Tattoos: Understand risks and precautions #Health#

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

«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 --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:

し.Allergic reactions: Tattoo dyes —
especially red, green, yellow and blue dye — can cause allergic skin reactions, such as an itchy rash at the tattoo site. This can occur even years after you get the tattoo.

し Skin infections: A skin infection-which might cause redness, swelling, pain and a pus-like drainage — is possible after tattooing.

し Other skin problems: Sometimes bumps called granulomas form around tattoo ink. Tattooing can also lead to keloids — raised areas caused by an overgrowth of scar tissue.

し Bloodborne diseases: If the equipment used to create your tattoo is contaminated with infected blood, you can contract various bloodborne diseases — including tetanus, hepatitis B and hepatitis C.

し MRI complications: Rarely, tattoos or
permanent makeup might cause swelling or burning in the affected areas during magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exams. In some cases, tattoo pigments can interfere with the quality of the image — such as when a person who has permanent eyeliner has an MRI of the eye.

----------- Medication or other treatment including possible removal of the tattoo — might be needed if you experience an allergic reaction to the tattoo ink or you develop an infection or other skin problem near a tattoo.

«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. While showering, avoid direct streams of water on the newly tattooed skin. 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 fewweeks.

•Avoid swimming. Stay out of pools, hot tubs, rivers, lakes and other bodies of water while your piercing is healing.

•Choose clothing carefully. Don't wear
anything that might 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 might 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.

There is high risk of cancer which is the main side effect of Tattoos.