The "good" and bad side of Tattoo

[irjO]

years ago i was planning to have a tattoo on my arm but i just refused the idea years later after looking for ways to be more healthy, last week a cousin tattooed her skin and i knew that it wasn't a good idea even if it looks cool (sometimes) and later that day i went on internet and started a research for what could be the good side (if there is such) and the bad side of inking your skin (even that sounds bad) but is something that mankind has been doing for centuries even millennia..

Here is the good side
(which appear to be only on the emotional part):

Tattoos have been around since ancient Egypt and have also been discovered on "the iceman" from millions of years ago. So why all the talk today about the tattoo culture and its effects on our society? Some nations of the world still sees tattooing as a family and cultural tradition. Children are tattooed as a right of passage. In America, we feel it is an expression of who we are as a person. With this self expression comes positive and negative feedback from other members of our society.

Some of the positive aspects of being tattooed can be expressed by many tattoo lovers. The rush of putting something decorative on their bodies is like no other feeling in the world. Knowing the mark of the needle is there forever is a beautiful committment to many ink seekers. Picking a design and saying it is part of "you" is what drives some to commit to tattoo collecting. Sports teams, girlfriends names, children's favorite play toys, favorite foods, brand names, flowers, and even frightening subjects are part of the tattooing design platform. A tattoo can mean a committment between two friends to be friends forever.


A tattoo can commemorate a death of a family member, friend, or even a pet. Many times while doing memorial tattoos, artists will see the tears of the living flow under the buzz of the needle. The tattoo gives closure and security in knowing the memorial is permanently a part of the grieving person's body.

"Wearing your heart on your sleeve" is actually what the memorial tattoo does for the client seeking to show their love, committment, or grief of losing a loved one. This is just one positive effect of getting tattooed.


Another effect that can be positive is the ornamental decoration of one's body. Many decorative designs can be seen on young people and even people in their eighties. One episode of Miami Ink showed an eighty year old lady getting her first tattoo. She was a perky eighty year old and wanted to have her initial on her upper arm. It was an honor for Ami to decorate her virgin skin at the age of eighty.


Art on the skin has been around for millions of years. Expressing oneself through artistic designs is an uplifting experience for many being tattooed. The designing of a unique tattoo is one positive part of the tattooing experience. Becoming the designer gives the tattoo client a sense of ownership of the artwork being placed on their bodies. Some tattoo artists do not like to use artwork done by the client or a client's agent. Some art just does not make for good tattooing. If a piece of art is not up to an artist's view of good tattoo art, the artist may refuse to do the tattooing. If the artist approves of the art the client has designed, then it can have a very uplifting and positive effect on the client. The pride that comes with saying they designed their own artwork is great. Choosing the placement is another positive control of one's own body and what will become a part of their being forever. Positive feedback from friends and family also adds to the clients feelings of euphoria from being tattooed.

From wikipedia the origin of the tattoo:

Tattooing has been a Eurasian practice at least since Neolithic times. Ötzi the Iceman, dating from the 5th to 4th millennium BC, was found in the Ötz valley in the Alps and had some 57 carbon tattoos consisting of simple dots and lines on his lower spine, behind his left knee, and on his right ankle. These tattoos were thought to be a form of healing because of their placement, which resembles acupuncture. Other mummies bearing tattoos and dating from the end of the 2nd millennium BC has been discovered, such as the Mummy of Amunet from ancient Egypt and the mummies at Pazyryk on the Ukok Plateau.
Pre-Christian Germanic, Celtic and other central and northern European tribes were often heavily tattooed, according to surviving accounts. The Picts were famously tattooed (or scarified) with elaborate, war-inspired black or dark blue woad (or possibly copper for the blue tone) designs. Julius Caesar described these tattoos in Book V of his Gallic Wars (54 BC).
Various other cultures have had their own tattoo traditions, ranging from rubbing cuts and other wounds with ashes, to hand-pricking the skin to insert dyes.
Modern tattooing in the Western world has its origins in 16th through 18th century maritime expeditions, which promoted contact between explorers and the amerindian tribes and Polynesians they encountered. The Polynesian practice, especially, became popular among European sailors, who took the Samoan word tatau to describe the actual tattoo. As sailors traveled abroad and returned home with tattoos inscribed on their bodies, tattoos began to appear in mainstream European, and eventually North American, figurations, as well.
As many tattoos were stimulated by Polynesian and Japanese examples, amateur tattoo artists were in great demand in port cities all over the world, especially by European and American sailors. The first documented professional tattoo artist in the USA was Martin Hildebrandt, a German immigrant who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in 1846. Between 1861 and 1865, he tattooed soldiers on both sides in the American Civil War. The first documented professional tattooist in Britain was established in Liverpool in the 1870s. Tattooing was an expensive and painful process and by the 1870s had become a mark of wealth for the crowned heads of Europe.

