What You Should Know Before You Get A Tattoo

Before getting a tattoo or a body piercing find out what all the risks are and how to get rid of the tattoo or body piercing if you no longer want it.

A tattoo may only take a few minutes to get but it can last a lifetime. Tattoos are permanent. They are designs put on your skin with pigments injected into the top layer of your skin with needles.

Here is how tattoos are created: A needle is connected to an apparatus with tubes which contain dye. These needles pierce the skin multiple times kind of like a sewing machine but on your skin. The needle inserts tiny drops of ink creating the tattoo. Tattoos can hurt and a large tattoo can take up to several hours to create. The tattoo may even bleed

What are the downsides of getting a tattoo?

You are piercing your skin so you may be a risk for more skin infections if you get a tattoo or piercing.

If you get a tattoo you put yourself at risk for getting blood related diseases. If the machine the tattoo artist uses you can you can get hepatitis C, hepatitis B, tetanus, tuberculosis and even HIV.

If you use red ink in your tattoos you may get a rash with bumps.

Tattoos can also lead to bacterial infections. The symptoms are redness, warmth, swelling and pus.

Again if you use red ink in your tattoo this can cause allergic reactions that can last for years.

Your tattoo will also require cleaning and maintenance. Your tattoo artist will give you instructions on how to clean and maintain your tattoo. You should apply skin care products and avoid too much exposure to the sun for your tattoo. Especially in the beginning.

Tattoos takes several days to heal. Do not pick at the tattoo. Give the tattoo time to heal properly.

What if you want to get rid of your tattoo? This is very common.

Tattoo removal is difficult and often still leaves scars and skin discolorations.

Laser surgery if the best way to get rid of a tattoo. Laser beams penetrate the top layer of the skin and the light is accepted by the tattoo. This method may demand up to 10 treatments over a period of a year and even then the tattoo might not completely disappear.

Another method of tattoo removal is called Dermabrasion. The tattoo is frozen until the skin is numb then the skin is sanded down. This method does not hurt very much but it usually leaves a scar.

You can also remove that tattoo surgically but this invariably leaves a scar.