Do tattoos affect your organs?

Some of the substances most commonly found in tattoo ink can cause serious harm. Mercury is a neurotoxin, meaning it can damage the brain and nervous system and lead to physical and psychological disorders. Lead causes organ and tissue damage, and affects the heart, bones, intestines, kidneys, and reproductive system.

Do tattoos cause health problems?

Tattoos breach the skin, which means that skin infections and other complications are possible, including: Allergic reactions. Tattoo dyes — especially red, green, yellow and blue dyes — can cause allergic skin reactions, such as an itchy rash at the tattoo site. This can occur even years after you get the tattoo.

Does tattoo ink affect your liver?

Are tattoos bad for your liver? Tattoo ink may get accumulated in the liver and kidneys over a prolonged period of time but as such does not directly affect the liver. Indirectly, tattoos may cause severe liver damage due to hepatitis infection.

Can tattoo ink affect your kidneys?

Toxins in some tattoo inks may enter the kidneys, lungs or lymph nodes through the circulatory system, according to Michele Van Vranken, a physician at Teenage Medical Service in Minneapolis, Minn.

Do tattoos affect your health long term?

One long-term effect of getting inked: microscopic ink particles can seep past your skin and get into other parts of your body. A new study sounds the alarm. When you think about the health risks of getting a tattoo, problems that reveal themselves right away come to mind—like infections and allergic reactions.

The dangers of tattoo ink traveling throughout your body



Does tattoo shorten your life?

Having a tattoo may mean an earlier death, says a new report in the American Journal of Clinical Pathology. Investigators compared the deaths of people with and without tattoos and found that people with tattoos appeared to die earlier than people without (mean age of death: tattooed: 39yrs; nontattooed: 53yrs).

Is tattoo ink toxic to the body?

“Tattoo inks and permanent make up (PMU) may contain hazardous substances -- for example, substances that cause cancer, genetic mutations, toxic effects on reproduction, allergies or other adverse effects on health,” an ECHA statement reads.

Do tattoos cause earlier death?

Conclusions: Persons with tattoos appear to die earlier than those without. There may be an epiphenomenon between having tattoos and risk-taking behavior such as drug or alcohol use. A negative tattoo may suggest a predisposition to violent death but is eclipsed by the presence of any tattoo.

What happens to your brain when you get a tattoo?

The rush of adrenaline and endorphins you feel while being tattooed might also increase your desire for more. Many people enjoy these and other feelings associated with getting a tattoo, but these feelings don't represent an addiction in the clinical sense. There's no mental health diagnosis of tattoo addiction.

Do tattoos affect your brain?

Tattoo Inks Carry Carcinogenic Nanoparticles

It has been proven that black tattoo ink carries these particles in the smallest size, and white ink carries them in the largest size. These nanoparticles can be carcinogenic, causing damage to the brain or the nervous system.

How common is hep C from tattoos?

In short, the study found that people with hepatitis C were almost four times more likely to have tattoos. This study did not prove causality but did control for other risk factors such as intravenous drug use.

What should I avoid after tattoo?

List of foods you should avoid
  • Ready-made juices and sodas;
  • Fried foods and fast food, such as chips, pastries and french fries.
  • Fast food.
  • Pork and processed meats such as fresh and smoked sausage, ham, bacon, mortadella and salami;
  • Sweets, stuffed biscuits, cakes, ready-made cakes, chocolates, cereal bars;


Can you get a kidney infection from a tattoo?

Infections caused by contamination of the skin with tattoo placement can spread to the kidney and cause damage to the kidney. This should be considered by her physicians at the hospital.

Are tattoos cancerous?

While there is no direct connection between tattoos and skin cancer, there are some ingredients in tattoo ink that may be linked to cancer. When it comes to cancer, black ink can be especially dangerous because it contains a very high level of benzo(a)pyrene.

Can you get a blood clot from a tattoo?

A 35-year-old died from a blood clot in his lung just days after a new tattoo on his leg became infected, an inquest has heard.

Why am I so tired after a tattoo?

Thanks to the fast work of your white blood cells, your adrenaline increases, which can increase your heart rate. This alone can make you feel dizzy and weak since your body is in a 'fight or flight' mode; it is being attacked by a tattoo needle thousands of times, so the reaction is pretty normal.

Why do drug addicts have tattoos?

Results of the present study contribute to a deeper understanding of the new meaning of tattoos, they no longer represent personality traits, they rather have the function of reinforcing beliefs about how to perceive oneself, this happens especially in drug addicts in which the presence of tattoos reinforces the ...

Why do I feel sick after a tattoo?

Some people feel psyched about their new tattoo, while others might feel sick. If you're feeling a bit under the weather after getting some new ink, you might be experiencing “tattoo flu.” Usually mild and quick to pass, this post tattoo flu-like illness is a common result of your body's natural defenses saying “Whoa!

Do tattoos affect your heart?

If you are at risk of endocarditis , you should avoid piercing and be very careful if you get a tattoo. During the tattooing and piercing process you risk bacteria entering your blood stream, which will then continue to your heart.

Do tattoos compromise your immune system?

Getting inked multiple times makes you tougher in more ways than one. According to a study from the University of Alabama, getting multiple tattoos can actually strengthen your immune system.

Can u donate blood with tattoo?

But, you'll need to wait four months to give blood or platelets, no matter how big or small the tattoo is — that means cosmetic tattoos, too. Ear piercing: You can only donate plasma for the first 24 hours after having it done. After that, you can donate blood or platelets too.

Do tattoos put heavy metals in your body?

Some ink also contains animal fat as the carrier, as well as gelatin and beetles. Heavy metals are often present in colored inks. Colored inks can contain lead, cadmium, chromium, nickel, and titanium. These metals can trigger allergic reactions and potentially lead to disease.

How long does tattoo flu last?

Although it can sometimes take around 8 weeks for the wound to fully heal, these symptoms should not last more than 2 weeks. Infection may be present if a person experiences: swelling that does not go down after 48 hours.

What is the safest tattoo color?

Black remains safest. Blue and green inks with copper phthalocyanine pigments are safe too.

Do tattoos hurt more as you get older?

Age and weight

Older skin may be more likely to bruise or feel pain than younger skin. Heavier people may have looser skin, which could also be more sensitive to tattoos.