Sunday, November 20, 2011

Tattooing Dangers - How To Protect Yourself Against Tattoo Risk

Getting and wearing a tattoo is more popular than ever. It is very easy to call into a studio and have one done. Because of its popularity and the ease of having it done, it is easy to overlook the tattooing dangers involved. These range from serious, life-threatening diseases to minor irritation and discomfort. You need to be aware of these so you can protect yourself against them. This will make sure your tattoo experience is a happy one. Serious Health Risks The most serious tattooing dangers come from the use of dirty instruments. It is well to remember that the process involves piercing the skin with needles and inserting ink. Unsterilized needles could have contaminated blood on them from previous use. This is why authorities in some parts of the world have a clean needle program for drug addicts - to cut down the spread of blood borne diseases. Of course, there would not be the same degree of risk at a tattoo studio but there is still a risk of infection. Diseases such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C, Tetanus and HIV can be spread by the use of contaminated instruments. All these diseases are serious and can be life threatening.

Hepatitis is a liver disease with long term effects and can lead to liver failure. Tetanus causes a range of complications in the body, which can take from 2-4 months to heal. Most people are cured, but about 25 percent die from it in the United States and about 50 percent worldwide. As most of us know, HIV causes AIDS. The way to avoid being exposed to any of these diseases from tattoo needles is to make sure you go to a reputable tattooist who is licensed and certified by your city or state health authorities. Good studios value their reputations and the last thing they want is to have someone contract a serious illness through their work. This could put them out of business. The health risks should be about the same as visiting a doctor or dentist, as studios use the same sterilization equipment. There are other tattooing dangers, such as allergic reactions to the ink and skin infections resulting from poor aftercare, but these to not have the same degree of risk as blood borne diseases.

------ Getting and wearing a tattoo should be a happy experience but there are risks. You can get more information on this at http://www.squidoo.com/tattooing-dangers William Burnell enjoys sharing his interest in the art, designs and history of tattoos and in helping others in their quest for their unique symbol of self-expression.

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