So it started as some kind of acupuncture to heal then became as identification or personification, institution or idealism, even on the religious it had/has important meaning:

Christianity
Historically, a decline in traditional tribal tattooing in Europe occurred with the spread of Christianity.However, some Christian groups, such as the Knights of St. John of Malta, sported tattoos to show their allegiance. A decline often occurred in other cultures following European efforts to convert aboriginal and indigenous people to Western religious and cultural practices that held tattooing to be a "pagan" or "heathen" activity. Within some traditional indigenous cultures, tattooing takes place within the context of a rite of passage between adolescence and adulthood. In the book of Leviticus 19:28, the Bible forbids tattoos.
Drawing of Croat woman with Christian hand tattoos
There is no consistent Christian view on tattooing. The early Christian Montanist movement practiced tattooing as putting signs or seals of God's name according to Rev. 7:3; 9:4; 13:16; 14:1; 20:4; 22:4.
The majority of Christians do not take issue with the practice, while a minority uphold the Hebrew view against tattoos (see below) based on Leviticus. Tattoos of Christian symbols are common. When on pilgrimage, some Christians get a small tattoo dating the year and a small cross. This is usually done on the forearm.
There is no prohibition against tattoo within the Catholic Church, provided that the tattoo is not an image that is sacrilegious, blasphemous, or obscene. At the Catholic council of Calcuth in Northumberland in AD 786, Christians who received a tattoo "for the sake of God" (i.e., a religious tattoo in the form of a cross, a monogramme of Christ, or a saint's name or image) were commended as praiseworthy.[citation needed]
Catholic Croats of Bosnia and Herzegovina used tattooing, especially of children, for perceived protection against forced conversion to Islam during Turkish occupation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (1463-1878). This form of tattooing continued long past its original motivation. Tattooing was performed during springtime or during special religious celebrations such as the Feast of St. Joseph, and consisted mostly of Christian crosses on hands, fingers, forearms, and below the neck and on the chest.
Coptic Christians who live in Egypt tattoo themselves with the symbols of Coptic crosses on their right wrists.

Islam
Woman applying henna in Morocco, 2008. Permanent tattoos are forbidden in Sunni Islam, but are permissible in Shia Islam.
Tattoos are considered forbidden in Sunni Islam, but are permissible in Shia Islam. According to the book of Sunni traditions, Sahih Bukhari, "The Prophet forbade [...] mutilation (or maiming) of bodies."[35] Several Sunni Muslim scholars believe tattooing is a sin because it involves changing the creation of God (Surah 4 Verse 117-120). There is, however, difference of scholarly Sunni Muslim opinion as to the reason why tattoos are forbidden.

Judaism
Tattoos are forbidden in Judaism based on the Torah (Leviticus 19:28): "You shall not make gashes in your flesh for the dead, or incise any marks on yourselves: I am the Lord." The prohibition is explained by contemporary rabbis as part of a general prohibition on body modification (with the exception of circumcision) that does not serve a medical purpose (such as to correct a deformity). Maimonides, a leading 12th century scholar of Jewish law and thought, explains the prohibition against tattoos as a Jewish response to paganism.
In modern times, the association of tattoos with Nazi concentration camps and the Holocaust has added another level of revulsion to the practice of tattooing, even among many otherwise fairly secular Jews.[citation needed] It is a common misconception that anyone bearing a tattoo is not permitted to be buried in a Jewish cemetery.
Neopagan
Neopagans can use the process and the outcome of tattooing as an expression or representation of their beliefs. Many tattooists' websites offer pagan images as examples of the kinds of artwork which they provide. At least one Wiccan Tradition uses a tattoo as a mark of Initiation, although it is an entitlement, not a requirement.

