The Negative effects of Body Art (Tattoos)

Imagine only having one shirt to wear for the rest of your life, it would be kind of weird wouldn’t it? Well that’s what tattoos are like, ink scarred into your flesh for the rest of your life. The word Tattoo comes from the Tahitian word “Tatu”, which is an indelible mark or design fixed upon the body by the insertion of pigment under the skin”(Clark, 2005, para. 1). These days, this is done by using a Rapid-Injection-Electrical device that punctures the dermal layer of the skin at a rapid pace, producing a design. In this essay paper I will explain the Negative effects that come with getting tattoos, such as, Health risks, Society’s view, and financial harm.

Good health is very important. That’s why you should be very careful when deciding to get a tattoo. Visit a range of studios, make sure the studio you choose is up to basic health standards. Make sure the studio you decide to go to has an autoclave or medical sterilization machine (uses very high heat to steam the equipment), and the needles are individual packaged, sealed and dated. Unlicensed artists who complete an apprenticeship do a lot of tattoos you see these days, so be careful which studio you go to. Tattoo inks are made of dyes created from a range of metals, which are mostly toxic. The most common effects of tattoos are hypersensitivity to the red dyes (cinnabar), and photosensitivity to the yellow pigments (cadmium, which is another toxic metal). There has never been a documentation of anyone getting cancer from tattoos, but dark inks can make melanoma, skin cancer, harder to detect. Another well-known infection from tattoos is Hepatitis. In one study, tattooing accounted for 41% of Hepatitis C infections (Clark, 2005, para. 15). The only cases known about HIV are of two men who received prison tattoos. Well-known signs of an infection after getting a tattoo are high fever, puss leaking from the wound, and red streaks extending from the tattoo. “Infection that is not properly tended to can result in serious health consequences and even death”(Hudson, 2005, para. 1).

Society frowns upon many things today in age, one of the biggest and most common being tattoos. In a recent study, completed by myself, the average person described body art as dirty, and gross. The damage tattoos can bring to someone in today’s society can be a lot worse than one would think. Many employers will not higher someone with tattoos, when they come in for an interview, and some employers will fire their staff if they find out they have tattoos. Over half of the families in Canada would not let their children get tattoos. A lot of parents kick their kids out of the house for getting body art, which leaves them, in most cases, with no where to go. Some families even disown children; I have a friend from high school in which this happened to. A large number of Restaurants and stores will not allow entrance with body art showing, must have them covered up or no entry.

A very well noticed effect that comes along with getting tattoos is financial trouble. As we all know it, body art costs money. The average rate for a tattoo studio is $100/per hour, and when you are in getting tattooed for 3-5 hours at a time, it can become very costly. After getting the actual tattoo, you will have to take care of it until it heals, which is approximately 6-7 weeks, so now you have to purchase skin lotions to help maintain the healing process. If one is concerned about their financial statement, than one should not get a tattoo because they are highly addictive, trust me, I know from experience. Before you know it, you won’t have any spare money or money at all, and soon fall behind in bills. Coming back to health effects, if you were to receive an infection or disease from getting a tattoo, now you will have to fork out more cash to buy creams and ointments for infections or paying hospital bills for treatment of the disease.

In conclusion, getting a tattoo can be a big mistake. You could end up with health problems, such as getting a small innocent infection or even attracting HIV. Think hard and long before you decide it’s your time to get one. Make sure you visit many studios, and look for one that meets the health standards. Plan out where you are going to get the tattoo on your body, think about what may happen at work or at home if you get this body art inked into your skin. And don’t get addicted like I did, because it is very hard to stop!

source : r-go.ca

Tattoos: Understand risks and precautions

Tattoos may be more common than ever, but don't take tattooing lightly. Know the risks and understand basic safety precautions and aftercare steps.

