Do tattoos affect your body?

Tattoos have become increasingly popular over the past few decades. About 30% of people aged 18-35 in the United States have at least one tattoo. With tattoos becoming more mainstream, many people wonder – do tattoos affect your body in any way?

Do tattoos affect your immune system?

Some people claim that getting a tattoo weakens your immune system. The theory is that the tattooing process causes minor trauma to the skin, which signals the immune system to rush to the site of the tattoo. This supposedly overworks and weakens the immune system over time.

However, there is no scientific evidence to support this claim. Studies have not found any link between getting tattooed and decreased immune function. Your immune system is well equipped to handle the localized skin trauma caused by getting a tattoo. After the tattoo heals, your immune system goes back to normal.

The only exception is if you have a condition that already weakens your immune system, like HIV/AIDS or autoimmune disorders. Even then, the effect is minimal. As long as you get your tattoo at a licensed studio with proper sanitation, the procedure should not have any lasting impact on your immune function.

Do tattoos affect your lymphatic system?

The lymphatic system plays an important role in immunity by carrying lymph fluid which contains white blood cells. Some people claim that tattoos may disrupt lymph flow and cause lymph nodes to become blocked or overworked.

However, current research has not found any evidence that tattoos affect lymph circulation or lymph node function. Studies of people with full sleeve or large tattoos have found no differences in lymph flow or lymph node health compared to people without tattoos.

It’s possible that getting tattooed right over a lymph node could impact its drainage. But for most regular size and placement tattoos, there is no measurable effect on the lymphatic system.

Do tattoos affect your kidneys?

There is a myth that getting a tattoo can damage your kidneys or cause kidney disease later in life. However, there is no scientific basis for this claim.

Here’s what the research shows about tattoos and kidneys:

Getting a tattoo does not cause direct trauma to the kidneys. The needles only reach the outer layer of skin and do not come into contact with internal organs.
Tattoo inks are designed to be inert once in the skin. They are not toxic to the kidneys.

Large-scale epidemiological studies have not found any link between having a tattoo and increased risk of kidney dysfunction.

The only scenario in which tattoos could potentially impact kidney function is if you already have chronic kidney disease (CKD). The immune response triggered by tattooing might cause a temporary increase in kidney stress. However, this effect would be minimal in most cases.

Overall, there is no evidence that tattoos directly cause kidney problems in healthy individuals. People with CKD should consult their doctor before getting tattooed as a precaution.

Do tattoos affect pregnancy or breastfeeding?

Many women wonder if it’s safe to get a tattoo during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. Here are the current recommendations:

Tattoos and pregnancy

Getting a tattoo is considered reasonably safe during the first two trimesters of pregnancy, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). The main concern is potential infection, which can be minimized with proper sanitation at the tattoo parlor.
Tattooing during the third trimester is not recommended. At this stage, a woman’s immune system is weakened and skin is more fragile. This increases the risks of infection and poor tattoo healing.

Places to avoid during pregnancy include the abdomen (stretched skin may distort the tattoo) and anywhere a seatbelt crosses the body as friction can damage healing skin.

Tattoos and breastfeeding

It’s recommended to hold off on tattooing until you are done breastfeeding. This is because nipple and areola tattoos carry higher risks of infection, which could be passed to your baby through breast milk.
For tattoos on other body parts, the main concern is that toxins from tattoo inks could potentially leach into breast milk. However, there have been no reported cases of this occurring.

If getting a tattoo while breastfeeding, avoid nursing your baby for 24 hours after to allow any potential toxins to dissipate.

Always consult your obstetrician or pediatrician about tattoos if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. They can provide guidance based on your specific health status.

Do tattoos affect your heart or blood pressure?

There are no known direct effects of tattooing on the cardiovascular system. Here is what researchers have found:

Getting a tattoo does not appear to pose any immediate risk for healthy individuals without pre-existing heart conditions.
A small, short-term increase in blood pressure during the tattooing process is normal and not dangerous.
No evidence shows tattoos influence your resting blood pressure long-term.

Tattoos have not been linked to increased risk of cardiovascular disease, heart attack or stroke.

However, people with existing heart problems like congenital heart disease, coronary artery disease or arrhythmias should use caution when getting tattooed:

Discuss tattoo plans with your cardiologist, especially if planning a large or complex design.

Speak up about any heart conditions so the artist can work carefully and stop immediately if you feel faint or unwell.
Avoid getting tattooed on blood thinner medications due to higher bleeding risk.
Get your tattoo in a reputable studio with high hygiene standards to prevent infection.

With proper precautions, most people with heart conditions can safely get tattooed. But it’s best to consult your doctor first.

Do tattoos affect your Lyme disease risk?

There is a common belief that getting bitten by a tick while you have a new tattoo increases your risk of contracting Lyme disease. However, there is no evidence to support this claim.

Here is what health experts say about Lyme disease and tattoos:

Getting a tattoo does not make you more prone to tick bites – ticks are attracted by carbon dioxide, warmth and body odors, not ink under your skin.
Tattooing does not increase your susceptibility to the bacteria that causes Lyme if you are bitten.
New tattoos only affect the outer layer of skin and do not impact your overall immune function.

Any itching or rash around a new tattoo is caused by normal healing, not Lyme disease.

The Lyme disease rash (erythema migrans) occurs at the site of the tick bite, starting as a bull’s eye shape. It would not just randomly appear on a new tattoo.

Practicing good tick prevention habits like wearing repellent and doing full body checks is important for everyone, whether tattooed or not. But tattoos specifically do not increase Lyme disease risk.

Do tattoos affect your skin health?

Tattoos breach the skin, which sets off an intentional healing response including inflammation and regeneration of skin cells and tissues. This does cause some permanent changes to the skin’s structure and function.

