If you get ink done, you want to show it off to everyone. Tattoos have become a part of our culture and a symbol of self-expression. While everyone knows there are risks involved when getting a tattoo, no one talks about the long-term effects of tattooing. Read on to learn about the long-term effects of tattooing.

Bloodborne Diseases & Infections

There’s a reason why there are blood donation restrictions for those who have recently gotten a tattoo. When you get a tattoo, your blood is at risk for contamination from the needle. While some tattoo parlors adhere to health regulations, others might let a few things slip. You might run the risk of becoming infected with Staphylococcus aureus and hepatitis B and hepatitis C. There’s also no telling how the ink will affect people with weaker immune systems if they’re not aware of allergies or other conditions.

Medical Errors

You already know there are some blood and infection-related risks with tattoos, but did you ever think it could affect you getting an MRI? Tattoos have been known to interfere with MRI screenings. The metal-based ink can interfere with the magnetic resonance. This could cause the images to be distorted. A case study also found MRI burns caused by the metal pigments in tattoos. Not only do tattoos interfere with MRIs, they can also prevent early skin cancer detection. It might be difficult for someone to spot skin abnormalities over their tattoos.

Ink Toxicity

Do you know what your tattoo’s ink is made of? If you’ve never looked into this before getting ink done, you might be surprised to learn some tattoo inks have toxic components. Some inks have been known to contain carcinogenic compounds which can be dangerous to your long-term health.

Aesthetic Changes

On top of the long-term side effects of tattoos listed above, there are also some aesthetic changes. You can expect tattoos to change over time. As your skin ages and stretches, this will have an impact on your tattoos. Tattoos are also prone to fading over the years. The fading will depend on the location of the tattoos, size, and color. Also, as skin gets dry with age, it could also affect the appearance of the tattoo. Not to mention the meaning of your tattoo could change as you become more mature. You might not feel the same way about an inspirational quote you got 15 years ago.

The Removal Process

Everyone knows tattoos are forever, but in the back of our mind, we know they can be removed. If you get a tattoo and end up regretting it, like many people do, you must know getting it removed is an option that can take care of the unwanted tattoo.

Long-Term Effects of Tattooing: The Bottom Line

Before you decide to get ink done, it’s important to know all of the long-term effects of tattooing. While some people don’t experience anything, others might be prone to infections, ink toxicity, and medical errors.