Tatting Risks

People with multiple tattoos covering large parts of their bodies are at higher risk of getting hepatitis C and other diseases, a Canadian researcher warns. Dr. Siavash Jafari points out not only do tattoo instruments used without proper hygiene techniques pose infection risk but tattoo dyes are not kept in sterile containers. As a result, they may play a carrier role in transmitting viral infections, and pose hazards of allergic reactions, bacterial or fungal infections and possible exposure to chemical toxins. And the risks of a new trend of being tattooed with glow-in-the-dark ink are not yet known. In a study, Jafari and colleagues directly linked the incidence of hepatitis C after tattooing with the number of tattoos an individual receives.