Here’s an overview of how tattoos affect skin health:

The needle damage thickens the outer layer of skin (epidermis), sometimes causing mild textural changes.

Tattoos can sensitise skin to sun exposure, increasing chances of sunburn.
Ink pigment is a foreign body, which can prompt an autoimmune response in some people causing eczema, psoriasis or granulomas.
Dark ink colours like black absorb more laser energy, making tattoo removal more difficult.

Older and bigger tattoos often bleed over time as ink spreads under skin.

However, most of these changes are mild and not harmful for health. With proper sun protection and moisturizing, tattooed skin can remain healthy. Laser removal can address unwanted ink.

The main skin concern with tattoos is the risk of infection from unsterilized needles. This underscores the importance of always getting inked at a licensed, professional studio.

Do tattoos affect scans and medical imaging?

Tattoo ink can sometimes interfere with certain medical imaging tests that use radio waves, magnetic fields or radiation to visualize internal body structures and tissues.

Here’s an overview of how common scans are affected:

MRIs

MRI scans use strong magnetic fields and radio waves to generate images. Tattoos often contain metallic compounds which can distort the magnetic resonance imaging process.

Results include:

Image artifacts (black/blank spots) obscuring structures under tattoos
Tissue swelling or burning if metal in ink heats up during scan

X-rays

X-rays pass electromagnetic radiation through the body. Dense tattoo pigments absorb more radiation, resulting in:

White streaks or blotches on X-ray film obstructing the image
Need for increased radiation exposure to penetrate ink

CT scans

CT imaging uses multiple X-ray images taken from different angles. Like X-rays, tattoos can interference with visualizing tissues under ink.

Ultrasounds

Ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves to produce images. The waves have difficulty penetrating tattoo ink, which appears as black holes or mixed signals.

Nuclear imaging

Nuclear scans require injecting radioactive tracers. Tattoo pigments absorb some tracers, giving misleading hot spots on images.

Let your medical providers know about any tattoos when getting scanned. They may be able to adjust positioning or increase radiation doses for clearer imaging if needed.

Do tattoos affect sweat, hair and oil glands?

The process of tattooing causes some minor changes to sweat, hair and oil glands in the skin.

Sweat glands – Some damage may occur to sweat ducts. Tattooed skin can sweat slightly less, but most people don’t notice a difference.

Hair follicles – Needle wounds can damage hair follicles, but hair still grows normally. Electrolysis is required for permanent hair removal.
Oil glands – Tattooing may cause mild enlargement of sebaceous glands. This could make skin oilier, but the increase is minimal.

These small shifts in gland function have no real impact. The only exception would be if you got tattooed somewhere very sweaty like hands or feet. The ink colors may fade faster due to salt in the sweat.

Do tattoos cause cancer?

There is no conclusive evidence that tattoos increase cancer risk. Here is what researchers know so far:

Tattoo ink is inert once healed in skin. The pigments are encapsulated by the body and do not travel to other organs.
Older ink contained carcinogenic components like benzo(a)pyrene. Modern ink is purified and regulated to be nontoxic.

Trace amounts of ink chemicals do end up in the lymph nodes when tattoos heal. But studies show no short or long-term node problems.
Any cancers that arise in tattooed skin are coincidental – mainly due to sun exposure, not the ink.

The main cancer concern is for people with suppressed immune systems (transplant patients, chemotherapy etc). Their bodies may struggle to contain foreign tattoo pigments, allowing greater systemic exposure.

Overall, tattoos seem reasonably safe for most people if proper sterilization techniques are used during application. But more long-term research is still needed.

Do tattoos affect your body temperature regulation?

Tattoos could theoretically impact your body’s ability to regulate temperature due to changes to the skin.

Research findings:

Heavily tattooed people do often report feeling colder compared to untattooed individuals.
One study found people with full sleeve tattoos cooled down faster when exposed to cold temperatures.
This may be because ink absorbs more heat, or due to mild differences in blood circulation.

However, any effects on temperature regulation appear to be minor and not dangerous.

There are no reports of tattoos causing problems with overheating, even with extensive tattoos. Overall, the impact on thermoregulation seems to be modest.

Do tattoos affect your chances of getting hired?

Historically tattoos were associated with gangs, prison culture and unprofessionalism. But public attitudes have improved as tattoos have gone mainstream.

Here are some current statistics on how tattoos affect hiring and employment:

About 76% of employers said tattoos have no negative impact on hiring decisions, according to a 2019 Harris poll. Acceptance varies by industry.
Heavily tattooed women face more employment challenges than men with similar tattoos, per a study from the University of St.Andrews.

The biggest concerns for hiring managers are offensive or highly visible tattoos. Discrete areas like arms are less problematic.
Some government jobs still restrict visible tattoos, as do law enforcement agencies and armed forces.

To maximize employability:

Avoid tattoos on your hands, face or neck if pursuing traditional white-collar careers.
Prioritize tasteful designs – no profanity or potentially offensive imagery.
Use cover-up makeup or clothing if needed to hide tattoos, such as for interviews.

Conclusion

On the whole, tattoos only have minor impacts on physical health for most people. There are some changes to skin itself as well as potential interference with medical procedures.

However, large-scale studies have not found any increase in serious health risks like infections, organ damage, illnesses or cancers. With proper sterilization and aftercare, tattoos are fairly low risk.

The exception would be people with impaired immune systems or certain pre-existing medical conditions. They should consult a doctor before getting tattooed as a precaution.

When it comes to employment and societal judgements, attitudes are improving but discrimination still exists, especially for highly visible or offensive tattoos.

Undergoing any elective body modification requires weighing the artistic and personal benefits against the potential professional and social consequences. But for physical health, tattoos do not pose major inherent risks for most people.