@abigailcochraneiectskin-com I hope they got the message and took care of it properly. Not treating a tattoo properly can cause some serious damage as we saw in the article. I never know when to stop washing my tattoos twice a day but I hope the hospital knew what to do.

Ive never thought about tattoo ink being harmful. I would like to get a tattoo but this scares me.

@mikaylaalleniectskin-com Taking care of your tattoos is important. My boyfriend just got one and i make sure he  takes care of it.

@gabriellemrasiectskin-com I agree going to a high end quality place is important.

I personally have six tattoos and most of them have red ink incorporated within them. My first tattoo was definitely done by someone who I wouldn't say was extremely trustworthy and while I did not have a reaction I did experience a slight feeling of regret after it healed. I made sure after that one that all of my artists were licensed and sanitary. I think it should be taught to younger kids who are looking into getting them, because had I known the risks I would have taken some more time and not rushed into it just because I was 18. 

We should definitely be educating the youth within our community and providing a safe space for them to understand the risks. We can not stop them from getting tattoos but we can provide them with information about inks and artists so that when they do decide to get some ink they are doing it safely and in a good environment. It could possibly save someone's life, and they would never know if ink could cause them to have an allergic reaction if they have never come in contact with it before. I also believe test tats, or a small portion of your tattoo should be completed before finishing it to see if the body reacts well to the ink. We do test strands just to dye our hair, we should do them for something that is going to be permanent on the skin . 

@nicoleweberiectskin-com Most tattoos should be washed twice daily until it completes the scabbing process and the hair on the skin returns . I always take good care of my tattoos especially during the healing period because that can really dictate what your tattoos will look like in the future. They should always be properly moisturized and washed after the healing process as well to avoid the ink from fading fast .

@cameranriddleiectskin-com I agree with this as well, everything that is semi-permanent or permanent in our life is expensive if you think about it, why cheat yourself out of quality on your skin. We spend hundreds of thousands on houses and cars, tattoos are similar to me. They are an investment in yourself and you should look for someone you trust with good technique and hygiene to avoid any mishaps or accidents .

This is very interesting to me because I actually was recently reading something on some tattoo inks linking to cancer. My best friend worked at a tattoo shop and one of the artists was careless with his process of sterilization and his client ended up almost having to get his arm amputated due to a staph infection. Ever since gaining knowledge on the dangers of the industry, I have really only gone to my best friend's shop that she manages now because I am sure that the artists and environment are sterile and cautious. 

@cameranriddleiectskin-com I have quite a few tattoos, most of them from different shops and artists and I personally have never had a problem with infection (knock on wood) You just have to make sure you read reviews and check places out before getting tattooed there! Aftercare is also extremely important.

@michaelagrayiectskin-com I agree with you, I know a lot of kids/teens that have either started tattooing themselves, or getting in-home tattoos and it worries me! The risk of infection is so high and could even be fatal.

The fact that tattoo ink is not regulated by the FDA, which means heavy metals, micro plastics and toxic chemicals can freely be released into your body leading to years of medical issues or even death. If there was a little bit more regulation on these tattoo ink who to say that 85% of them would be taken of the market because of how toxic they could be to the mass population or if they would ban the practice all together or actually come together and make tattoo inks that are safe for non toxic use. I have tattoos myself which concerns me because how do I know I didn't pay someone to basically poison me.

@carliecannestroiectskin-com A lot of people are allergic to red ink. I had no idea until our NP where I work mentioned it to a patient who was having a itchy rash where their tattoo was.

I had a reaction to the tattoo I have on my spine. I didn't heal up like my other ones had and I didn't go to my normal place and it could have been because the ink wasn't good quality.

@camrynauxtiectskin-com I always make sure I watch my artest steralize everything, wear gloves, and I watch them open the needle packages before they start my tattoos. I am very cautious because I do not want to get an infection or anything like that.