Today it is quite difficult to surprise someone with a colorful tattoo on the shoulder, leg, chest and even on the head. An increasing number of extraordinary individuals choose this particular method of self-expression and self-affirmation. The very first question such people are interested in is whether tattoos are beneficial or harmful. So, let's look at these two factors in turn.
The benefits of tattoos
Tattooing can be considered a surgical operation during which dye is injected under the skin using needles.
Theoretically, any intervention in the body from the outside cannot bring it any benefit. But, subject to certain rules, the risk of negative consequences can be reduced to zero. In addition, since ink is not a medicine, there is no talk of any healing effect. This is solely about the effect of a tattoo on the body.
But, in addition to the purely physiological side of the issue, there are also cosmetic and moral aspects. What does it mean? Many people have blemishes and damage to their skin. Some people worry a lot about their appearance. How can a tattoo help with this?
Here are some issues that can be resolved with the help of a tattoo applied by a real master in the right place:
- Conceal skin imperfections such as scars, ripples and age spots.
- Conceal birthmarks large sizes. This can be done so skillfully that birthmark will look like an integral part of the tattoo.
- Solve the problem of baldness. You can get a tattoo on your head that will radically change a person’s appearance for the better by replacing missing hair.
- Help a person increase their self-esteem and assert themselves with the help of a bright and provocative tattoo.
Many people attach quite a lot of importance to various symbols and images. They believe that a tattoo with one of these symbols will bring happiness, luck and prosperity. Such faith helps them achieve their goals and find success.
When considering the benefits or harms of tattoos, it is necessary, in addition to the positive aspects, to dwell on back side medals.
Harm of tattoos
As already mentioned, any intervention in the human body does not lead to anything good. Even the use of sterile instruments and high-quality drugs will not protect against unwanted consequences, which can be quite dangerous to health.
Are tattoos harmful to health? This question interests those who first decided to decorate themselves like this. in an original way. Let's consider everything possible options answers to this question.
Here's why tattoos are harmful:
- Durability of application. As a rule, a high-quality tattoo lasts a lifetime. It's very difficult to bring it down. A new tattoo or skin graft may be needed, which may leave scars.
- Possibility of infection. This hazard can be eliminated by using disposable needles and certified ink. The master must be dressed in special clothes. High demands are placed on the premises where the work is carried out. It must be disinfected and thoroughly cleaned.
- Allergic syndrome. Allergies can occur as a reaction of the body to injections and ink. As a rule, no reaction occurs to high-quality reagents.
- Prolonged healing. A similar factor occurs when the rules of tattoo care are violated. The cause may be a tight bandage, irregular washing of the skin, or careless handling of a fresh tattoo. In addition, tight or synthetic clothing It may well seriously rub the skin.
- The appearance of scars due to scratching the skin over the tattoo.
You can avoid unwanted health consequences by using the services of certified salons and strictly following the rules of tattoo care.
Many people are interested in the question of how harmful tattoos can affect human health. Getting a brand new tattoo is a very exciting experience for most people - especially when it has been a long time coming and it seems like a real dream.
Sometimes the post-operative care process does not go as expected, and for some reason a deterioration in well-being may occur. As a result of such circumstances, it is necessary to remove the recently made drawing or eliminate the inflammatory process through surgery.
Are tattoos harmful to health? They can harm human health only if the procedure itself was violated during the application of the drawing or an infection was introduced under the skin. The possibility of an allergic reaction in humans cannot be ruled out.
The harm from a tattoo is not as dangerous as it might seem. You just need to prepare thoroughly. The first step is to find a qualified craftsman with sufficient skills. Then you need to decide on the sizes. If a tattoo is being done for the first time, it is recommended to choose a simple, small design.
Whether this is the first session or the last, you need to carefully prepare for it and follow all the rules of behavior during the procedure itself. Avoid gesturing with your hands or body. This will disrupt the tattoo artist’s work and may lead to unpleasant consequences. It is recommended to always remain motionless and patient, moving only during short breaks when the master allows it.
How to prepare for the procedure?
You need to remember that you should moisturize your skin from the inside with drinking water, but from the outside with a moisturizer.
You should apply a moisturizing lotion once or twice a day for the week leading up to your tattoo day. Keeping the skin hydrated is one of the most important measures as it makes the tattoo artist's job easier. You should not moisturize it immediately before the procedure itself, as this may affect the quality of the drawing.
You need to shave the area where the image will be applied to create the smoothest possible surface to work on. If a person is not used to shaving, then it is very important to do it carefully so as not to damage the skin, otherwise you may not be able to get a tattoo.
