The Risk Of Viral Hepatitis From Tattoos
Tattoos are all the rage these days, with shows like LA Ink showing off tattoos and spotlighting tattoo culture. While tattoos allow you to express who you are in a permanent way, getting a tattoo carries a risk of developing an infection, especially if the tattoo artist doesnt use strict safety procedures.
Can I Get Hiv Infection From A Tattoo Machine
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Q: I am 23 years old. I recently got my name embedded on my arm permanently by a street tattoo maker. He used black ink and a locally made electric machine. Later my friend told me that this whole activity could be risky, as the machines used are local and not sterilised. Since this whole process involves a needle going inside my skin, I might be under a high risk of contracting some serious infection including HIV. Is this true? Can one contract HIV by a local tattoo-making machine? How do I get rid of my tattoo?
A:It is true that any unsterilised instrument or needle, etc. going into the body can transmit some infections such as hepatitis, HIV, etc. Though the risk is low, it is there. Please get an ELISA test for HIV done three months after the exposure to rest your mind to peace. Removal of the tattoo now will not help in any way. In future, please be careful about such practices.
Can I Get Hiv From Getting A Tattoo Or Body Piercing
There are no known cases in the United States of anyone getting HIV this way. However, it is possible to get HIV from a reused or not properly sterilized tattoo or piercing needle or other equipment, or from contaminated ink. Its possible to get HIV from tattooing or body piercing if the equipment used for these procedures has someone elses blood in it or if the ink is shared. The risk of getting HIV this way is very low, but the risk increases when the person doing the procedure is unlicensed, because of the potential for unsanitary practices such as sharing needles or ink. If you get a tattoo or a body piercing, be sure that the person doing the procedure is properly licensed and that they use only new or sterilized needles, ink and other supplies.
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Dont Be Fooled By Stigma
Do not let the stigma against these diseases scare you into not getting the tattoo you want. There is zero chance of the artist becoming infected with the disease. Simple knowledge of HIV and Herpes will tell you that these diseases begin to die as soon as they come into contact with air outside the body.
The only way for there to be even a chance of infection is if the tattoo shop does not use new ink pods with each tattoo, does not properly disinfect equipment, or if they reuse needles.
All of these practices are incredibly unsafe, and no licensed tattoo parlor will do any of these things. As long as you get your tattoo from a licensed tattoo parlor, there is zero chance that the artist or anyone else in the shop will become infected.
It is actually illegal in many countries, including Ireland, and the United States to refuse service of any kind on the basis of a blood borne disease like HIV or Herpes.
Dont get stressed if you are denied a tattoo on this basis. There is bound to be another shop that will be happy to tattoo you. It might even be just around the corner.
If you a shop does deny you services for having HIV or Herpes, you can report them for a violation of the American with Disabilities Act . To file a complete, you can file out a form online at this site: ada.gov.
Body Art In Professional Settings
Many individuals in Canada get body art in a tattoo or piercing studio. Most professional studios are regulated and can be inspected by public health departments.
To reduce the risk of hepatitis C transmission, it is safer for individuals to receive a tattoo or piercing from an artist or studio that:
- has an inspection certificate from the local public health department
- has an autoclave
- has infection prevention and control procedures to prevent the transmission of hepatitis C and HIV
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Is It Safe To Take Prep
PrEP has been used to prevent the transmission of HIV since 2012 and has been used to treat HIV since 2004. There may be mild side effects like stomach aches or headaches, especially at the beginning of treatment.
PrEP should not be taken if someone has kidney problems because it might worsen symptoms. Talk to your doctor about the best type of PrEP for you.
Dr Preeti Agarwal Explained How The Two Persons Who Contracted Hiv After Getting Tattoos In Up Had No Idea About The Main Cause Of Hiv Infection
Two people contracted HIV after getting tattoos in Uttar Pradesh. According to Dr Preeti Agarwal of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Hospital, only after careful examination, it was concluded that these HIV patients had got tattoos made. This was after their health started deteriorating. Further investigation is still ongoing. A 20-year-old man from Baragaon and a 25-year-old woman from Nagma are among 14 people who fell sick. Also, several tests were conducted including that of viral, typhoid and malaria but nothing came positive.
Just when the fever did not go down, HIV tests were done. Once details were analysed, the doctors came to the conclusion that none of the positive patients had contracted the disease sexually or by infected blood. Dr Preeti Agarwal explained how the two of them had no idea about the main cause of HIV infection.
Neither they had unprotected sex, nor they were transfused with infected blood, she said in a report by The Times of India. She also explained that the root cause of the problem was infected needles.
