blood of an infected household member.
Based on published surveys, between 0.5% and 6% of the people with a tattoo experienced infectious complications after being tattooed (2– 6).
Between 1–5% of those who get a tattoo experience tattoo-related skin infections [4].
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.
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.
Inflammation leads to the enlargement of the liver (hepatomegaly) in over 60% of people infected with hepatitis C and can cause the fibroelastic sheath (Glisson's capsule) surrounding the liver to stretch, which may be the cause of pain in the liver area.
Hepatitis C is curable in more than 95% of cases.
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.
Hepatitis A can be spread from close, personal contact with an infected person, such as through certain types of sexual contact (like oral-anal sex), caring for someone who is ill, or using drugs with others. Hepatitis A is very contagious, and people can even spread the virus before they feel sick.
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.
At present, injection drug use is the most common risk factor for contracting the disease. However, there are patients who get hepatitis C without any known exposure to blood or to drug use.
Hepatitis C is a bloodborne virus. In Australia, the main way hepatitis C is spread is through the sharing of injecting equipment. There are new treatments, available to all people living with hepatitis C, that cure the virus and improve their health.
Around 30% (15–45%) of infected persons spontaneously clear the virus within 6 months of infection without any treatment. The remaining 70% (55–85%) of persons will develop chronic HCV infection. Of those with chronic HCV infection, the risk of cirrhosis ranges from 15% to 30% within 20 years.
Necrolytic Acral Erythema (NAE)
This rare skin condition may be an early sign of a hepatitis C infection. It causes skin patches on the feet or hands that look like psoriasis. The cause isn't clear, but zinc supplements seem to clear it up quickly.
Because razors, nail scissors, nail clippers, toothbrushes and possibly even towels may carry traces of blood, sharing them with an infected person may present a risk of acquiring hepatitis C.