Short answer
Tattoos can be safe if done correctly. However, it is important to realize that there are a few risks involved, including the risk for skin irritation, contracting a blood-borne illness, and developing long-term dermatological problems.
'N' stands for neutral. Things placed into this category are (a) neither good nor bad for you, or (b) lack the necessary evidence to reach any conclusions.
View Full Grading System
Category 'A'
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. Side effects are rare. Things rated an 'A+' are typically necessary for survival (for example, water).
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. A few harmful qualities may be associated, but only under certain circumstances such as an allergic reaction.
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. Harmful qualities may be associated, but aren't usually serious.
It is important to note that even the best things in life can become bad in immoderate amounts. So, although something may be rated an 'A+', overconsumption/overdoing can bring unwanted effects.
Category 'B'
Very beneficial to your health. Things rated a 'B+' may have a few harmful qualities to pay attention to.
Overall beneficial to your health. Things rated a 'B' may have some harmful qualities to pay attention to.
More beneficial to your health than not. However, harmful qualities are most likely associated and shouldn't be overlooked.
The main difference between category 'A' and category 'B' is the harmful qualities typically present in 'B' items. Serious side effects are usually uncommon, but are still possible and should be taken note of.
Category 'C'
Both beneficial and harmful qualities associated. Things rated a 'C+' are typically a bit more on the beneficial side. Still, moderation is important.
A fairly even ratio of beneficial and harmful qualities. Moderation is important. Very general topics that can lean towards both sides of the spectrum will be placed here as well. Rice, for example, can be good or bad depending on the type.
More harmful than beneficial. Side effects are common, especially when consumed/done excessively. Moderation is very important.
Category 'C' usually denotes to both good and bad qualities. When it comes to this category, it is important to keep this word in mind: moderation.
Category 'D'
Harmful to your health. Although benefits may be associated, the bad most likely outweighs the good. Moderation is very important.
Harmful to your health. A few benefits may be associated, but the bad outweighs the good. Moderation is extremely important.
Harmful to your health. Very few, if any, benefits are present. Things in this category should be avoided as much as possible.
Category 'D' is typically for things that are more harmful than beneficial. While consuming/doing something unhealthy once in a blue moon shouldn't hurt, we definitely recommend eliminating 'D' items as a regular part of your routine/diet.
Category 'F'
Category 'F' is for things that fail to bring anything beneficial to the table, and are very harmful to your health. We recommend completely avoiding anything in this category. Long-term side effects of 'F' items are usually very serious.
Category 'N'
'N' stands for neutral. Things placed into this category are generally (a) neither good nor bad for you, or (b) lack the necessary evidence to reach any conclusions.
Long answer
Tattoos do not provide any health benefits whatsoever. While they are mostly safe if done properly and professionally, they do carry some health risks. People get tattoos for a variety of reasons - to celebrate an achievement, to impress upon their bodies a certain memory, as a form of dedication, or simply because they want a particular work of art to be permanently a part of their body.
Contamination from a dirty needle is certainly a concern, but it isn't the only one. The first concern is pain. The tattooing process consists of having small needles repeatedly poke through the skin to deliver the various pigments. If you don't do well being poked with a needle, you may wish to reconsider getting a tattoo. Another immediate concern should be the cleanliness of the place. Is everything new and sterilized? Are the inks for one-time-use only? Remember, there will be bleeding involved when getting a tattoo, so if the tattoo parlor isn't as clean as a dentist's office there's a risk of contracting a blood-borne illness such as hepatitis (B and C) or tetanus.
Furthermore, the skin may react to the ink in a negative way. In fact, some reactions occur months or even years after getting the tattoo. A study of 300 New Yorkers aged 18-69 who had tattoos found that about 6% of them experienced skin problems such as rash, severe itching, and persistent swelling at some point. This shows that there is a small risk of developing some sort of dermatological condition.
Yet another factor to consider is the possible non-permanence of the tattoo. Some tattoos fade away with time or sunlight exposure. While the pigments may be broken down and become unseen / hard to see, it is possible that the chemicals may still continue their deleterious effect.
As if the health risks weren't enough to warrant reconsideration, one big risk is that of regret. What you think you would like on your skin for the rest of your life may not be the same at 25 as it will be at 35, 45, etc. This isn't to say that tattoos are always a bad thing - just something that may require more thought than previously considered.
Possible short-term side effects
- may cause skin allergies
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may transmit blood-borne illness
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may be moderately to extremely painful
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may lead to long-term dermatological problems
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Thank you for your feedback!
Written by Jeff Volling
Published on: 01-07-2016
Last updated: 12-10-2016
Thank you for your feedback!
Written by Jeff Volling
Published on: 01-07-2016
Last updated: 12-10-2016
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