Tattoos are a health risk

MARANYANE NGWANAAMOTHO
Staff Writer | Friday December 11, 2009 00:00

The Centres of Disease Control (CDC) caution people to be careful with the procedures of printing tattoos since they can lead to the spread of diseases like hypertitis A, B, C and HIV/AIDS.  'If the equipment used to create the tattoo is contaminated with the blood of an infected person, one can contract a number of serious blood borne diseases.  These include hepatitis C, hepatitis B, tetanus and tuberculosis,' it said.

CDC says that hepatitis is the inflammation of the liver, and that it is also a group of viral infections that affect the liver.   It says that hepatitis is the leading cause of liver cancer and the most common reason for liver transplants.

CDC says that hepatitis A can range in severity from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a severe illness lasting several months.  'Hepatitis A is usually spread when a person ingests faecal matter, even in microscopic amounts, from contact with objects, food, or drinks contaminated by the faeces or stool of an infected person.'

It is also said that hepatitis B is a short-term illness that occurs within the first six months after exposure to the hepatitis virus, but does not always lead to chronic infection. The virus can be passed from an infected mother to her unborn baby. Getting vaccinated can treat this infection, CDC says. 

Hepatitis C is spread when an infected person's blood enters the body of an uninfected person.  'Today, most people become infected with the hepatitis C virus by sharing needles or other equipment to inject drugs,' it said.  CDC advices that infected people should see a doctor regularly.

It is said that they should ask their health professionals before taking any prescription pills over the counter medications, including herbal supplements or vitamins, as they can potentially damage the liver.  They are also advised to avoid alcohol since it can accelerate liver damage.

Tattoos are widely used as body decorations by both men and women.  However, this is a rare thing in Botswana. This decoration is said to be a permanent mark or design on the skin with pigments inserted through pricks into the skin's top layer.  It is said on the Mayoclinic website that during the printing, a needle that is connected to a small machine with tubes containing dye pierces the skin repeatedly, inserting tiny ink droplets in to the skin with every punch.

It has been warned that since a tattoo breaches the skin, which is the body's main protective barrier, people should be on the lookout for skin infections and other skin reactions. 

The website says that pigments and dyes used in tattoo inks are not approved for infection under the skin.

Tattoo dyes, especially red dye, can cause allergic skin reactions, resulting in an itchy rash at the tattoo site.