Think before you get ink

In 2006, Lucky Diamond Rich was declared “the world’s most tattooed person.” Ink covers every inch of his body, private parts included. For him, it’s too late to think about the downsides, but for those just starting out or still tattoo-free, the latest Food and Drug Administration warning, “Think Before You Ink,” is worth paying attention to.

When you get a tattoo, an unsanitary facility may transmit infections. It’s the same as having unprotected sex with everyone who has been tattooed with that ink. If that happens, you may then need months of antibiotics or even hospitalization. But even the cleanest of places, says the FDA, may use unsterile water to dilute pigments or they may have pigments (marked “sterile” and sealed) that are nonetheless contaminated with mold or bacteria. (It happens more often than you’d think.)

And then there are the inks themselves. Some contain pigments used in printer toner and car paint. The FDA has never approved any pigments for injection into the skin for cosmetic purposes. You also risk an allergic reaction, and allergic rashes can persist for years. Experts also say allergic reactions can pop up seemingly out of the blue years after getting a tattoo.

Tattoos can make you allergic and sensitized to other products, such as hair dyes, if they both contain phenylenediamene (PPD).

So, do think before you ink— your skin has to last a lifetime!