A small amount of blonde hair body hair or fuzz will not interfere with the process, but for ideal results it is recommended to have no traces of hair. If, instead of shaving, you choose another method of getting rid of hair - hair removal, it is important to do it long before applying the tattoo. This is due to the fact that during epilation the skin can be damaged, as a result of which it becomes unsuitable for such a procedure.
After shaving, it is important to moisturize your skin to keep it healthy and soft. Avoid using alcohol-based aftershave lotions because they dry out the skin.
This should be done at least once a week.
Removing impurities from the skin pores is another way to make the procedure more comfortable for both the tattoo artist and the client. Exfoliation should be done gently, without irritating the skin, using a loofah or exfoliant. After this procedure, it is necessary to moisturize the skin.
You should also remember that before getting a tattoo, you need to be well prepared for this day. It is advisable to get enough sleep the night before this day. It is recommended to refrain from consuming any alcohol, and especially drugs.
Be sure to eat a healthy, balanced meal before heading to your tattoo appointment. It is not uncommon for people to lose their appetite from nerves and then feel tired.
It may seem that the body is resting while a person is sitting in the tattooist's chair, but it has been established that quite a lot of energy is expended, so there are often cases where the client quickly gets tired and abandons the procedure halfway through.
If the session is long, you can take food with you for a snack.
A snack will come in handy if you feel hungry or want to distract yourself from a particularly uncomfortable part of the tattoo process.
Depending on how long the tattoo is being done, you may want to ask for a short break during long sessions. These breaks are usually not long enough to allow the person to go outside.
What is important to remember during the procedure?
Is it harmful to get carried away with tattoos? In reasonable quantities they are absolutely not harmful.
It is dangerous to health if a person does not prepare in advance for the session, he will violate the rules of personal hygiene and damage his skin.
Tattoos do not heal well on damaged skin, so anything that causes additional damage to the skin should be avoided.
Such factors may be:
- getting a tan;
- use of self-tanning creams;
- sunburn;
- chemical treatment of the body surface;
- any cuts or scratches;
- visiting a bathhouse or sauna;
- swimming in an open pond or public pool.
It is recommended to avoid weightlifting and physical exercise 2 days before the tattoo session. Overexertion of muscles can cause swelling and soreness, which can worsen painful sensations during the session. This may cause the skin to stretch slightly, resulting in a distorted pattern.
Children and infants are not allowed during the procedure as they may cause distractions that could damage the equipment or interrupt the technician's work. It is also important to choose the right clothes. It should be convenient and comfortable, provide easy access to the place where the drawing is directly applied.
You should consult with a specialist in advance regarding the possibility of taking painkillers. But it is strictly forbidden to use alcohol or drugs for this purpose.
While the process lasts, you should not touch this place. The master always works in sterile gloves and pre-treats the body with a special solution; sterile equipment must be used and individual needles must be used.
Depending on how high-quality material the master uses, the client’s health may be in danger, or he can count on complete comfort and safety. Therefore, this fact cannot be overlooked. You should clarify in advance what materials and equipment are used during work, then the process will be safe.
On my part, it would be quite hypocritical to convince you that tattoos will harm your health, infect or kill, since I myself have more than one on my body, and I understand how harmless this process is, if done correctly. A tattoo is something between cosmetic procedure and a medical operation: using a needle, a pigment is injected under the skin, which remains there forever. Therefore, it is worth paying due attention to the risks associated with this process.
If I managed to intimidate or alert you, then I’ll make a reservation right away: most of the risks discussed in this article are reduced to zero if you choose experienced craftsman or a good tattoo parlor. But let's talk about everything in order.
Allergy
The main thing to be wary of before getting a tattoo is an allergic reaction to the pigment. I will say on my own behalf – I am an experienced allergy sufferer, but my body is extremely predisposed to tattoos. As a rule, if you have an allergy, it will be clear almost from the very beginning of the process. Modern paint, which is used in good tattoo parlors, is usually absolutely harmless and hypoallergenic. Therefore, only someone who gets a tattoo from a sleazy friend with a homemade machine for a bottle of beer should be very worried about this.
Infection
If unwanted particles come into contact with an open wound, it causes infection and contamination. The needle will certainly cause some damage to the skin and as a result, dirt or dust can actually get onto the surface, leading to unpleasant consequences. This risk is completely mitigated if:
- Needles, containers with pigment and all equipment used in the process are completely sterile;
- Objects located near the tattoo area (corners of furniture, chair, etc.) are wrapped in cling film;
- The premises are properly maintained: wet cleaning, compliance with sanitary standards, insect prevention, air conditioning;
- The tattoo artist maintains hygiene: gloves, hair tied up, clothes that don’t get dirty.