Tattoo makers should be extremely cautious while using these needles. However, to save money, they tend to reuse a single needle on multiple people, thus leading to health problems.
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Can I Get A Tattoo If I Have Hiv Or Herpes
Tattoos have become far less taboo in recent history. They were once considered to be a sign of criminal activity, or unprofessional. These days nearly one in six people have or will get a tattoo in their lives. This means if you want a tattoo, you should get one.
Even if you are one of the million plus people who have a blood borne disease like HIV or Herpes. This article will discuss some of the basics of getting inked when you have HIV or Herpes.
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Do I Still Need To Wear A Condom While On Prep
PrEP is 99 percent effective in preventing HIV infection without any other form of protection. However, you can increase your chances of HIV prevention by continuing to use a condom.
Also, PrEP does not prevent any other STI. You can still contract gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis and other STIs while on PrEP. Using a condom will decrease your chances of getting other STIs.
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Ensure They Sterilize Equipment
A safe tattoo artist will use industrial cleaning supplies to disinfect their equipment. They should sanitize all surfaces and non-disposable tools.
The tattooist should also use an autoclave to sanitize their tattoo machine. An autoclave is a heat sanitizer used in medical fields. If you are uncertain about their disinfecting practices, ask them about their procedures.
The tattooist should also not reuse equipment between customers. You should be able to see them remove cleaned equipment from the autoclave. They should never reuse ink, ink cups, needles, or disposable PPE.
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How Transmission Happens
Tattoo artists create their designs by injecting ink into the second layer of a persons skin, called the dermis. They do this by using a tattoo machine that pierces the skin with a set of small, high-speed needles. In contrast, body piercing uses a needle to pierce the skin.
Due to broken skin, certain infections can theoretically be passed from one customer to another if the gun or needle is not properly sterilized. But what about them?
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What Is A Window Period
When a person gets infected it may take 6 weeks or up to 3 months before antibodies to HIV are detected in the blood. The HIV test looks for antibodies. When these antibodies are detected the person is diagnosed HIV positive. A person can be positive and the test shows negative because the test was done during the window period.
Benefits Of Getting A Tattoo While Breastfeeding
Getting a tattoo doesnt offer specific benefits to a breastfeeding baby or to breastfeeding itself. But getting a tattoo may feel personally gratifying or fulfilling to a breastfeeding parent, which is certainly valuable. Sometimes parents feel like they lose their sense of self when they are parenting small children, and getting a tattoo may be a way to recapture that feeling of independence and self-expression.
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How Do You Care For Your Skin After Getting A Tattoo
The healing process for a tattoo can last between two to four weeks. After-care instructions vary among tattoo artists, but they all generally agree with following these strategies. After your appointment, your tattoo will be covered with a bandage or plastic wrapping, which can be removed after about six hours. Wash your tattoo three times per day with unscented antibacterial soap, pat dry with a paper towel, and cover with a thin layer of ointment.
After getting a tattoo, take care to keep the area clean and moist. An occlusive dressing is often applied to protect the skin while the pigment injection sites heal, says Lara Devgan, MD, a top board-certified plastic surgeon in New York City. Avoid strenuous activities, profuse sweating, and contact with contaminated environmental exposures such as sand, oceans, and debris.
Some peeling in the early stages of the healing process is normal, but never try to pick off the crusting that will typically show up on the surface, says Viseslav Tonkovic-Capin, MD, a double board-certified Dermatologist based in the Kansas City metro area and editor of DermBoard.org. Until your tattoo is fully healed, you should also avoid taking baths , swimming, tanning, scratching the tattoo, and touching the tattoo without washing your hands.
How Transmission May Occur
Tattoo artists create their designs by injecting ink into the second layer of a person’s skin, known as the dermis. They do this by using a tattoo machine which punctures the skin with a collection of small, high-speed needles. Body piercing, by contrast, uses a single needle to puncture the skin.
As a result of the broken skin, certain infections can theoretically be passed from one customer to the next if the gun or needles aren’t properly disinfected. But do they?
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How To Stay Safe From Bloodborne Pathogens
You and your artist must follow safety procedures before, during, and after the tattooing process. The most important aspect of this is working with a certified professional tattoo artist. Amateur tattooists using home tattoo kits are at a much greater risk of spreading bloodborne pathogens than professionals, primarily due to training and government regulations.
Because they come into contact with blood in their work, tattoo artists need to be certified to perform the service. At a federal level, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration sets standards for bloodborne pathogen training for all states. There are 28 states that use their own OSHA-approved requirements.
Certification programs are available through various providers, often businesses in the health care field, for a fee. Courses consist of training followed by a certification exam.
