Tattoos have a colorful history and are part of a rich tradition in many cultures around the world. According to a 2015 poll by the Harris Institute, the number of U.S. adults now sporting tattoos has been steadily rising to nearly one-third of the total population. While generally accepted as safe when performed by a skilled professional, tattooing does still carry some health risks, including allergic reactions and some side effects that are still being studied.
In fact, the biological mechanism that allows tattoo ink to remain permanently visible is related to allergic processes initiated by the immune system. A tattoo artist uses a special needle gun to puncture the skin and inject ink at a rate of around 3,000 times per minute. The body responds to this as it would any form of injury: The ink is attacked by cells called phagocytes which attempt to absorb any foreign particles that enter the bloodstream. Meanwhile, the punctures are handled through normal inflammation processes, resulting in swelling, soreness and eventually scar tissue development.
Tattoo risks
The invasive nature of the tattoo process invites the risk of medical complications, however the most serious of them appear to be relatively rare. The Food and Drug Administration said it had received 363 "adverse event reports involving tattoos" from 2004 through 2016. Given the prevalence of the practice, these numbers would appear to signify a generally low risk of serious complications. However, reactions may not occur for several years, and the full spectrum of the body's response to a tattoo is still not fully understood.
Infection from unsterile equipment or ink is the biggest health concern regarding tattoos, but this can be effectively mitigated when the artist follows basic cleaning practices. Allergic reactions or similar side effects are even less common, but harder to prevent. The FDA noted that tattoo ink is generally nonreactive, but may present problems for people with allergies to latex or certain metals. If allergies are suspected, a tattoo artist may suggest drawing a small test mark and waiting a few days before beginning a much larger drawing, to see if reactions develop.
Long-term concerns
However, as previously stated, reactions to tattoo ink might take years to develop. The FDA noted that the long-term effect of tattoos as well as tattoo removal is still being studied, but presents some likely risks. In the tattoo process as well as laser tattoo removal, chemicals in the ink can be broken down and distributed throughout the bloodstream, which may have a systemic effect on the body in various ways.
In one of the newest findings on tattoo side effects, from a study published in the medical journal "Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise," researchers found that tattooed skin exhibited significantly different sweat patterns than skin without markings. Tattooed skin produced much less sweat, and of different chemical composition, than non-tattooed skin on opposite sides of the body. This means that people with large tattoos, especially athletes, may suffer from complications related to excessive body heat, since sweat can prevent overheating. However, the study did not conclude that tattoos directly contributed to higher risk of heat stroke or thermal damage. And as we know from previous studies of burn victims, the body is able to compensate for a lack of sweat glands in one area by growing additional glands elsewhere.
Getting a tattoo is an inherently risky affair, but still appears generally safe when all the proper precautions are taken. Still, it helps to be aware of the risks that do exist, and how to best avoid them, if you are considering a tattoo.