Improper healing
This problem is perhaps the most common in modern practice. It is extremely rare that a tattoo is in the process of healing, albeit as a result of a violation necessary rules, brings its owner something other than discomfort. Nevertheless, proper care for skin damaged as a result of tattooing is extremely important.
Now let's list the possible consequences:
- Infection as a result of premature contact with clothing and bacteria entering inflamed skin.
- Inflammation as a result of rubbing with synthetic or woolen fabric until the skin is completely restored.
- Welts and scars as a result of scratching and picking at the crust that forms at the tattoo site.
- Mechanical damage, scratches on the tattoo area.
- Fading of paint as a result of significant exposure to ultraviolet radiation.
- Slow or painful healing due to weakened immunity (illness, alcohol, poor diet).
All this can be easily avoided by following the simple recommendations that we wrote about in the next article. I would like to add that the most important and the most dangerous risk for any tattoo owner is poor quality work. It is the bad choice of the artist or the ill-conceived idea of a tattoo picture that often serves as the main reasons for disappointment.
So that you understand what we are talking about, below are works that it is difficult to be proud of, both for those who were the authors of the ideas and for the artists who had a hand in their implementation. Take a responsible approach to choosing a tattoo artist, follow simple rules, and enjoy the excellent results of your work!
The first thing you need to find out is what brand of paint is used. Often cheap paints can be used more harmful components, and are also more dispersive, which does not contribute to fast healing. Often, modern tattoo inks use components such as oxides of iron, copper, etc. Polymer particles can also be used. It is the presence of these components that scares people. First, let's take a closer look at the composition of primary color paints.
- Black - quality black paint is made from organic raw materials. Most often it is soot (amorphous carbon). Formed by burning wood, bones, etc. The most important source of black pigment is logwood, which is very expensive. Cheaper black paints are made from iron oxide and magnetite crystals.
- Red - the safest way to produce red pigment is to use naphthol, synthesized from naphtha. Then there is the option of using iron oxides (rust) and the most toxic method is the use of cinnabar and cadmium.
- The orange pigment is also created on the basis of cadmium; an alternative is iron sulfide. Organic ink has good stability.
- Yellow - as a raw material for yellow color use organic or inorganic compounds. Turmeric (plant), ocher, chromium oxide. Brighter paints contain more pigment and therefore carry more risk.
- Green - this color pigment is obtained using chromium oxide, lead chromate or crushed malachite. It happens when green color form a mixture of yellow and blue pigments.
- Blue - the main raw materials are cobalt oxide and lapis lazuli. Preference should be given to various copper compounds. They are stable and safer.
- Purple - this mysterious color is produced from manganese pyrophosphate and aluminum salts. The main disadvantage is poor light resistance.
- White - the raw materials for the production of white are compounds such as zinc oxide, barium sulfate, lead carbonate, etc. Pigments based on titanium oxide are also used.
As you can see, almost all paints use pigments based on oxides of various metals. How harmful can the use of such tattoo inks be to health? 
The sludge of a tattoo machine carries the paint into the skin to a depth of about 3 mm, into the dermis. The pigment remains in this layer of skin for decades. This means that a minimal amount of the substance enters the bloodstream, otherwise the tattoos would wash out much faster. You can consider the amount of substance entering the blood so minimal that you don’t think about any serious consequences from tattoos. Although it is impossible to completely deny possible harm.
How to reduce possible harm from pigments.
If you are getting a tattoo for the first time, you should not suddenly start painting over large volumes. Make one small tattoo first, even if you are planning to get a large tattoo on the whole body, it can be applied in parts with breaks. This will allow the body to adapt and develop an immune response to foreign substances. There is an opinion that tattoos make the immune system stronger over time. Since the body, thanks to foreign pigments, is always on the alert.
Only get tattoos when good salons, where they don’t save on good colors and needles.
Pay special attention to hygiene. It is important that the room is clean, the instrument is sterile, and the technician is experienced. Since the harm from infection is much greater than the potential effect from the composition of the paints.
Worry less.People have been doing tattoos for a long time and sometimes even on the whole body, and as we see, they are alive and healthy. Much more harm is caused to us by exhaust fumes from cars, poor diet and various drugs, from mild ones such as caffeine to the most sophisticated and difficult options. So, most likely you have points on which you can improve your health. Tattoos, of course, won’t add to it, but the harm from them is so low that it’s not worth worrying about this problem.
As a last resort, if you are still seriously concerned about the harm from a tattoo, but your soul still asks. No one is forcing you to fill up your entire body. You can choose such as geometry or minimalism, where the amount of paint will be minimal, and at the same time the drawing can be quite interesting and beautiful.
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