Yes you heard that right !!! you can get the risk of skin cancer from tattoos. Getting inked has always found place in our bucket list of “ 30 things before turning 30” , since our high school , but, do we really know how a tattoo reacts to our body , how good or bad tattoo is for our skin.
Now if we look back in time , this concept of getting inked or a tattoo was very much nominal in our grandma’s era when we saw their names or basic details inked on their hands. This was a mere practice which was still not a trend during that era.
With the manifold of age and time , things changed and we now consider getting a tattoo as a very trendy thing to follow. Roughly 38% of people ages 18 – 29 are now at least have one tattoo .
So , that common this has been nowadays. No doubt , this industry is a creative one , but do we actually know as to how the mechanism of a tattoo works
When we go for a tattoo , the artist pierces the needle to the second layer of our skin and then moves the needle as the design flows , this is the primary function of a tattoo machine, Once it has been drawn on the second layer of the skin , it is left to be absorbed by our cells leaving a long lasting design on it. This is how the formula of a tattoo works.
Now , if we look at some of the facts regarding tattoos then :-
1. The inks used in tattoos contain pigments that are often derived from heavy metals.
2. There is a concern that these toxins could raise the risk of cancer , DNA damage , inflammation , oxidative stress and weakening immune function.
3. A 2018 review of the medical literature found at least 64 reported cases of tattoo associated skin cancer in humans.
Now these facts might look grim to you but now the ball is really in your court . We cannot deny the fact that getting a tattoo is not totally risk free or we are not absolutely safe from having skin cancer , But , if we look at the glass half full side , then we can consider that these risks can be put at bay if we take good care and be precautions before getting a tattoo like :-
1. Getting a tattoo from a good tattoo artist who follow the proper hygiene which is required.
2. Taking care of the inked part of the skin can help in preventing the risk :-
a. Moisturizing the area after getting a tattoo
b. Look for any allergy if starting, consult your dermatologist.
c. Keep it safe from dirt and pollution to avoid any infection , the skin gets vulnerable and exposed for that particular time period.
3. Understand your skin needs and then only take the decision of getting a tattoo.
4. Keep the tattooed skin clean. This will help the ink to retain its chemical and thereby prevent the risk of getting exposed more, making it more vulnerable for damage and diseases
5. Avoid sun exposure. Direct sun exposure makes the tattoo area more prone to various infections and diseases.
6. Avoid swimming. Giving exposure to the tattoo to the water may increase your chances to attracting more skin related diseases.
7. choosing clothing carefully. Choosing a garment which sticks directly to the tattoo may cause irritation and make it more prone to skin related diseases.
QUESTIONS TO BE KEPT IN MIND BEFORE GETTING INKED !!!
1. DOES THE TATTOO ARTIST WEAR GLOVES ??
Wearing proper gloves before starting a tattoo makes the whole procedure more hygienic and safe. One needs to check before going to a tattoo artist if it makes sure to follow proper hygiene or not.
2. DOES THE TATTOO ARTIST USE PROPER EQUIPMENT ??
Usage of proper tattoo equipment is the most essential thing to be looked for before going for a tattoo. The use of right and hygienic equipment prevents the inked area from catching any sort of infection and allergy.
3. DOES THE TATTOO ARTIST STERIALISE NON-DISPOSABLE EQUIPMENT ??
Sterilizing is an important step as it helps in killing all the germs which the non-disposable equipment might catch and lead to diseases like skin cancer.
DERMATOLOGISTS TAKE ON RISK OF GETTING A SKIN CANCER FROM TATTOOS
Dermatologists believe that tattoos do not increase the prevelance of skin cancer. The patients who have Melanoma or another form of skin cancer , the inks used in tattoos have not been shown to increase their risk of recurrence.
If you get a tattoo , make sure it is placed far from any mole or other spot that is changing or that concerns you. This is especially important for people who have multiple moles or atypical mole syndrome, since they are at increased risk of developing melanoma.
WHAT IS MELANOMA ?
Melanoma is a form of cancer that begins in melanocytes – cells that make a pigment most responsible for skin colour and for tanning . Each year more than 75000 Americans are diagnosed with melanoma and more than 9000 die from it.
Tattoos may make it difficult to evaluate moles. Tattoo ink can hide suspicious changes in moles. Ink can also seep into underlying tissues and mimic the spread of metastatic melanoma.
Also, recent studies have shown that metal nano particles inside tattoo inks have the potential to cause DNA damage , tiny nano particles from the ink can enter the bloodstream and spread to the lymphatic system and the liver.
They may increase the risk of some cancers and contribute to dangerous chronic inflammation oxidative stress and weakening of the immune function.
At the end of the day , the discretion is upon you whether to go for the trend or not. But one needs to play safe as the ink might cause trouble to you. Having a tattoo might make one look like a hippie who craves only for some windy air and a hot cup of tea, but do not let this hippie inside you get unleashed until and unless you take proper steps of hygiene and care in order to make your tattoo experience one hell of a good experience.
However, it is not stated that tattoos have some direct impact of you having skin cancer , one needs to always make sure to follow the do’s and don’ts as prevention is better than cure . Tattoos have always emitted the very high amount of ecstasy which is contagious for all the hippie and junkie souls out there. But make sure you do your proper research work before going for this decision as its something your body is being made exposed to so always take care of this temple before going for something new to add to this.
Tattoo trends are no doubt increasing day by day, so is the risk of skin cancer, thus one needs to make sure that the procedure is absolutely safe for their skin. Listen to your skin needs and monitor how it reacts to the ink, if it gets slightest of irritation , head to your dermatologists immediately to get a speedy recovery.