- Main risks of tattooing
- Care when getting a tattoo
- Henna tattoo also has risks
- Is henna a natural substance?
Getting a tattoo can be a risky decision for health because the inks used can be toxic, and depending on the tattoo artist and environmental conditions, there may not be the necessary hygiene for the procedure, increasing the risk of infections.
Red, orange and yellow inks are the most dangerous because they contain azole compounds that disintegrate when exposed to the sun, spreading through the body and may increase the risk of cancer. The green and blue colors in metallic tones contain nickel and, therefore, can cause contact allergy, being prohibited in many cosmetics and jewelry. Already the black color, despite having less risks, contains toxic substances such as carbon black , based on petroleum, tar and rubber, which increase toxins in the body, facilitating the appearance of diseases.
Despite this, the risks of the tattoo can be reduced by getting the tattoo with a known and qualified professional who has good equipment, inks and hygiene conditions.
Main risks of tattooing
The main risks of getting a tattoo include:
- Allergic reaction to the ink used, which can appear even after many years of the tattoo; Itching, inflammation and local peeling when the region is exposed to the sun; Formation of keloids that are ugly scars with raised and swelling; diseases such as Hepatitis B or C, AIDS or Staphylococcus aureus , if the material used is not disposable.
In addition, small droplets of the ink can spread throughout the body through the lymphatic circulation, and these consequences are not yet fully understood. Facilitating the development of cancer is a possibility, however, as cancer can take several years to manifest, it becomes difficult to prove the direct link between the cancer and the tattoo.
The risks of using these paints exist because these substances, despite being regulated by Anvisa, cannot be classified as medicines or cosmetics, which makes their regulation and studies difficult. Another important factor is that in addition to the lack of studies on the effects of tattoos on humans, in the short, medium and long term, animal testing is not allowed.
Care when getting a tattoo
To reduce the risk of developing any of these complications, it is important to take some precautions such as:
- Require that all material is new and disposable, avoiding materials that are sterilized and reused; Prefer small, black tattoos; Do not get a tattoo over spots or stains, as this can make it difficult to see any change in the size, shape or color of the spot; Apply a healing ointment or antibiotic cream after it is done and for 15 days; Apply a good layer of sunscreen, whenever exposed to the sun, to protect the skin and prevent the tattoo from fading; Do not go to the beach or pool in the first 2 months to reduce the risk of infections; Do not donate blood for 1 year after the tattoo .
When observing any change in the skin at the tattoo site, you should go to the doctor to perform tests and start the appropriate treatment, which may include the use of medications to control the symptoms or the disease that may have arisen and the removal of the tattoo. See how laser treatment is done to remove the tattoo.
Henna tattoo also has risks
Getting a henna tattoo is also a choice that can put your health at risk because, just like in the black ink of the definitive tattoo, in the case of black henna , signs and symptoms of allergy can also appear, such as:
- Itching, redness, blemish, blisters or discoloration of the skin at the tattoo site; Red spots can spread throughout the body that usually appear within 12 days.
In this case, one should go to the dermatologist to start the treatment, which consists of removing the tattoo and applying creams and lotions such as corticosteroids on the spot. After resolving the allergy, the henna tattoo site can be permanently marked, in high relief, or the skin may be lighter or darker throughout the outline of the design.
Is henna a natural substance?
Henna is a dye from a plant called Lawsonia inermis sp, which after being dried is reduced to powder. This powder is mixed with a paste that allows a better application of the product on the skin, having a color closer to brown. Thus, henna tattoos are generally more natural and, therefore, have less risk of allergic reaction.
However, to achieve a black henna color, other substances are added, such as the synthetic dye paraphenylenediamine (PPD). The darker the color, the more additives the paint contains and, therefore, the greater the risk of allergies because it can no longer be considered a natural product.
Thus, the tattoos that have less risk to health are the natural henna tattoos , which have a coloration closer to brown, with a slight reddish tone and which are the tattoos made by indigenous tribes, for example. However, these are not definitive and need to be touched up over time.