Hinduism
In Hinduism the marking of the forehead is encouraged as it enhances spiritual well-being and is one of the chakras on the body. Many Hindu women tattoo their faces with dots especially around the chin and eyes to ward off evil and enhance their beauty. The local regional tribes use tattoos to distinguish between certain clans and ethnic groups. One Hindu Goddess Lirbai mata is depicted with tattooed arms and legs. She is venerated by the Marwari and Rabari ethnic groups whose women also tattoo their bodies in this fashion. Many Hindu men and women tattoo OM on their hands or arms. This symbols protects them from evil and bad karma. In Rajastan and Gujarat, it is common to see older women with tattoos on their chests, legs, arms and hands. These tattoos are called "bindi thandole" and have religious and spiritual significance. Many of these women are completely covered in these tattoos and these designs are elaborate and intricate. Mehar ethnic groups also encourage their women to tattoo their legs and arms. Khodiyar Mata is often depicted with tattooed arms and legs. Many Hindu Gods have signs on their hands such as a swastika - these sometimes are also tattoed on hands and arms for good luck.

Again spiritual meaning, identification and communication is the common use for today = emotional side

The bad side and the negative effects

Reactions to tattoo colors:
First and foremost concern that must be taken into account before getting a tattoo done, is the way your body would respond to the ink used. Many a times the colour inks, pigments used for tattooing consist of traces of metals which can lead to various health problems including cancer, infections, birth defects passed onto children from parents having tattoos. Injection of color additives into the skin comes with its quota of health risks and is not all safe. Many of the pigments that are used in tattoo inks are not meant for skin contact at all, in fact some are industrial grade ones that are meant for printer’s ink or automobile paint.

Skin Pin:
During the process of impressing a design on your skin, chances are that your skin will start bleeding accompanied by pain. Also in the long term, the color inks used to design your skin can cause skin disorder, allergies, swelling and redness due to burning sensation. There may be allergic reactions to the pigments used on the skin, though rare, and the pigments are hard to remove. The reactions can even occur after you have had the tattoo on your skin for years at a stretch. Granulomas which are small nodules can be formed around the tattoo pigment as the body perceives it to be foreign.

Infection:
The significance of risk of infection can be gauged by the fact that the American Association of Blood Banks requires a one-year wait between getting a tattoo and donating blood. As the machine enters your skin to imprint it with a design, it cuts through it thereby creating a potential for infections to take place. Any form of cuts in the skin can be a source for a bacterial infection to develop which turn may be a cause for low immune system, etc.

HIV:
As tattooing requires the use of needles there are chances that a particular needle may not be sterilized, and if this needle has already been used on an infected person and has a small peck of blood on it, pricks into your skin, there are chances of you becoming a victim of the dreadful HIV virus.

MRI complications:
It has been found that while undergoing MRI scanning, people with tattoos or permanent makeup experience swelling or burning in the affected areas and the tattoo pigments interfere with the quality of the image as the pigments contain metallic components.

Tattoo inks have been described as "remarkably nonreactive histologically". However, cases of allergic reactions to tattoo inks, particularly certain colours, have been medically documented. This is sometimes due to the presence of nickel in an ink pigment, which triggers a common metal allergy. Occasionally, when a blood vessel is punctured during the tattooing procedure, a bruise/hematoma may appear.

