Teenagers are the worst affected. With tattoos being the symbol of the characteristic teenage rebellion, the CDC reports that one in every four teenager has an STD. Americans report 20 million cases each year, half of them are in the 15 to 20 age group!
When one hears the words STD or Sexually Transmitted Diseases, the thought that comes to mind is that they are transmitted by unsafe sexual practices.
You may not be entirely wrong if you think so. However, the group STD doesn’t only contain those diseases that are transmitted by unsafe sex like gonorrhea, syphilis or HIV/AIDS. They also contain diseases that are blood-borne and may be contacted through transmission of infected blood and through use of contaminated syringes and needles. This includes hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV/AIDS again.
And tattooing is one of the major causes for the spread of these STDs!
Tattooing is an art where the tattoo artist uses a handheld machine with a needle in it. He makes holes in the top layer of your skin and makes a design and fills it with ink of various colors. He does not use anesthesia and there may be mild to significant amount of pain and some amount of bleeding as well.
So if the person, who was tattooed before you, was infected with an STI and the same needle is used for you, chances of you getting the same STI are very high.
Getting a tattoo or your body pierced is an individual decision. With awareness levels increasing, tattoo parlors are becoming safer these days. In any case, it is always safe to ensure that the safety norms are being followed before you get yourself tattooed from a particular place!
Just ask yourself the following questions when you go to get the tattoo:
- Is he/she a professional tattoo artist?
- Is the tattoo artist wearing gloves?
- Is he using fresh disposable needles from sealed packs and fresh inks for every client?
- Is he burning or cutting the needle before disposing it?
- Is he using sterilized or autoclaved equipments when they are non-disposable?
- Does he use disinfectant to clean his studio – the door-handles, sinks, table drawers?
If you have answered YES to all the questions, you can go ahead with your tattoo safely.
