The fall winds are picking up and it’s time to add clothes. As the number of pieces of clothing increases, so does the amount of bare skin. Are you already missing the beautiful flesh that filled the streets in the summer? Together with the flesh to hide, there are beautiful tattoos dotted everywhere. Low-profile will be tattooed on the wrists, ankles, behind the ears, want to be sexy collarbone, the back of the neck, the side of the chest, of course, there is no shortage of overbearing flower arm and calf, and many people will choose to tattoo to go as a sign of the couple, or used to cover scars, birthmarks, and so on. Theoretically, any skin-covered area can be tattooed with something. Isn’t it tempting to look at all the fascinating designs? But if you ask a doctor if he or she will get a tattoo, nine out of ten say no. The reason for this is not as one-sided as “Tattooed people are bad kids!” It’s not as one-sided as that. Those who can not let go, is to be tattooed on the body, or stay in the heart? First of all, let’s understand the process of tattooing. As a technique that has existed for thousands of years, let science develop, the essence of tattooing has not changed – that is, the tattoo artist will be dipped in the dye needle into the skin 1-2 millimeters, from the epidermis into the dermal vascular reticulation layer. When the needle is removed, the dye stays where it passes. As soon as the tattoo is finished, localized redness occurs. Over the next week, the epidermis with some of the dye will peel off. The dye will also ooze out when the needle hole is pressed. The dye that ultimately remains in the body is present in cells with phagocytosis, which will stay under the epidermal-dermal junction for a long time. Of course, after a decade or decades, they may also move deeper because of sunlight. That’s why most of the tattoos we see on the elderly are light blue or gray. Tattoos traumatize the skin through needles and can bring about various types of infections. Commonly, there are suppurative bacterial infections such as boils and carbuncles, as well as viral or other pathogenic infections such as hepatitis B, HIV, syphilis and herpes. With improved technical standards and conditions, infections are less common, but in some cases they can still have serious consequences such as necrosis, amputation and even death. Two cases of severe infections caused by tattoos Dyes that remain in the body for life can also cause many complications Pigment from outside the body can create a long process of sensitization within the skin. After months or years, it can cause severe allergic reactions such as ulcers, epidermal hyperplasia, and associated uveitis. In addition, common toxic substances such as nitrosamines, heavy metals, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are found in high levels in dyes. Most of the dyes used for tattooing come from food or non-food colors that have been formally tested. That’s why businesses will claim they are safe. However, there are no tests on pigments related to staying in the skin for life like this, and we don’t take it lightly. What’s even scarier! The tattoo dyes circulating on the market are a mixed bag, and many of them don’t even have clear ingredients, let alone an evaluation of their toxicity. The local sensitization and toxicity of tattoo dyes to the skin, and the source of the dye The combination of a number of factors at the time of tattooing can also cause specific skin changes. Examples include keloids, erythema multiforme, steroid granulomas, localized scleroderma, and lymphadenopathy. Most of them are of unknown etiology and difficult to treat. Although it’s a small chance, once it happens to you, it’s 100%! Specific Skin Alterations Caused by Tattoos About 70% of tattooed people experience complications of varying degrees, yet the vast majority of them treat and care for themselves at home and do not choose to go to the hospital. So who are the majority that come to the hospital? The answer: those who want their tattoos removed. About half of all people with tattoos, have wanted them removed. The reason may be that the tattoo design is far from what was originally expected, or that trends have changed, or simply because you don’t love Ta anymore. Tattoo removal in the hospital is generally done by both surgical excision and laser removal. For severely allergic tattoos, we tend to use surgical removal to ensure that the dye is completely removed and to avoid further sensitization. However, scarring is difficult to avoid completely. For those who do not have allergic reactions, a laser that targets the pigment and breaks it down is the optimal choice. A typical tattoo can be removed in 4 to 10 laser sessions, but at a higher cost. The treatment will choose the appropriate laser according to the color of the tattoo, and the following three are commonly used: Some people also choose to cover the previous tattoo with a heavier color and a larger pattern. But again, it can be more difficult, expensive and painful to remove. Tattoo after 3 laser treatments To summarize: tattoo needling can bring about infections, dyes can sensitize and cause cancer, and unexplained specific skin alterations can also be difficult to treat. Surgical removal of tattoos can leave scars, and laser removal is expensive and painful. After knowing all the above risks, if you still want to have a tattoo, then go for it, willing to take the risk may only show that Ta is really important to you! But please always remember to choose a formal institution, before and after the tattoo any questions promptly consult a medical professional.