Understanding the Risks You Take when You Get Tattooed 

Reviewed and verified: August 14, 2023 by Jamie Wilson (BA)

Tattoos are great. Final point. In the 2020s, the variety of tattoos and the art involved has become its own art form. For example, there was a time when you could choose from three or four varieties of broken heart tattoos. Now you can choose dozens or even hundreds depending on the studio and its reputation both in terms of artistry and safety.

But what about the security part of the ink program? How can you be sure that the tattoo you are about to get will not become infected or cause personal injury in the short or long term? While it is rare to suffer serious injuries from getting a tattoo, the first step after seeking medical attention is to contact a reputable personal injury attorney.

What should you look for in a personal injury lawyer? Says Duejustsice.com (Dolinsky Law Group), a Hollywood personal injury attorney, while no one can eliminate the pain and suffering that comes with a personal injury, you have the right to hold responsible parties and their insurers accountable to you and Your family. If the court grants you the compensation you deserve, you will be able to heal in peace while your bills are paid without a paycheck.

That being said, what are the health risks you should take the time to understand before getting a tattoo? According to a recent report from the Mayo Clinic, today you can be the new owner of a highly artistic tattoo in a matter of a few hours. However, you should not let the relative ease and speed of the process stop you from thinking carefully about what you intend to be permanent body art.

Before getting a tattoo, it is important to understand what it entails and the possible risks involved.

The tattoo process

At the base, a tattoo with a permanent design or mark that is made into the skin with pigments that are inserted through punctures directly into the top layer of the skin. Under normal circumstances, a tattoo artist uses a hand-held machine that imitates a sewing machine with one or even several needles that pierce the skin repeatedly. With each piercing, small amounts of ink droplets are introduced into the skin.

If you think the process seems painful, it is. That’s because it is done without anesthesia. It may even cause a little bleeding.

Understand the risks you take when you get a tattoo

According to the Mayo Clinic, tattoos pierce the skin. This means that skin infections are a significant possibility, including other serious physical complications including, but not limited to:

Bad Allergic Reaction: Normal tattoo dyes, such as yellow, blue, green, and red, are known to cause allergic skin reactions, including an intensely itchy rash all over the tattoo site. Please note that the allergic reaction may not be temporary and may last for several years after getting the tattoo.

Skin infection: Skin infections are a possibility after a tattoo. The skin can become inflamed causing a granuloma to form around the tattoo ink. The process of tattooing can also cause keloids. These are personal injuries that cause excessive growth of scar tissue that can last forever.

Blood diseases: This is where legal aspects can come into play. If the equipment the tattoo artist uses is not sterilized and contaminated with infected blood from a previous client, you can easily contract a number of blood-borne diseases. These include methicillin-resistant hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

MRI problems: Tattoos and other permanent makeup procedures can cause burning or swelling in the affected areas during an MRI or magnetic resonance imaging exam. In certain cases, tattoo pigment can potentially interfere with image quality. This can be a real problem if your doctor suspects the presence of a serious illness such as cancer.

You may need medications and other medical treatments if you experience an allergic reaction to your new tattoo or if you develop a skin problem or infection in or around the tattooed area.

Make sure you are fully prepared for your tattoo

Not only should you give yourself enough time to think about getting a new tattoo, but you should also be sure that you won’t regret it once it’s done. If this concerns you, you probably need more time. If you are under the influence of drugs or alcohol, do not go to a tattoo parlor.

But once you’ve made the decision to continue getting tattooed, you should choose your tattoo artist carefully. You must insist that all safety precautions be followed. This means Googling tattoo surgery and checking all the reviews. If possible, talk to some previous clients to get their opinion on the cleaning and safety measures practiced by the ink artist.

A beautiful tattoo can be something that you will be very proud of. But if applied incorrectly, it can cause you pain and irreversible personal injury. If you’re not careful, you could end up really heartbroken.

Featured image Photo by steven lozano on Unsplash