You could be the proud owner of a new tattoo in a matter of hours — but don't let the ease of getting tattoos stop you from making a thoughtful decision about permanent body art. If you first take steps to protect yourself from possible risks, what seems like a cool idea now is less likely to turn into a source of regret later.
How tattoos are done

A tattoo is a permanent mark or design made on your skin with pigments inserted through pricks into the skin's top layer. Typically, the tattoo artist uses a hand-held machine that acts much like a sewing machine, with one or more needles piercing the skin repeatedly. With every puncture, the needles insert tiny ink droplets. The process — which is done without anesthetics and may last up to several hours for a large tattoo — causes a small amount of bleeding and slight to potentially significant pain.

Know the risks

Tattoos breach the skin, which means that skin infections and other complications are possible. Specific risks include:

• Allergic reactions. Tattoo dyes — especially red dye — can cause allergic skin reactions, resulting in an itchy rash at the tattoo site. This may occur even years after you get the tattoo.
• Skin infections. Tattoos can lead to local bacterial infections, characterized by redness, swelling, pain and a pus-like drainage.
• Other skin problems. Sometimes bumps called granulomas form around tattoo ink — especially red ink. Tattooing can also lead to raised areas caused by an overgrowth of scar tissue (keloids).
• Bloodborne diseases. If the equipment used to create your tattoo is contaminated with infected blood, you can contract various bloodborne diseases, including hepatitis B, hepatitis C, tetanus and HIV — the virus that causes AIDS.
• MRI complications. Rarely, tattoos or permanent makeup may cause swelling or burning in the affected areas during magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exams. In some cases — such as when a person with permanent eyeliner has an MRI of the eye — tattoo pigments may interfere with the quality of the image.

Medication or other treatment may be needed if you develop an allergic reaction, infection or other skin problem. In some cases, the tattoo may need to be removed. Keep in mind that tattoo inks are classified as cosmetics, so they aren't regulated or approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Insist on safety precautions

To make sure your tattoo will be applied safely, answer these questions:

• Who does the tattooing? Go to a reputable tattooing studio that employs only properly trained employees. Keep in mind that regulation requirements and licensing standards vary from state to state. Check with your city, county or state health department for information on local licensing and regulations.
• Does the tattoo artist wear gloves? Make sure the tattoo artist washes his or her hands and wears a fresh pair of protective gloves for each procedure.
• Does the tattoo artist use proper equipment? Make sure the tattoo artist removes a needle and tubes from sealed packages before your procedure begins. Any pigments, trays and containers should be unused as well.
• Does the tattoo artist sterilize nondisposable equipment? Make sure the tattoo artist uses a heat sterilization machine (autoclave) to sterilize all nondisposable equipment after each customer. Instruments and supplies that can't be sterilized with an autoclave — including drawer handles, tables and sinks — should be disinfected with a commercial disinfectant or bleach solution after each use.

Also ask yourself whether you truly want to invest in permanent body art. Choose the location of the tattoo carefully. Don't get a tattoo if you're under the influence of alcohol or drugs or worry that you might regret the tattoo later.

Take good care of your tattoo

How you care for your new tattoo depends on the type and extent of work done. Typically, however, you'll need to:

• Remove the bandage after 24 hours. Apply an antibiotic ointment to the tattooed skin while it's healing.
• Keep the tattooed skin clean. Use plain soap and water and a gentle touch. Pat — don't rub — the area dry.
• Use moisturizer. Apply a mild moisturizer to the tattooed skin several times a day.
• Avoid sun exposure. Keep the tattooed area out of the sun for at least a few weeks.
• Choose clothing carefully. Don't wear anything that would stick to the tattoo.
• Allow up to 2 weeks for healing. Don't pick at any scabs, which increases the risk of infection and can damage the design and cause scarring.

If you think your tattoo may be infected or you're concerned that your tattoo isn't healing properly, contact your doctor. If you're interested in tattoo removal, ask your dermatologist about laser surgery or other options for tattoo removal.

Note : think carefully before tattoo, actually without tattoo your skin will be clean and nice..

source : mayoclinic