So, you’ve decided to get inked. Spirit animals, partner names, a pretty butterfly emerging from its cocoon that’s somehow symbolic of your life—you’ve decided to take your relationship with said person, animal, or thing all the way with an all too permanent mark on yourself.
Go for it!
But only after you read the potential downsides of getting tatted.
Hygiene says hello
Getting a tattoo is a huge deal. It tears through the layers of your skin to make a pretty permanent mark. So your first concern needs to be hygiene. Because if you get it done at a studio that’s careless about their needles, your skin will bear the brunt with a red (literally) carpet rolled out for infections.
Beware of streetside tattoo ‘studios’ that don’t prioritise hygiene. The tattoo may be cheap but you’ll pay for it in other ways.
Your skin is NOT a canvas as much as you would like to think so. Would you like a one-way, all-expenses paid VIP ticket to the land of skin infections? No? Then get inked at the right studio, please. Contaminated ink, non-sterilised tools or even bad technique can cause a host of problems.
That’s why getting inked shouldn’t be a spontaneous decision. And red and irritated skin isn’t the only thing at risk. Potential complications from shared needles include HIV, Hepatitis B/C, Herpes, Tuberculosis, bacterial Infections and skin sarcomas.
Tattoos don’t always age well
A fresh tattoo is always spick and span. But with time, the ink spreads and colours fade. Sure, a good tattoo artist can make your tattoo last longer but ageing is inevitable. As your skin gets older, the colours and shape of your tattoo will also change ever so slightly.
And here’s something you don’t hear very often—removing coloured tattoos is tougher than removing solid colours like black or blue.
Trust me, as someone who has tattoos, my advice to you would be to wait until you’re 25 or older to ink yourself. When you’re a quarter of a century old, your brain is fully matured too. So instead of an impulsive tattoo at 19, do your skin a favour, allow your tastes to mature and get inked after 25.
Speaking of maturity, tattoo regret is not an uncommon phenomenon.
Tattoos don’t account for the frivolity of our relationships, unfortunately. Laser removal, on the other hand, does. Laser removal comes at you with the full knowledge of how much getting that name/date is worth to you. Not to mention, the physical pain you will experience.
So, at the end of the day, you’re left with a sad wallet and physical pain.
Still want to get a tattoo?
Here’s another consideration—career. If you’re planning on joining a serious, no-nonsense job like the Air Force or Police, think ahead.
In my 13 years of experience I’ve had a lot of patients come to me to sadly (and painfully) part ways with their tattoos because of workplace regulations.
A world of complications
It’s not just these emotional side effects, medical side effects are all too common too.
Allergic reactions: Tattoos, if not done properly, can fill your skin with itchy and angry rashes, especially if the tattoo has red ink.
Granulomas and keloids: Granuloma is basically an inflammatory reaction that your body gives off in response to a foreign object. Keloids are nothing but thick scar tissues. Both are unpleasant post-tat companions.
If you go ahead with your tattoo plans and something seems off, then like I always say, consult your trusted dermatologist immediately. They will be a better guide than Google on “Why is my tattoo area burning?”
The aftercare
Here are my tips for a clean post-tattoo infection-free aftercare—I call it MASK:
- Moisturise
- Avoid the sun
- Say no to swimming
- Keep it clean
Ideally, your tattoo artist should be the one giving you a proper breakdown of tattoo aftercare—and if they don’t, that’s your cue to get out.
When it comes to tattoos, play it safe. Pick a design that brings you joy and matches your vibe and ONLY go to a tattoo studio that practises hygiene like they invented it.
Let me leave you with this—FOMO is easier to deal with than a bad tattoo.
Dr Deepali Bhardwaj is a Consultant Dermatologist, Max Hospital, Saket. She is also an anti-allergy specialist, laser surgeon and internationally trained aesthetician. She tweets @dermatdoc. Views are personal.
(Edited by Theres Sudeep)
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