Here is an article of "MAilOnline" about an investigation made by The U.S. Food and Drug Administration:

Recently published studies have found that the inks can contain a host of dodgy substances, including some phthalates, metals, and hydrocarbons that are carcinogens and endocrine disruptors.
One chemical commonly used to make black tattoo ink called benzo(a)pyrene is known to be a potent carcinogen that causes skin cancer in animal tests.
Coloured inks often contain lead, cadmium, chromium, nickel, titanium and other heavy metals that could trigger allergies or diseases, scientists say.
Some pigments are industrial grade dyes 'suitable for printers' ink or automobile paint,' according to an FDA fact sheet.

More...
Nude York City: Bodypainted model hauled to jail after Times Square spectacle
It really is in the genes! Skinny people have an 'overdose' of chromosomes that keep them thin
Now the FDA has launched an investigation into the long-term safety of the inks, including what happens when they break down in the body or fade from light exposure.
Joseph Braun, an environmental epidemiologist at Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts, told Environmental Health News: 'The short answer is we don't know if the chemicals in tattoo inks represent a health hazard.'
An estimated 45million people in the U.S., including at least 36 per cent of adults in their late 30s, have at least one tattoo.

Body art: Coloured inks often contain lead, cadmium, chromium, nickel, titanium and other heavy metals that could trigger allergies or diseases, scientists say
Particular concern surrounds the use of black tattoo inks, often made from soot containing products of combustion called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).
The PAHs in the inks include benzo(a)pyrene, a compound identified in an Environmental Protection Agency toxicity report as 'among the most potent and well-documented skin carcinogens.'
But serious epidemiological studies pose difficulties, since getting a tattoo is still risky behaviour.
Attempting to isolate whether these are the carcinogenic factors in a group of people who habitually engage in risk taking behaviours - like smoking - is impossible.
The FDA has the power to control tattoo inks under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, but up to now the agency has not flexed its regulatory muscles.
A spokesman for the agency said: 'Because the dyes and inks used in tattoos have not been approved by FDA, we do not know the specific composition of what these inks and dyes may contain.
'Therefore, we are unable to evaluate for chronic health concerns, such as cancer.'

So practically the most common risk is allergy reaction due to the kind of ink (and the components) you use, because on the cancer matter there is not a strong evidence that proves that all tattoos can cause cancer! (again it depends on the components of the ink (specially the colored ones) also most of the issues above could be prevented (HIV one of them) and if despite it all, you want to get it done, make sure you follow these basic steps:

- First of all make sure the place is clean and hygienic. And so is the artist.
- Do a research beforehand and make sure you go to the best. Do not compromise on quality. After all, it is a permanent mark on your skin.
- Make sure you have company when getting a tattoo done. This would ease out the tension, make you less nervous and in certain cases they can also point out if something is going wrong which otherwise may escape your - - knowledge. Chances are that they might even encourage you to get more of such crazy things done to your body.
- It would be better if you could get your hands onto your artist’s portfolios to make sure that their style is something that will fit your personality type. (Remember you will have this art on your body for the rest of your life).-
- Make sure the tattoo artist is wearing gloves.
- The artist must not use a needle more than once.
- Also to make sure that your new tattoo stays as vibrant and crisp as it can.
- Read the instructions carefully to heal the tattoo after you get it done.
- Ensure that the needles are sterilized.
- Inform your radiologist of the permanent tattoos if undergoing MRI scanning.

If you already have a tattoo but you are thinking on getting it remove then here are your options:

- Laser treatments: Laser can lighten tattoos, not completely erase them. But one needs to visit the clinic over a span of weeks or months, and also the treatment does not come cheap. This can also lead to a lightening of the natural skin color in the affected area. Another glitch with laser is that, there are chances of it causing pigments in the tattoo ink to be released into the body thereby causing allergies.

- Dermabrasion: This process may leave a scar as it involves abrading layers of skin with a wire brush.

- Scarification: This involves removing the tattoo with an acid solution thereby again creating a scar.

- Surgical removal: This method involves the use of tissue expanders. These are like balloons inserted under the skin, so that when the tattoo is cut away, there is less scarring. Some tattoos require repeat surgery for total removal.

-----

what you all think? is evidence enough to take tattoos always as a bad idea and bad for your body?

