Legal And Health Issues

• You must be 18 years of age, and be able to prove it with a government-issued picture ID, to receive a tattoo. No exceptions.
• No reputable artist will give a tattoo to a customer who is drunk or otherwise intoxicated.
• Pregnant women should consult their physicians prior to getting tattoos. The greatest risk, of course, is possible infection. Another complication is that women’s bodies change dramatically during and after pregnancy, which, depending on location, may alter the appearance of the tattoo.
• People with chemical sensitivities or allergies should speak with the artist and with their doctors before getting a tattoo.
• Anyone with a depressed immune system, or people who have difficulty healing, should not get tattooed or should discuss this with their doctors prior to receiving the tattoo.
• People with advanced diabetes should not be tattooed, particularly in their lower legs or feet.

Long-Term Health Issues

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, there are some long-term risks you should think about before getting your tattoo.

Infection

Choose only studios that strictly adhere to the best safety precautions and you will greatly reduce your risk of blood-borne infections.

Allergies

Your tattoo artist should ask about your allergy history and perform a patch test to see if you are sensitive to the inks. Some people have delayed reactions to tattoo inks months or years later (called “red reaction”), with itchy or inflamed skin around their tattoos in the summer, after extended time in the sun.

Scarring

Depending on how your body typically heals, your tattoo may cause some scar tissue to form.

Granulomas

These are small knots or bumps that form when your body is trying to fight off what it perceives as a foreign substance. Some people may have this reaction to certain inks in tattoos.

MRI Complications

If you should need magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for a medical problem, be sure to alert the technician so appropriate precautions can be taken. The FDA says that in rare instances, an MRI may cause temporary swelling or burning in the tattoo. However, if you have a tattoo, do not avoid getting an MRI if you need one.

It’s Yours For Life

Think long and hard about getting your tattoo and don’t do it on the spur-of-the-moment or in a rush of emotion. Relationships change, personalities change, lifestyles change. If you want your tattoo removed later in life, laser removal is time-consuming, extremely costly, and doesn’t always work. Certain inks are harder to remove than others, and some tattoos may never truly disappear. (See What It Costs for Tattoo Removal.) But if you truly love your tattoo, it can be a wonderful, lifelong way to express yourself through body art.