Hey friends!

You may have noticed in my form, I do ask if you’re on any medications. It can be very personal, so why do I and others ask?

Though your tattoo artists should be informed about their tattoo process; wearing gloves, sterilisation, cleaning and disposal methods. We do not have the training or education to properly advise a customer on their health condition.

So it’s always important to approach a trusted health care professional if you have concerns about how receiving a tattoo may be affected by any conditions you have, or medications you take.

Some main things that nay affect you, that could affect your tattoo process and healing include:

• Acne medications
• Antibiotics
• Blood thinners
• Chronic skin conditions
• Anti-rejection drugs
• Pregnancy
• Immunocompromised Individuals

Acne Medication (Accutane, Minomycin (or any other Tetracycline-related medication)

Acne medication can make your skin hyper sensitive. The process of getting tattooed may be more painful, and as a tattoo is healing your skin may also be sensitive and reactive. Sometimes you may not present side effects during a process but during the healing, vice versa. Your tattoos can scar up, and in some cases develop keloid scars. Removal is possible, but this can also lead to further keloids developing. Health care providers may suggest waiting six months to a year for it to be out of your system.

Antibiotics

Not all antibiotics cause skin reactions, however some people may experience unusual skin reactions. Usually when prescribed antibiotics, you body is fighting infection. Getting a tattoo, essentially an open wound which makes you susceptible to germs, bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens. So your immune system is WORKING, which can delay the healing process.

Blood thinners

Though bleeding is normal during a tattoo process, blood thinners can cause you to bleed more during the process. This can effect the outcome of your tattoo (ie, bleeding more can mean it’s harder for ink to be put in the skin), and it can mean you’re more susceptible to infections. You may not be able to receive a tattoo, or you may just have to do the tattoo in smaller sessions.

Chronic skin collection

This can include; psoriasis, vitiligo, pigmented lesions. Getting a tattoo on or near a chronic skin condition, can result in a flare up or cause Kobner phenomenon. Kobner phenomenon is when the the skin will flare up and inflamed due to trauma.

Anti-rejection drugs

Usually taken after receiving a transplant, the drugs you take after can result in a weaker immune system, so you’re less able to fight off infections or issues. It’s important that your overall health is strong enough to withstand the stress of getting tattooed and if the drugs may interfere with the healing.

Pregnancy

As it’s popped up a couple of times, infection is a huge thing while getting tattooed. If contaminated or dirty needles are used, you could be at risk of getting bloodborne infections. Bloodborne infections such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Particularly for hepatitis B and HIV, there is medium to high change either can easily pass on the infection to her baby at birth.  Babies with hepatitis B then have a high risk of developing a lifelong infection.

There’s also little information is available about the safety of skin dyes and ingredients used for tattooing during pregnancy. This may affect development of main organs during first trimester, brain development or can cause miscarriage or stillbirth.

Similarly with breastfeeding, there is a risk of infection being passed to the baby. Though it’s not strictly prohibited, but it’s generally strongly discouraged by medical professionals.

Immunocompromised Individuals

This can include: heart conditions, diabetes, inherited/acquired blood disorder. Generally it’s a case to case basis for individuals, you want to make sure you’re in good health for your body to handle the process and healing of a tattoo. As with having a chronic condition, it may take to heal, or if you have a higher risk of infections.

For the extra nerds, there’s this online book you can read:

https://karger.com/books/book/174/chapter/5110374/Contraindications-for-Tattooing

Do your research, and chat to your health care providers to make decisions about enquiring with an artist. It’s always super important to make sure you’re in good health for the process and healing of your tattoos!