Tattoos, they are on the rise! I must have to deal with a new tattoo at least once a week. I think it has to do with the expression “express yourself”. I always preach the dangers of tattooing and the permanence of the procedure to my students.

I never dreamed that a son of mine would ever have a tattoo. BUT, this summer at the shore I was sitting with my brother on the beach while all three of my sons. They were swimming and kayaking in the ocean. All of a sudden I noticed something on Matthew’s back between his shoulder blades. I said to my brother, “Is that a tattoo on Matthew’s back”? He said, “It looks like it”. I then mumbled something like “I’m going to kill him!

Needless to say he is still alive and I still love him as much as I did before but I was upset for some time. Now that I’ve rambled about my personal struggle with tattoos I will elaborate on the medical struggle with tattoos
Our biggest and best barrier against infection is our skin. Tattooing requires that a needle punctures through this barrier and injects dye into the skin. Not only does this open you up to a bacterial infection, hepatitis A or B, or HIV but there is also the possibility of an allergic reaction to the dyes.

It is of utmost importance to find a reputable, certified tattoo artist who autoclaves his/her equipment and uses fresh needles, tubes, dyes, gloves etc. Boiling the needles or soaking the equipment in disinfectant will not kill the bacteria. You can contact your local health department as they regulate these facilities and they can tell you if there have been any citations or complaints made. Also, talk to them about health issues that you are concerned about.

Wash the Tattoo with soap and water-do not use a washcloth or anything abrasive, (your hand will work well). Gently pat it dry with a towel or paper towel. There are several ointments that I have seen for aftercare. Apply ointment that was recommended for moisturizing. In my office I use A & D ointment because I do not have a written prescription for anything else. I also recently read that you should not use Neosporin due to frequent allergic reactions but Bacitracin is good. The healing process may take several days. Do not pick off scabs as this will cause scarring and increase the chance of infection.

Signs and symptoms of infection include redness, swelling, warmth and purulent drainage.. There are also other disorders such as granulomas (Small bumps or growths), and keloids (raised red scarring). See a physician immediately if these symptoms occur.