You can perform the training in person, but online BBP training programs are offered for affordable and convenient certification. To maintain their certifications, tattooists need to retake the training every year.
Working with a certified artist is the most effective way to stay safe from bloodborne pathogens. There is still room for error with professionals, so use the following tips to make sure you minimize the risk of infection.
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Stay Aware Of Bloodborne Pathogens
Most professional tattoo artists are responsible when it comes to cleaning and disinfecting. If youre still worried after getting a tattoo, get a blood test to know for sure. Hepatitis and other bloodborne diseases may go years before showing symptoms, and it is crucial to treat them as early as possible.
If you would like to know more about bloodborne pathogens and effective prevention strategies, follow our blog.
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Refused A Tattoo For Being Hiv
Tattooed In BloodBy John Smith
I was about to get a tattoo. I was excited and nervous because it had been a while. I was also worried about another thing that always looms ominously over my head. I am HIV positive. My fiancé reassured me, unknowingly, that it should be ok and I should tell the tattoo artist the day of the tattoo, because I wanted to have them be aware of my status. Thinking my status would be met with the same professionalism the healthcare field usually uses. Which is where everything went wrong. When I went into Six Feet Below Tattoo & Piercing in Clearfield, Utah on October 8th, nervous about the tattoo, and nervous about telling another person I dont know something so personal, I was met with ignorance. In a field where blood exposure is common, universal precautions should always be in place. In this I felt like the tattoo artists at this shop dabble, because they turned me away due to my status after questioning the artist on their form. The form has a line stating I DO NOT HAVE. Etc. HIV/AIDS is listed among other blood borne illnesses. The reason the artist used is this:
Our shop policy is that we do not tattoo anyone with a blood borne illness. It poses a risk of contamination to the entire shop. It doesnt matter that you are undetectable, we cannot tattoo you because you could contaminate the entire shop.
Where Can I Get Prep In Kansas City
The easiest way to get PrEP is by talking with your current primary care provider and seeing if they already have the ability to prescribe you the medication. However, if that is not an option, there are other ways to get PrEP.
More Health Care News:
The following are a list of places in Kansas City that have stated they provide help to get PrEP:
Address: 3515 Broadway Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64111
Phone: 816-753-5144
Address: 2310 Holmes St., Floor 6, Kansas City, MO 64108
Phone: 816-404-4086
4309 E. 50th Terrace, Suite 100 & 200, Kansas City, MO 64130
816-561-8784
2400 Troost Ave., Suite 1200, Kansas City, MO 64108
Phone: 816-513-6221
For more places that can provide PrEP services in Kansas City, click here.
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The Odds Are Less Though
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , the risk of HIV through tattooing or body piercing is considered low to negligible
A Person Can Get HIV from a Tattoo or Body Piercing :
- A person who is being tattooed or pierced has a high HIV viral load .
- The person bleeds heavily on the equipment.
- The equipment between customers is not being disinfected.
- Blood from the infected equipment then reaches the body of the next customer in large amounts for the infection to occur.
Within the sense of body art, certain requirements are likely to be met as extremely slim. There is nowhere near as large a potential for infection as, say, injecting drug use in which the HIV-infected blood is injected directly into a vein. Despite this, there are those who remain sincerely interested, including tattoo artists. A 27-year-old man who was denied service by a Utah tattoo parlor because he was HIV-positive, filed a lawsuit against the tattoo parlor in 2017, as reported in Insurance Journal. Although the decision was reasonable it does not mean that the risk outside of a licensed parlor is insignificant. In reality, the risk of problems with unlicensed or informal artists increases. Can include gang tattoos, jail tattoos, or piercing between friends. Acute symptoms of hepatitis may develop within 2 weeks to 6 months. Infection with chronic hepatitis C can last for years and cause significant liver damage.
How To Protect Yourself
Reusing dirty needles is an obvious safety violation, but its not good enough to just find out if the artist uses clean needles. When youre dealing with injections and blood, you have to be aware of other potential hazards. For example:
- Is the tattoo parlor licensed? Choose a tattoo parlor and artist that are licensed and certified according to the regulations of the state it operates in.
- Does the artist wash his or her hands? Though artists usually wear gloves , they must also wash their hands before putting gloves on and after taking them off. Make sure they only put on a fresh, new pair.
- Is the equipment sterilized? Sterilized is different from being clean. By wiping over something with a towel, the instrument will look clean, but it could still be infectious. Sterilization involves applying chemicals or heat, killing bacteria and viruses.
- Are work surfaces clean? Make sure the work area is cleaned and sterilized. You dont want your clean tattoo needle to be exposed to germs from the table surface or other equipment.
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