Skin Risks Associated With Tattoos - part 2

Tattoos are done by breaching the skin and therefore might pose considerable skin risks. Common skin risks associated with tattoos are listed below.

Infection

If the tattooing equipment and needles are not properly sterilized, there is a huge risk of getting infectious diseases such as hepatitis, HIV, and other forms of skin infections caused by Straphylcoccus aureus. The infections that might be transmitted by tattooing include viral, bacterial, and fungal infections. Bacterial infections spread by tattooing might cause impetigo, septicemia, toxic shock syndrome, syphilis, and tuberculosis. Fungal infections that are often spread by tattoos include sporotrichosis which can result in the formation of nodules, abscesses, and ulcers.

Skin cancer risk

Tattoos can also pose a risk for skin cancer as it is difficult to detect cancer-related changes in moles, especially if the tattoo is placed over the mole. Tattoos are also known to cause skin reaction which might result in the creation of a bump which resembles squamous cell carninoma, a specific type of skin cancer.         

Formation of Granulomas

Tattoo pigments can result in the formation of nodules that are caused by chemical and physical irritants in tissues.

Keliod Formation

People who are prone to developing keliods are at a greater risk of keliod formation because of the tattoo. Keliods are specific kinds of scars that continue to grow and resemble tough heaped up scars appearing abruptly above the skin.

MRI complications

There have been reports wherein people having permanent makeup or tattoos complained of swelling and burning in the affected area on undergoing Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Tattoo pigments might also interfere with the quality of MRI images. Therefore, it is always recommended that people with tattoos should inform the radiologist about the tattoo before the MRI scan.

Allergic Reactions

People might also experience certain types of allergic reactions because of tattoos. Typical allergic reactions to tattoos include allergic contact dermatitis, photoallergic dermatitis, lichenoid allergic reaction, and pseudolymphomatous allergic reaction.

Dissatisfaction: A Common Problem with Tattoos

One of the most commonly observed problems with tattoos is that people tend to get dissatisfied with their tattoos. Moreover, tattoos also tend to fade with time especially if the tattoo pigments are injected too deep in the skin. You must also remember that your body changes with time and even the styles go out of fashion very soon. Tattoos might look good on your body at a particular time but as you grow old and your body undergoes ageing, they might not appear as attractive.

Certain people get tattoos done to commemorate certain events or people. However, over a period of time, if you realize that you commemorated the wrong person or event, you are stuck with the tattoo. 

Tattoo Removal

Tattoos are typically removed by releasing the tattoo ink pigmentation and removing the skin indentations that might have resulted from outlining and shading needles. Popular techniques used for removing tattoos include laser removal, surgery, and regenerative skin grafting. Certain tattoo removal creams are useful for removing specific color pigments. People also use Trichloroacetic acid solutions for removing skin lines associated with tattoos.

Laser tattoo removal is a costly proposition and involves the risk of permanent skin discoloration and scarring. This technique involves the use of laser for targeting and breaking the tattoo ink into smaller pieces that are gradually removed from the skin over a period of time. The laser removal technique might leave your skin overly sensitive to light and bacterial infections.