Knowing The Risks Of Tattooing

An increasing (and somewhat alarming) number of young people all over the world are jumping on the body modification band wagon by getting a tattoo. It became popular in the nineties and has been growing in popularity ever since. It is now estimated that around one in three Americans under the age of 25 have at least one tattoo. Now I'm not anti-tattoo I don't have one, but I don't mind other people having them. What does concern me is the lack of research people do before running to the local tattoo shop and getting a permanent body modification.

Pretty much everyone who hasn't been living under a rock for the last few years knows that they should use a reputable tattoo artist with high standards of cleanliness. However, for most people that is where the research and safety precautions end. What most people do not realise, is what exactly is being injected under their skin. Tattoos have their origins in tribal cultures where the dyes were made from natural ingredients such as plants, but modern day tattoo inks are composed of unknown combinations of metallic salts such as oxides, sulphates and selenides, and even plastics. A recent report by the European Commission revealed that up to 40% of the organic colorants used in tattoos are not approved for use on skin and around 20% of inks tested contained carcinogenics. Some chemicals were actually intended only for printing. In America, the FDA regulates cosmetics worn on the skin, like make up or sun screen, but they do not regulate the potentially toxic ink we have injected under it during tattooing. How does that make any sense?

There are many reported cases of allergic reactions to tattoo inks and there is also the added risk of the unknown effects of metal salts being injected into the body. Cases of psoriasis, dermatitis and even tumors have been linked to tattooing. I guess the bottom line is that unless you are fully aware of and prepared to deal with the worst case scenario, leave body modification alone.

Health Risks Associated With Body Art

Tattoos and piercings have recently left social stigma behind them. Musicians and actors and other celebrities adorn themselves with a piercing or a tattoo, just like the average consumer. Today, between 400 000 and 600,000 people are pierced and even more frequently encountered is the tattoo. Piercers and tattoo artists are now considered to be profitable businesses, but their body art is going to live long under the skin and therefore should be chosen carefully. A piercer or tattooist using unsanitary practices or who is inexperienced, can not only present a health risk, but also cause you to be adorned with a picture for life that does not meet our own quality standards.

While piercings can be removed and a more or less large hole in the body area remains are tattoos a purchase for the entire life, which can also be removed, but require the help of laser treatment, access to which is often limited. The subject should be so well considered and both timeless and attractive for the entire remaining life.

Tattoos are body art. The dye is introduced here with a needle directly into the skin. The origin of tattoos is that they were thought to have magical purposes. For example, it was tradition for a tattoo to be applied to the body of a person's so called totem-animal. In our culture, tattoos were a long time associated with sailors. Meanwhile, tattoos are but across all segments of the population as almost self-evident jewelry that is worn open or more hidden on the body. Especially among young people have tattoos often have a genuine cult status. The same goes for piercings. Also the body jewelry is used to express individuality. Important for both versions is that absolutely basic rules are observed, because in both cases, there can be various health risks involved.

Generally one can say that a tattoo and a piercing is not completely pain free. How strong the pain is felt, however, depends on their perception of pain. While some customers perceive tattooing as tingling, other clients already feel pain. Depending on how strong the pain is felt, it is also, dependant on where on body the tattoo is placed. Generally, the pain is more intense on parts of the body where the skin is very thin. Especially the shoulder blade or ankle, and elbow are particularly sensitive to the tattoo. Important to know is that people who suffer from diabetes, from haemophilia or from infectious diseases should not be tattooed.

Infections are the most common risks that arise through the piercing. About 20 percent of piercings become infected. The infection is favored by poor hygiene or inept after care of the piercing . This can even lead to blood poisoning which can cause infection. Allergies can arise that are being triggered by nickel-containing jewelry. Swelling and pain, bleeding and bruising, as well as disturbances in wound healing and scarring are other health problems that may lead to the piercing itself.

Dealing With Sewage Clean Up At Home

Sometimes there are certain disasters in the home we can take care of ourselves, little things like a blown fuse, a leaky tap and so on. However, there are other issues which cannot be taken care of because of our health. For example, mold and sewage related incidents should never be handled on your own, because they can have a detrimental effect on your health and well being.

So let's talk a little bit more about sewage clean up. I know, I know, it's not the nicest subject in the world! However, it's the one I had to deal with this past week. My good lady wife and I had been out and about all day caught up with work and errands. We stopped off for an early dinner before heading home, but on opening the front door we were greeted by a stench the likes of which we had never smelled before – nor do I ever wish to smell again! Our septic tank had gotten backed up causing an overflow sewage. Both the main bathroom, our en-suite and the downstairs toilet were a mess! I know enough about bacteria to know that a) I was not touching this with a barge pole and b) it had to be dealt with now!

We scooted on over to the neighbors and used their phone to call in some emergency sewage removal experts who reached us in around one hour and took care of everything quickly. Amazingly, we only had to replace the flooring in the downstairs toilet which had taken the worst hit, and a few towels etc. But because we worked fast the damage was minimal.

What really struck me though was my father's reaction when we called to see if we could stop the night with him. He asked my why I hadn't just rolled up my sleeves, pulled on some waders and cleaned the mess myself. He honestly believed that it was just a case of us young folks being too darn lazy! He was appalled when I explained all of the reasons why that was NOT a great plan!

Untreated sewage has so much more than just a bad smell. It is full of micro-organisms, bacteria and parasites which can cause a laundry list of illnesses if ingested or are able to enter the blood stream view broken skin. Sewage is classed as a bio-hazard and should be treated much the same as you might treat toxic waste! I'm betting that you'd never try to clear up a toxic spill from factory right? So why would you try to clean up sewage? It can cause a multitude of stomach illnesses, skin infections and respiratory disease. That's not something you want to mess with.