In the recent years, popularity of tattoo and body piercings has increased tremendously. Having body piercings or tattoos, expresses your personality to the world. If you are considering getting your body tattooed or pierced there are some health and healing related issues that you should understand before going ahead with it.
Body modification is a big decision. Therefore you should ask other people who have been pierced or tattooed about the whole experience before deciding. It is also a good idea to consult your medical advisor who is aware of your medical conditions and who can predict if anything could interfere with your healing process or cause any harmful after effects.
Always keep in mind that there is possible health risk involved with procedure. Tattooing and piercing break the skin and form open wounds which can cause infections, allergic reactions, bleeding. Infections may be caused by hepatitis, tetanus, bacteria, yeast, or even HIV if the equipments used are not sterilized.
If you have made up your mind to get a piercing or tattoo, make sure you check out different artists, see examples of their work and also inspect their working environment. Look for a safe, reputable studio with clean area. Hygiene and safety standards should be maintained. Make sure the artist you choose is an experienced professional. Also get detailed info about after-care and understand the instructions before going ahead with the procedure.
Check if the studio uses an autoclave, equipment used to sterile necessary tools. Needles and other sharp object should be new and opened from package before the procedure. Do not let them use piercing guns as they cannot be sterilized and should not be used for body piercing. The studio staff should wear new latex gloves during each procedure. Ink container should also be disposable one; ink should never be taken from used container. Select the jewellery for piercing carefully, make sure that you are not allergic to the metal and it is of ‘‘implant grade” quality.
Tattoos take a couple of weeks to heal. Before you leave the studio, discuss aftercare instructions with the staff. Regularly wash the tattoo area with a mild antibacterial soap. Healing time for piercings is different. A piercing can take few weeks to several months to heal depending on the part of your body that is pierced. Some parts are more likely to have problems. Always wash your hands before touching or cleaning the pierced area.
If you suspect infection, consult a doctor because untreated infections can lead to further problems. Symptoms may include redness and burning in the tattoo area beyond the normal healing period or discharge of yellow or green pus deep, dark redness, swelling in the piercing area.
Your first priority should always be to care of your body. Putting yourself in unnecessary risk just to follow a fashion trend is not a wise decision. Therefore, you should always be careful about the risks involved in getting a tattoo or body piercing.
SusanC