 

[Deleted member 8431]

I think the good sides are purely subjective. But yes, I also think some look good on people - considering the artistic side of it alone.

On the other hand though, I think that the risks are very real.

Made a small research and here's what I found so far.

Source: Wikipedia

A wide range of dyes and pigments can be used in tattoos, from inorganic materials like titanium dioxide and iron oxides to carbon black, azo dyes, and acridine, quinoline, phthalocyanine and naphthol derivatives, dyes made from ash, and other mixtures.

Inorganic pigments - mostly metal oxides - can be made of a whole range of metals, including: cadmium, chromium, cobalt, cooper, iron, lead, mercury, titanium and zinc.

Here are the organic dyes they mention. I don't know much about their toxicity but I'll describe them.

- Azo compounds: General formula R-N=N-R' that will usually have a benzene and phenol attached to R and R'. It was prohibited in Europe in consumer's goods because it could break up and release aromatic amines.

- Quinoline: An aromatic organic compound with formula C9H7N. A benzene bond to a pyridine basically.

- Phthalocyanine(s): A large macrocyclic compound that can form complexes with most elements from the periodic table. There is evidence that exposure to phthalocyanines can cause serious birth defects in developing embryos.

- Naphthol derivates: Both 1-naphthol and 2-naphthol are basically a benzene bond to a phenol (with -OH group being on a diffrent carbon). Apparently harmful if inhaled or swallowed.

That's it for now. We could certainly dig deeper but it kind of is enough for me.

Conclusion: I think there is enough evidence to conclude that tatooing is dangerous and always bad for the body, at least to some point. I mean, you are injecting unwanted and even possibly unknown chemicals in your skin to begin with.

Not to mention psychological issues/obsessions that many people have/can develop over tatoos and the likes. It can become a real "drug", or so it seems for some people. There are two people in my family for instance that got quite obsessed with tatoos (getting more and more and wasting more and more money) and it clearly shows a deeper issue about their self-image. They have also started working out like machines in the gym, taking loads of crappy supplement (one is even on steroids), going with crappy diets, dating "chicks" to get laid and you know, this is quite distressful to my eyes. Not to mention that the more they get into it, the more I see their vision about reality changing more and more towards some sort of dellusional wishful vision that is primarly focused of cash, woman, sex, material and all that in the hope (perhaps) of being "someone important" or so to speak. I'm not blaming tatoos per se here, but they are indeed part of the things that got them going about changing their whole image.

For what it's worth.

Peace.

 

[irjO]

Conclusion: I think there is enough evidence to conclude that tatooing is dangerous and always bad for the body, at least to some point. I mean, you are injecting unwanted and even possibly unknown chemicals in your skin to begin with.

Not to mention psychological issues/obsessions that many people have/can develop over tatoos and the likes. It can become a real "drug", or so it seems for some people. There are two people in my family for instance that got quite obsessed with tatoos (getting more and more and wasting more and more money) and it clearly shows a deeper issue about their self-image. They have also started working out like machines in the gym, taking loads of crappy supplement (one is even on steroids), going with crappy diets, dating "chicks" to get laid and you know, this is quite distressful to my eyes. Not to mention that the more they get into it, the more I see their vision about reality changing more and more towards some sort of dellusional wishful vision that is primarly focused of cash, woman, sex, material and all that in the hope (perhaps) of being "someone important" or so to speak. I'm not blaming tatoos per se here, but they are indeed part of the things that got them going about changing their whole image.

Yeah i didn't review the psychological view of this! but certanly most of the people who got a tattoo tends to get a second one.. And many of them appears to have it for the reasons you mentioned (false image, sex, money etc)

 

[Deleted member 8431]

Yeah i didn't review the psychological view of this! but certanly most of the people who got a tattoo tends to get a second one.. And many of them appears to have it for the reasons you mentioned (false image, sex, money etc)

I do not mean to generalize too much about the obsessive aspect of it (not everyone is equally obsessed with them and such) but in a way, when one agrees to take the risks and is willing to undergo such pain just for a matter of self-image, it seems to be that this person somehow has an issue (to my eyes at least). But that's just me. Maybe other people have diffrent views about it so that's why I do not mean to put everyone into the same basket.

