Causes of an Infected Tattoo
There are several ways bacterial or viral pathogens can get in contact with the tattoo, these causes are discussed below:
- Contaminated needles: the use of unsterilized needles for tattooing may serve as a pathway for the transfer of viral infections from one customer to another.
- Poor hygiene of skin: if the skin about to undergo this body modification is dirty and is not cleaned properly, there are high chances of being vulnerable to infections.
- Contaminated ink: research done by the Food and Drug agency has shown that once the ink leaves the manufacturer, it is prone to contamination. It should also be noted that even when ink is still in its container and termed sterile, infections are still possible.
- Weakened immune system: having a strong immune system is very important when getting a tattoo. A weakened immune system increases the risk of getting infected after getting a tattoo.
- Chemicals in the ink: the ink may contain certain substances that may be harmful such as ink meant for calligraphy, pigments used for textiles or car paints, additives made from animal sources such as glycerin or gelatin, metal salts, etc. These chemicals also lead to other reactions like granuloma [6] and lichen planus [7].
- Dirty water: water is used for diluting ink for tattoos, tap or distilled water sometimes contains harmful microorganisms and thereby causes infections.
- Unhygienic tattoo parlor.
- A Do-it-yourself tattoo process.
- Improper cleaning after the tattoo.