Long-Term Effects of Tattooing Your Body | Starwood Med Spa (2024)

FAQs

What are the long term effects of tattoos? ›

Superficial and deep local infections, systemic infections, allergic reactions, photodermatitis, granulomatous reactions and lichenoid reactions may occur. Skin diseases localised on the tattooed area, such as eczema, psoriasis, lichen planus, and morphea can be occasionally seen.

When you get a tattoo, the ink is inserted via needle into the dermis (the second layer of skin). Your body sees this ink as a foreign invader, and activates the immune system to seek out and destroy the unfamiliar material.

Granulomas and Keloids

In some people, tattoo ink may cause the formation of granulomas, small knots, or bumps that appear around the tattoo. More severe skin reactions could lead to keloids - overgrowths of scar tissue.

A neglected potential danger is the ink used for tattoo designs. They are often derived from toxic heavy metals, including mercury and lead, or dyes called azo pigments. Many of these are known carcinogens. Tiny ink particles can enter the bloodstream and lymphatic system, potentially even migrating to the liver.

There are several pros to getting a tattoo, such as self-expression, artistry, and confidence-boosting. However, there are also cons to consider, including the permanence of tattoos, potential health risks, and the possibility of regretting a tattoo in the future.

Titanium dioxide was found in the liver, spleen, and lungs, and red and black tattoo ink particles were found in the liver. This slow release could lead to a constant low-dose internal exposure to these substances, which may not be detectable with current measurement techniques.

The consensus is no. Some researchers have argued that tattoos may be boosting the immune system. Anthropologists from the University of Alabama likened getting tattoos to going to the gym – each workout strengthens the body.

Considering that some tattoo inks have the same hardcore ingredients used in printing and car paint, the answer is unsurprising: chemicals that cause cancer. Tattoo pigment can contain heavy metals like mercury, cadmium, lead and arsenic. Also in the mix: polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and aromatic amines.

Sarcoidosis, an autoimmune disease that can affect the skin and other organs, sometimes first appears with bumps at the site of a tattoo, she says. Infections are more common within the first couple of days or weeks of getting a tattoo, Dr.

What happens to your cells when you get a tattoo? ›

Macrophages rush to the site of the tattoo to clean up the foreign ink particles. Some of these cells make it back to the liver to get rid of the ink waste while others hang around the site of the tattoo. Since these cells can't dissolve the ink pigment, the ink remains visible through the skin.

Minor weight fluctuations throughout your lifetime are normal and not likely to stretch a tattoo to the point of altering its appearance. The chance of stretching a tattoo might increase if you gain a significant amount of weight quickly. Even then, any changes to the appearance should be minimal.

Such risks include allergic reactions, skin infections, and keloid scarring. Talk with your tattoo artist about your concerns before getting new ink. Any significant reactions post-tattooing should be looked at by a doctor.

On the basis of clinicopathological observations of 26 patients with tattooing and liver diseases, it can be concluded that tattooing might be an important route of infection for hepatitis viruses including both the B type and non-A, non-B type, which can lead to chronic inflammatory liver diseases.

While it's true that some tattoo inks have been found to contain metals like mercury, lead, and arsenic, many reputable manufacturers now produce inks that are free of these harmful elements. The industry has seen a significant shift towards the use of safer, non-toxic pigments.

The article “A Tattoo Won't Hurt Your Job Prospects,” by Alison Beard in Harvard Business Law shares that today, there is no longer a negative correlation between the job force and tattoos.

Repeated exposure to UVB rays and the effects of sunburn on your tattoos can create fading and damage to their appearance. UVA rays are also damaging to tattoos as they penetrate deeper layers of our skin, and have long-lasting consequences for tattoos including premature aging, wrinkles and sagginess.

Researchers from the University of Alabama found that people who have extensive tattoos appear to have a higher amount of immune cells, such as antibodies, in their blood. They then concluded that frequent tattooing could act as training for the immune system.

Tattoo inks are not classified as pharmaceutical or cosmetic. The body is directly exposed to the toxic substances contained in the ink due to the injection of tattoo ink into the skin. Pigments may accumulate in the lymph nodes or other organs as they are in direct contact with the skin tissue and lymphatic system.