One on the people I mentionned in my family did tell us at some point he lacked self confidence and coincidely later in his life, he found out that his girlfirend (whith whom he had bought a house and planned to have children) cheated on him and broke up (everything is a lesson). So that was a devastating punch in the face for him which made him feel a lot more insecure and that's when the obsessions took a hold. He recently got a huge tatoo on his pelvis reading "PORNSTAR" and now he is completely obsessed with sex. Sort of like to prove to himself and others that he can still be desired by woman etc. He even told me he wanted to get implants on his penis (no kidding) and that's when I knew it got out of hand. Excuse me for I haven't followed up on that one though. :/

I have thought of getting tatoos in the past but since I started doing the Work, it just went away by itself. I don't see a point anymore in regards to my own personal self. But that's me. Not that I don't care about my image, just in a diffrent way.

My thoughts.

 

[Graalsword]

Yeah i didn't review the psychological view of this! but certanly most of the people who got a tattoo tends to get a second one.. And many of them appears to have it for the reasons you mentioned (false image, sex, money etc)

I think that that psychological aspect can be found in other things too, and are not exactly the consecuence of tatooing but rather the cause in most cases. I would say that the objective dangers of tatooing are in the chemicals. The psychological part can also be found in clothing, obsessive bodybuilding, plastic surgeons, etc.. (besides tatoo).

In my case, I never wanted to have a tattoo for the simple reason that I change likes and dislikes over time, for instance I no longer like my forum nick, my email adress nick, etc.. Just imagine what a mess would be if I no longer like a tatoo. Obviously since becoming aware of the chemical toxicity of tatoos, I have a new reason to avoid tatooing.

 

[lainey]

I started using this tattoo removal cream in October last year.
http://tattooremovalcream.co.uk/
An a couple of members expressed an interest in seeing the ingredients list which I've taken a photo of. The site explains the process of how the cream is meant to work:

During tattooing, ink is injected into the skin. The ink initiates an immune response, and cells called "macrophages" move into the area and "eat up" the ink. The macrophages carry some of the ink to the body's lymph nodes. But some of those macrophages that are filled with ink stay put, embedded in the skin. That's what makes the tattoo visible under the skin.


Laser cream works by targeting the macrophages that have remained at the site of the tattoo. New macrophages move in to consume the previously pigment-filled macrophages and then migrate to the lymph nodes, eventually taking all the dye with them.




There's no injection and no inflammation, and the tattoo just fades away.

However after using this cream daily since October I've seen no fading at all. The site seems to offer a money back guarantee and I contacted them last month with pictures of the tattoo where they advised me to use it for at least 6 months which would fall at the end of April/beginning of May.
The site seemed professional with impressive before and after results however as time passes with no change I'm starting to wonder if it's just an elaborate scam. I thought I'd post the ingredients here for others to take a look at if they were thinking of using the cream and wanted to share my experience with it, which at the moment doesn't look promising.
I hope this helps someone in the same situation.

 

[Chad]

An a couple of members expressed an interest in seeing the ingredients list which I've taken a photo of. The site explains the process of how the cream is meant to work:

It says: Hea Butter - which i figure is intended to mean Shea butter - made from an African nut, and is known for it's moisturising properties; I searched for Hea butter, but nothing from the first page. If it's a typo, which it may be, that's pretty poor on their part.

Another look:

Shea Butter - Butyrospermum Parkii comes from an African tree of Shea-Karite. It contains A, E, and F vitamins and is beneficial for rough and dry skin.

Since you'd expect this to be formulated by qualified people, proud of their cutting edge product and all that.

Still, i hope you get some results Lainey. Or your money back!

 

[RedFox]

Scanning through the ingredients I'm surprised to not see any chelating agents (beyond ALA) in it. Unless I missed one?
It does appear different tattoo removal creams exist with things like EDTA in.

