It is summer and to beat the heat more skin is shown in skimpy clothing and, of course, tattoos of all styles are more exposed. As tattoos become more popular, there is a growing concern about their potential risks. While it is a fashionable practice, wearers should explore the risks, the types of dyes used and the sanitation and qualification of the person applying them.

What are the risks associated with applying tattoos? They include:

Infection like hepatitis and HIV from unsterilised needles used from person to person.

Allergies to various ink pigments.

The development of small knots or bumps, called granulomas, which may form around material that the body perceives as foreign, for example, particles of tattoo pigment.

Scarring which may result from unwanted scar tissue when getting or removing a tattoo.

Ink pigments

How are tattoos done? There are two types - permanent and temporary. Permanent tattoos are done by using needles to inject coloured ink below the surface of the skin, based on a pattern selected by the client. In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) monitors the practice of tattooing, ink colourings as cosmetics and colour additives. Inks pigments used are of industrial strength with colours used for printing or with automobile paint.

FDA control was increased as a result of reports of bad reactions to tattoo inks right after tattooing, and even years later. There were reports of itchy and inflamed skin around the tattoo, especially in the summer when wearers are more exposed to the sun. The Centre for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition has started research to gain a better understanding of the body's response to tattoos and their impact on human health.

Lymph nodes

Already, Paul Howard, PhD of the National Center for Toxicological Research, has started investigation of tattoo inks to determine their chemical composition and how they break down in the body, the long-term effects on the body, and how the body interacts with light on the inks. Research has shown that some pigment migrates from the tattoo site to the lymph nodes in the body. The lymphatic system is a collection of fluid-carrying vessels that filter out disease-causing orgasms in the body.

Permanent tattoos are commonly removed by laser treatment so serious thought should be given to using permanent or temporary tattoos. Temporary tattoos include the 'decal' type tattoos and are applied to the skin with a moistened wad of cotton, and many use colour additives approved for cosmetic use on the skin. Even then, there are some allergic reactions to some temporary tattoos. Temporary tattoos fade very quickly.

Self-esteem

Many persons who decide to wear a tattoo are usually happy with their decision, more women are heckled and called all kinds of unbecoming names about the tattoos they wear. As a result, some women have decided to remove their markings. Many of these women are low in self-esteem so they feel more comfortable with the tattoo. On the contrary, women with high self-esteem and self-confidence will wear tattoo anywhere, especially where it highlights their sexuality.

According to Sindi, "My tattoos are special and where I place them will tease the men in my life - I place permanent ones for the special man in my life ... the tattoo also features prominently in how you 'trash out' at the dance ... I select some 'wicked' designs that everyone usually want." Some put on tattoos as a sexual bond between partners and some put them on for special occasions, like birthdays or marriages.

'Macho' image

Men are less likely to remove their tattoos because men generally face less social stigma and negative comments. In fact, it is seen as a 'macho' thing for men to do so. The gender differences to tattoo are deeply rooted in socialisation and cultural practices.

According to Myrna Armstrong, professor in Nursing at Texas Tech University's Health Sciences Center, writing in the July issue of Archives of Dermatology, more than half of the women said that they got their tattoos while they were very young, between 16 and 23, and did it out of impulse or peer pressure, so later in life they did not want it.

boring

Some said it felt unique in the beginning, but later it became boring. As women move from one phase of life to the next, for example, the social to the professional, tattoos may have no place in their profile.

Armstrong advises women of some practical tips for coping with the negative comments and stigma. Women should think about where on the body they place the tattoo so as to control how it is exposed. Women's clothing tends to reveal more of the chest and lower leg area, whereas men wear business suits and more clothing to cover the body.

To tattoo or not to tattoo, that is the question. Take care to examine your reasons for wanting a tattoo, and be sure to check out the potential health risks.

* Name changed for privacy