Tattoos: How safe are they and how do I reduce my risk of any complications?

Detailed summary

Chemist at New York’s Binghamton University, John Swierk, said the scientific community is not at a point to say tattoos are “definitively” safe or unsafe. The research now being…

Once a form of rebellion hidden under your sleeve, tattoos are now commonplace.

Research in 2019 found that approximately 35 per cent of the Irish population had a tattoo, and that figure is unlikely to have dropped in recent years. That would mean more than 2.5 million people on the island have a tattoo.

However, despite their growing popularity, there’s a lot scientists don’t know about how tattoos interact with the body.

When you get a tattoo, an artist uses needles to deposit ink 1-3mm into your skin. This process – and the ink itself – can cause reactions, including immune responses and bacterial infections. Some researchers are also studying whether tattoos can cause longer-term complications, such as cancer.

Chemist at New York’s Binghamton University, John Swierk, said the scientific community is not at a point to say tattoos are “definitively” safe or unsafe.

The research now being conducted, he said, is a step toward those answers.

In 2015, the Department of Health published its first draft guidelines for tattoo and body piercing parlours.

It said it was in response to the big increase in the number of people in Ireland getting tattoos. “Tattooing and body piercing is performed without incident in the vast majority of cases, but it’s important that customers understand the nature of procedures, and also the risks involved.”

Here’s what experts know about the risk of complications and how to avoid them.

Opening of the article, excerpted from The Irish Times. To read the rest, open the article on the publisher's site.