I found a patent, and part of me wonders if the combined knowledge here couldn't come up with our own cream? fwiw

_http://www.google.com/patents/WO2010065922A2?cl=en

Methods and compositions for tattoo removal

Abstract
Methods and formulations for removing a tattoo by using a cell disrupter in combination with a vasodilator, and optionally one or more of an osmotic modifying agent, a chelation agent, and an occlusive modifying agent. Embodiments optionally further include using one or more of an antibiotic, anesthetic, penetration enhancer, excipient, carrier and vehicle.

[..]
[0004] Professional tattoos are created by injecting tattoo inks with a rapidly reciprocating needle that drives ink particles into the dermis to a depth of 0.6 mm to 2.2 mm. The inks used in tattooing are derived from exogenous pigments, most of unknown purity. Pigments in tattoo ink include iron oxides, chromium oxide, aluminum oxide, titanium oxide, barium sulfate, zinc oxide, sodium copper silicate, sodium aluminum silicate, copper carbonate, dioxazine and carbazole. Following injection, the ink pigment particles reside in the interstitial space between dermal cells where they form large aggregates of about 140 μm to 180 μm until fibroblasts or macrophages engulf the pigment particles and internalize the tattoo ink into the skin cells. The size of the ink particle aggregates and the collagen network surrounding the aggregates help keep the ink pigments within the skin making the tattoo permanent, thus the difficulty with removal of tattoos.

[..]

[0006] The mechanism by which Q-switched lasers remove tattoos involves selective rupture of the skin cells, breakdown of tattoo ink particle aggregates, and ink removal by trans-epidermal elimination and/or lymphatic transport (Taylor et al., J. Invest. Dermatol., 97:131-136 (1991); Ferguson et al., Br. J. Dermatol, 137:405-410 (1997)). Although the human immune system is able to remove some of the pigment fragments, causing fading of the tattoo (Wheeland, Lasers in Surgery and Medicine 16:2 23 (1995); Zelickson et al., Lasers in Surgery and Medicine 15:364 372 (1994)), most pigment fragments become re- phagocytosed by still intact dermal cells and so the tattoo remains visible (Ferguson et al., British Journal of Dermatology 137:405 410 (1997)).

[..]

[0008] An embodiment of the present invention provides a method of removing a tattoo from a region of skin; the embodiment includes treating the region with a cell disruptor (e.g., a laser) and administering to the same region a composition comprising a vasodilator to cause enlargement of blood vessels in the region, so that combined action of the composition and the cell disruptor causes removal of the tattoo. In a further related embodiment, the composition further comprises at least one osmotic modifying agent. Alternatively, or in addition, the composition includes at least one chelating agent. In a further related embodiment, administering the composition includes applying it topically to the region. Alternatively or in addition, administering the composition includes applying it via a transdermal patch. Administering the composition may include injecting it into the region with a suitable medical device. In a further related embodiment, injecting the composition includes using a hypodermic needle, a syringe, or a needleless injection device. Alternatively or in addition, administering the composition includes delivering it by any combination of a topical formulation, a patch- like device, an iontophoresis device, a sonophoresis device, and an injection. Alternatively or in addition, administering the composition includes covering the region with a non-breathable occlusive barrier that dries on the skin. In a further related embodiment, covering with the occlusive barrier includes using a physical non-breathable layer. In a further related embodiment, treating the region with the cell disruptor includes using externally applied energy. Optionally, treating the region with the cell disruptor includes using a laser.

[0009] In a further related embodiment, treating the region with the cell disruptor includes using externally applied derived energy selected from at least one of a thermal, sonic, ultrasound, visible light, infrared light, ultraviolet light, electric, magnetic, chemical, enzymatic, and mechanical energy, and other type of energy.

 

[Marina9]

Thanks for the informatiion guys! I had a tattoo done 8 years ago, a bad decission since I was quite young, then like 5 years ago I started going to laser sessions to remove it, it was hell painful and expensive :( and didn't get it removed since its quite big... I was considering doing a cover up but I was told about all this toxic things in the Ink :( there's supposedly type of Ink with no toxic chemicals.. But how can we be certain about it?

Funny how media change information, since I saw some articles claiming having a tattoo will make ur inmune system stronger... Sounds ilogic, u'll body is in constant fight against this chemicals :(

 

[lainey]

Thanks for the informatiion guys! I had a tattoo done 8 years ago, a bad decission since I was quite young, then like 5 years ago I started going to laser sessions to remove it, it was hell painful and expensive :( and didn't get it removed since its quite big... I was considering doing a cover up but I was told about all this toxic things in the Ink :( there's supposedly type of Ink with no toxic chemicals.. But how can we be certain about it?

Funny how media change information, since I saw some articles claiming having a tattoo will make ur inmune system stronger... Sounds ilogic, u'll body is in constant fight against this chemicals :(

Here's an article:

http://www.sciencealert.com/getting-multiple-tattoos-can-strengthen-your-immune-system

Getting multiple tattoos can strengthen your immune system

Looking for a solid reason to finally get that Schrodinger's cat tattoo you've always wanted? Well, science has got you covered, because new research has found that getting multiple tattoos could boost your immunological response, which makes you better able to fight off infections. The catch? You need more than one tattoo to see any improvement.

According to researchers from the University of Alabama, getting a bunch of tattoos is a lot like working out. When you first start, your body is weakened by the new stress. At the gym, this means sore muscles. For tattooing, the process often leaves you feeling generally exhausted because your body is wondering why you injected a foreign contaminant deep into your skin.

But after a few days in the gym, your muscles start to strengthen and you no longer feel like death. Noticing how this works for muscles, the team wondered if the same could be said about tattooing. Could getting multiple pieces tattooed act as an immunological exercise routine?

As it turns out, yes. The researchers were able to verify this by heading out to a local tattoo shop and recruiting volunteers for a study that examined how many tattoos a person had and how long each tattooing session was. With this data, they then analysed blood samples to gauge the participants' levels of immunoglobulin A, which is an antibody, and cortisol, a stress hormone.

The team found that people who were getting their very first tattoo had a large drop in immunoglobulin A thanks to rising cortisol levels. As for those who had been tattooed many times before, immunoglobulin A levels decreased only a tiny bit, which, according to the team, suggests that the body is strengthening its immunological response.

"After the stress response, your body returns to an equilibrium," said Christopher Lynn, one of the study’s authors. "However, if you continue to stress your body over and over again, instead of returning to the same set point, it adjusts its internal set points and moves higher."

Though the team’s findings make logical sense, it’s important to point out that the study was only conducted with 24 women and 5 men, a sample size that's large enough to suggest that something is going on here, but small enough to warrant further study to confirm that.

What we're saying is if you want to boost your immune system, getting multiple tattoos is probably not the best way of going about that, but if you need a reason to get one more, you can add this study to the list.

You can read the team’s full report in the American Journal of Human Biology.

Could this be linked to why I have virtually no detox reactions to anything, iodine, DMSA etc. or am I mixing things up?

 

[Alejo]

I'm not sure about the article, as it is a quite small sample I think more has to be studied, but having said that. I think it's possible that causing stres on the body in a controlled manner could strengthen your response to stress in the future, either that or you just build tolerance to pain, much like cold adaptation. It always reminded me of the way of the fakir, where will was built via stress on the body.

The issue with tattoos in my view, is the same as with anything else, people go about it for the wrong reasons and end up identifying and marking themselves up(in a very traumatic way) for life. I always like to think of some people who are tattoo aficionados as people who go on a diet to "look pretty", at times they're exercising an incredible amount of will for the goal of feeling more attractive, to draw more attention from the outside. Like a deep need for approval.

So as with anything, I feel is the mindset and knowledge that drives the decision, the intent and the aim, that makes a difference.

I myself have a tattoo that resembles my avatar here, I've shared the story with a few of you. But it took me 5 years to decide what I wanted on my body, I'm not saying that I made the most conscious decision back then..:P but I remember clearly knowing how fast my mind could change and how I wanted to at least carry something in me that would be at least at the beginning of a solid stage in my life.